“A Man’s Search for Meaning” by Victor Frankl

1/26/2015

In reviewing my Journal, I discovered a note to myself to make a blog entry on Frankl’s aphorisms on the need for meaning in life.  A quick review of the 50 plus pages of the blog revealed no such entry. “A Man’s Search for Meaning” is a compelling a story of Frankl’s life and survival in four different Nazi prison camps and the whys and wherefores of his survival. His thoughts are as applicable in our homes, work, athletics, and understanding ourselves and our children.

It is not surprising that 12,000,000 copies have been printed, and in 1991 the Library of Congress named it as one of the ten most influential books in America.  The following are a few of the Frankl aphorisms that made it to my Journal, but there are many more. 

“…there are two races of men in the world, but only these two – the ‘race’ of the decent man and the ‘race’ of the indecent man.  Both are found everywhere; they penetrate into all groups of society.”

“Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. 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.”

“Fear is the mother of the event.”

“Paradoxical intention of sleeplessness fear results in hyper-intention to fall asleep and precludes the ability to do so.  So counter by paradoxical intention not to sleep, which will soon be followed by sleep.”

“Phobias trigger symptoms and the symptom, in turn reinforces the phobia known as anticipatory anxiety, the patient must ridicule and sneer at the phobia to overcome it."

“Depression, aggression, and addiction emanate from the extenual vacuum of a feeling of emptiness and meaninglessness.”

“There is ample evidence that a positive attitude and a positive demeanor enhance one’s immune systems, lessen pain, and increase pleasure.”

“An active rather than passive life overcomes depression, anxiety, and meaninglessness.”

“Meaningfulness can accrue from service projects and helping others, athletics, and the arts.”  Comment: Often young people do not find meaning in academics initially, and their grades and behavior are proof.  They must discover a feeling of achievement somewhere as it offers them self-respect and much needed acknowledgement from others.
Comment: Athletics, the arts, and community service can fulfill the need for meaning.

 The above is offered mostly without explanation, and the quotations are of little help without the author’s explanation, so I encourage my readers to purchase this small 165 page book from Amazon.com or elsewhere.