Anaylyzing Man's Search for Meaning
...n at times of suffering and hopelessness and how everyone has to understand that. His technique of helping people is too help them find meaning to their live and thereby helping them find value to their lives (p 120). He believes that it is a search for meaning that keeps people proceeding with and in life. He argues with theories that state how man uses ideals and values as defense mechanisms. He says that he would not be willing to live just for his defense mechanisms nor would he be willing to die for his reaction formations (p 121). Frankl feels that man’s meaningfulness is not objective. Society cannot understand it as it is completely relative to the individual. He says, “For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day, and from hour to hour” (p 130-131). To help others find meaning in their lives, Frankl created a guide with three routes: “(1) by creating work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take towards unavoidable suffering” (p 133). The first one implies that by doing something one believes in can help find that person purpose. The second one suggests experiencing something, like goodness, beauty, truth or love (133-134). The third suggests that one view suffering as a way of growing or something to make on stronger. More that once Frankl quoted Nietzsche by saying “ ‘Was Mich nicht umbringt, macht mich starker.’ (That which does not kill me, makes me stronger.)” (p 103). This quote illustrates the type of attitude, which Frankl implied. Also, he clearly believed that all humans’ lives have a particular meaning but that meaning muse be sought out individually. He wants people to understand the value of their lives. Viktor Frankl’s theories, as expressed in his book Man’s Search for Meaning, appear to be very logical and practical. I completely agree with his theories as I have noticed them before reading the book. He says, “... the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour.” (p 131). This statement is one of the many that I agree with. People’s goals change as circumstances change, and therefore the meaning to their lives must change just as often. I also agree that man has a potential for greatness and the ability to overcome close to anything. Frankl states, “…I also bear witness to the unexpected extent to which man is capable of defying and braving even the worst condition conceivable.” (p 153). In his book, Frankl displays man’s resilience, even in the horrendous the Nazi death camps. Frankl’s view regarding the elderly as compared to youth is also very true. He says that the elderly have no reason to envy the young because the young have possibilities in their future while the elderly have realities in their past (p 144). I agree with this because if one is proud of the life they led, they have experience instead of a future, and e...