The Meaning of Life

   When I created this blog, I made my URL frankl-fan.blogspot.com. This was before reading Man's Search for Meaning, or any other piece of writing my Viktor E. Frankl. I've now completed his famous memoir that combines the life of a prisoner with Frankl's theory logotherapy, and I am definitely a Frankl fan.    Man's Search for Meaning is a short book, about 150 pages, but it contains an immense amount of life lessons and explanations of various methods of psychoanalysis, all while Frankl reflects on his life as a concentration camp prisoner. It's an easy read, but I often found myself re-reading passages just to let his words sink in a little more. Several of these passages made a strong impression on me. They are the kind of statements that require you to reflect on your own life, the kind of statements that can change your outlook on life. I will include a few of these passages below:

    "And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you would become the plaything of circumstance, renouncing freedom and dignity to become molded into the form of the typical inmate." pg 66

   "To the others of us, the mediocre and the half-hearted, the words of Bismarck could be applied: 'Life is like being at the dentist. You always think that the worst is still to come, and yet it is over already." Varying this we could say that most men in a concentration camp believed that the real opportunities of life had passed. Yet, in reality, there was an opportunity and a challenge. One could make a victory of those experiences turning life into an inner triumph, or one could ignore the challenge and simply vegetate, as did a majority of the prisoner." pg 72

   "We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life-daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." pg 77

   All of these passages have something in common; they are all relatable to everyday life. While at first Man's Search for Meaning seems like a recap of concentration camp events, I think Frankl's true purpose in writing this book was to relate these events to life. He does this extremely successfully as you've read in the passages above. The first passage is a reminder that you are always able to decide your attitude towards a seemingly awful situation. The second allows the reader to reflect on their past choices towards their attitude. And the third is Frankl's definition of the meaning of life. The latter was the most enlightening passage of the whole book for me. Everyone has debated the meaning of life, and I'd always hold the stance that a) I didn't know or b) there wasn't one set meaning. Frankl's theory that life's meaning is the ability to respond to life supports the idea that the meaning of life differs from person to person.
   With that being said, Man's Search for Meaning is a book meant for any and every one. It can be related to almost every problem faced during life, and offers some advice, and guidance on how to deal with such problems. I'd highly recommend this book, because I can guarantee it will influence your outlook on life, and how you're living it. 

Frankl's Punctuation

   Punctuation is an essential part of any piece of writing. Besides the words themselves, it is the most effective way to convey a message. Viktor E. Frankl uses a unique style of punctuation in his book Man's Search for Meaning to explain his thoughts clearly for the reader. Note Frankl's punctuation in the following passage:

   " But I did not only talk of the future and the veil which was drawn over it. I also mentioned the past; all its joys, and how its light shone even in the present darkness. Again I quoted a poet-to avoid sounding like a preacher myself-who had written, 'Was Du erlebst, kann keine Macht der Welt Dir rauben.' (What you have experienced, no power on earth can take from you.) Not only our experiences, but all we have done, whatever great thoughts we may have had, and all we have suffered, all this is not lost, though it is past; we have brought it into being. Having been is also a kind of being, and perhaps the surest kind."

   It's important to understand the context of said passage, to understand Frankl's message, and thus his punctuation choices. In this passage, Frankl is talking to a group of fellow inmates as a means of collective psychotherapy. He's attempting to comfort the prisoners by mentioning their past lives, and by doing so he conveys the overarching message that past experiences are still valuable despite them being past. Now we can connect his message, to his punctuation choices. In the third sentence (starting with Again I...) Frankl uses a set of dashes. These dashes are used to insert Frankl's inner monologue, something he didn't say or think at the time, but realizes it now as he's writing about his past experiences. In the sentence that begins with Not only... Frankl uses a series of commas and then a semi-colon. He uses to commas to clarify and expand upon the idea that past experiences are valuable. The semi-colon is used to emphasize the phrase, "we have brought it into being."
   Frankl's use of punctuation is unique to his writing style, and some may critique it as unorthodox. While it may be unorthodox, it is used as a stylistic device to further convey his point. Frankl has the freedom to not follow all the correct grammar and punctuation rules, because he is using punctuation as more than just the end of a sentence. 

