Man’s Search For Meaning - Victor E Frankl

I saw this book come up as a favorite on so many recent podcasts, so when I saw it in the library I had to pick it up!

Man's Search For Meaning is the memoir of Vitor E Frankl, a psychiatrist who was among the survivors of the Holocaust concentration camps.

The first half of the book is about life in the camps while the second half of the book delved into his theory known as logotherapy. His theory is based on the premise that the primary motivational force for a person is to find meaning in life. Humans are in search for meaning more than they are for pleasure or power.

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I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I loved the concept of logotherapy - the idea that people were pursuing meaning and purpose, rather than pleasure. Frankl demonstrates this to the reader through his experiences in the concentration camp. One of the main lessons was the idea that one can find meaning and even beauty in life in the midst of utmost suffering, like life in the concentration camp.

One of my favorite scenes in the book was when one of the prisoners rushed into their huts to call everyone out to see a sunset. They all rushed out to see it and after minutes of watching the beauty in silence, one prisoner called out “How beautiful the world could be!” You'd think that these people, in the circumstances they lived would not have any vigor for nature and it's beauty. I read this, it reminded me of the verse “with every hardship is ease”. In even the greatest moments of hardship, there is always some form of ease present.

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But on the other hand, I felt the book was very short and the author's writing felt distant which made it hard to really connect with the powerful message he was trying to share. Also as expected, there was aspects that I couldn't fully agree with as a Muslim.

But in a way I'm glad I read this. It was a good reminder to be grateful for both the good and bad that comes our way. To remember there is meaning in it all.

If you reached till the end of this reflection, thank you my friend. I appreciate it!

I hope we get to meet each other in my next post too. Until then, if you have any thoughts about what you’ve just read let me know (in the comments or any other way). I’d love to start a conversation!

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Until next time,

Thasneema 🌻