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.