Decisions Decisions...

   "...man does have a choice of action. There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which proved that apathy could be overcome, irritability suppressed."

    I guess I should preface this post by saying that my life is in no way comparable to Viktor Frankl's life in various concentration camps. There is no pain or suffering I have endured that can be related to that of Frankl's. With that being said, I will proceed to compare my life to Frankl's.

     "The camp inmate was frightened of making decisions and of taking any sort of initiative whatsoever. This was the result of a strong feeling that fate was one's master, and that one must not try to influence it in any way, but instead let it take its own course."

    In this quote, Frankl describes the inmates lack of drive to make decisions, they prefer to let "fate" do the work for them. Frankl goes on to explain how when decisions are made they are most often quick decisions that lead to life or death. The most common decision made was whether or not to attempt escape. Frankl himself was faced with this decision and initially agreed to attempt escape, but later decided not to. His decision not to escape most likely saved his life, as the concentration camp was liberated shortly after. This type of irony is mentioned numerously in Frankl's stories.
    I think most people have felt, at some point in their lives, a hesitancy to make decisions. As I begin to think about college, this feeling is at its strongest. But I don't think my lack of initiative is quite the same as Frankl's. I'm not frightened to make decisions, as the decisions I make aren't quite life or death decisions. Rather my inability to make decisions is a result of stressful situations. For myself, stress shuts me down, which is a problem I should address, but that makes me stressed, so I don't. (It's a vicious cycle.) Frankl insists that, "Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress." Frankl is challenging us to take control of ourselves, despite our surroundings trying to suppress us piece by piece. Frankl's words couldn't have come at a better time for myself, and hopefully they resonate with you as well. 

Paradoxical Intention: Free Anxiety Medication

   "Fear brings about that which one is afraid of, and hyper-intention makes impossible what one wishes."

   Viktor E. Frankl, author of Man's Search for Meaning, writes with a specific style, and often quotes other psychoanalysts to support his claims. His quotes often mirror the formula for quoting found in the book They Say, I Say. The formula is referred to as a quote sandwich. A proper quote sandwich would consist of an introduction to the quote, the quote itself, and an explanation of the quote. Frankl demonstrates this in the following excerpt:

      "A statement consistent with this is found in Gordon W. Allport's book, The Individual and His Religion: 'The neurotic who learns to laugh at himself may be on the way to self-management, perhaps to cure.' Paradoxical intention is the empirical validation and clinical application of Allport's statement."

   Frankl begins by introducing the author he's quoting, and what book he's quoting from. Next comes the quote itself, and the final sentence explains the quote, and his argument as a whole. Frankl's argument surrounds the idea of paradoxical intention as a method of logotherapy. To clarify, logotherapy is Frankl's theory that can be defined as a "meaning-centered psychotherapy." Logotherapy ultimately aims to orientate the patient towards the meaning of his life. Paradoxical intention is a method which Frankl uses to replace fear through paradox. An example of paradoxical intention Frankl uses is when he once met a man who was fearful of perspiring. Frankl advised him to show people how much he could perspire (the paradox) to rid of this fear. Frankl claims that paradoxical intention is almost always successful for curing minor fears, phobias, or anxieties, and he uses Gordon W. Allport's quote to support his argument. 

The Primitive Life of a Prisoner

         

"The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory." 

    Viktor Frankl often uses rhetoric in his writing to relate the daily struggles of a concentration camp prisoner back to something the reader can identify with. Frankl uses an analogy in the following passage to achieve this goal: 

"He thought of himself then as only a part of an enormous mass of people; his existence descended to the level of animal life. The men were herded-sometimes to one place then to another; sometimes driven together then apart-like a flock of sheep without a thought or a will of their own. A small but dangerous pack watched them from all sides, well versed in methods of torture and sadism. They drove the herd incessantly, backwards and forwards, with shouts, kicks and blows. And we, the sheep, thought of two things only-how to evade the bad dogs and how to get a little food" 

    In this passage, Frankl very effectively uses an analogy to compare the supervised walk to work, to the herding of sheep. The purpose of this analogy is to clarify the daily life of a prisoner for the reader, a common theme throughout the book. Frankl also uses of imagery to make it easy to picture the group of prisoners on the walk to work. This vivid imagery is important for the reader, because it helps them further understand and relate to the subject. Frankl also uses pathos to play to the readers emotions. His description of the "bad dogs" and their torture makes the reader feel sympathetic.
    Frankl's use of rhetoric all supports his argument; that life was primitive, and even animal-like in the concentration camp.  Frankl addresses this argument often in his book, and claims that the terrible conditions of the concentration camp stripped the prisoners of any non-primitive thoughts or actions. However, he also argues that there is a way to find a will to live, despite their terrible conditions. This is the very basis of Man's Search for Meaning. 

Number 119104

   "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how" -Nietzsche

     Right or left. Right to "safety." Left to death. An SS officer and the point of a finger, was what decided every prisoners fate. Viktor Frankl, now #119104, was sent right to the "safety" of labor camp. Frankl and the other prisoners who had passed selection, were escorted to the showers. They were instructed to strip and were shaved completely, then showered. All the while being harassed by various SS officers and Capos.
    It's essential to understand the hierarchy among prisoners in order to fully understand the concentration camp dynamic. There are those destined for the gas chambers (the sick, old, or wounded), the laborers, the Capos. Frankl falls into the labor category. He worked doing hard manual labor, and as a camp doctor very briefly. Capos are prisoners that are given privileges and authority over the other prisoners who often despised them. The Capos and other prisoners were all under the control of the SS, Hitler's personal military. 
     The human body can do surprising things, especially when forced into horrific situations. Frankl notices this fairly quickly. Although forced to stand outside sopping wet in the cold, none of the prisoners caught a cold. Although they couldn't brush their teeth, their gums were extremely healthy. Although they slept nine people on a 6.5-8 ft board with two blankets and no pillows, they always slept through the night. Although they couldn't wash themselves, the sores and abrasions that covered their hands and feet never suppurated. Frankl quotes Dostoevsky by saying, "Yes, man can get used to anything, but do not ask us how." 
    These observations are followed by an explanation of the first stage of psychological reactions. First a man longs for his family and home, then he feels disgust. Disgust at everything around him. But Frankl makes it clear that the first stage doesn't last long. Soon enough the prisoner enters the second stage, which  is filled with apathy. The prisoner is no longer disgusted, but unmoved by the many horrific daily occurrences of a concentration camp. Prisoners become unmoved by the constant beatings from the Capos, and the corpses found in their hut. Frankl claims this state of apathy is a necessary act of self defense against the prisoners surroundings.
     The mind of a prisoner is primitive. A constant state of hunger meant conversation was almost explicitly about food. Prisoners would often discuss their favorite meals when the Capos weren't around. Debates about when and how to eat the small bread ration they were given happened frequently. The prisoner's mind was solely devoted to keeping himself alive, there wasn't time or energy to do anything else. There is a small part of the prisoner that has hope, Frankl calls this the "delusion of reprieve," in which a man facing death holds out a hope of reprieval until the very end. Such hope could be found in almost every prisoner. 
    
   Thus far, Frankl has condensed a lot of information into very few pages. I've found his writing style enjoyable and his words extremely impressionable. Although he writes about his time in various concentration camps, his explanations of the psychology can often be applied to every day life. Frankl makes something unimaginable, somewhat relatable, which is most likely why this book has been so successful. 

Highschooler's Search for Meaning

     "For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended  side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself." -Viktor E. Frankl

     Viktor Emil Frankl is an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and award winning author of Man's Search For Meaning. His memoir records his experiences whilst living in several concentration camps, but the majority of it discusses a pursuit of meaning, even in the most horrendous situations. Initially, while researching several non-fiction options, I was drawn to this book, because it's about the Holocaust, something that's always been a personal interest of mind. However, just after reading preface, I found this book to be much more than a recollection of memories. Frankl's in-depth analysis of spiritual survival is what really drew me to this book. As a highschooler who's been surrounded by white walls and white people for 13+ years of my life, depth, meaning, sustenance, spirituality, is often lost. Frankl's book is an exploration of those things I crave most.