He goes on to describe his psychotherapeutic method, which involves identifying a purpose in life, which for him makes all the difference and the single most important thing for any human being.
In the first part of the book, I couldn't help but contemplate about the similarities between the Nazis-Hilter regime to the Syrian-Assad Regime of today. From the inhuman treatments to cold blooded murders. The sad part, of course, is that humanity promised not to let such thing happen and we are still seeing this today with Assad.
Below is the Summary of the book which relates mostly to the second part regarding the thoughts and science behind "the Search for Meaning". You will notice the obvious differences between Dr. Frankl method of therapy to all existing methods at the time including Freuds'.
○ Emotions as suffering, ceases as suffering once we form a precise picture of the suffering itself.
○ Quotes: (Niche) he who has the why to live for, can bear with any how.
○ It doesn't really matter what we expect from life but what life expects from us.
○ We need to stop asking about the meaning of life and instead think of ourselves that we are being questioned by life daily and hourly. Our answers should not be in talk or meditation but in right action and right conduct.
○ Life means taking responsibilities to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the task it sets for each individual. Since this is different from one person to another, the meaning of life can not be answered the same way for everyone.
○ Life doesn't mean something vague but something very real and concrete.
When a man finds that he is suffering he needs to accept that his task is to suffer.
This is unique to man and no one can replace or take his place.
○ Logotherapy: different than psychoanalysis, similar to physio therapy but focuses on the future, on the well to meaning. Unlike Freudian which focuses on pleasure or strives for superiority.
○ Existential Frustration:
Not necessarily a mental disease. Not homeostasis.
Relates to:
1) Existence itself.
2) Meaning of existence.
3) Well to meaning.
○ Existential Vacuum:
State of boredom. Stats during the writing of the book: Europe ~25%, US ~60%.
libido can be rampant during this state.
○ Live as you are living for the second time, and as if you acted wrongly the first time as you are about to act now.
○ Self-realization is a side effect of self-transcendence.
○ You can discover the meaning of life in 3 ways:
1) Doing a deed or accomplish something.
2) Meeting someone or something like culture.
(Meaning of love: No one can be aware of the essence of another human being unless he/she loves him/her and sees his/her potential and help him/her to realize it
3) Attitude toward unavoidable sufferings. Man is ready to suffer as long as he finds meaning to his suffering.
○ The key to the cure is self-transcendence.
○ Freedom is part of the story and half of the truth, it's the negative aspect of a phenomenon which has its positive side as "Responsibility".
○ Man is the one who invented gas Chambers and the one who entered it with prayer.
○ Many instances of suicide such as depression and violence can be averted or reduced once one find meaning to his/her life.
○ Nihilism indicates that everything is meaningless. Therapists should discourage this mindset although not forcefully.
○ Freud indicates that if you expose different people to hunger, eventually their differences will blur, and they will all exhibit same uniform urge. Fortunately, Freud didn't test this in the filthy conditions of Auschwitz where differences didn't blur, on the other hand, people were more different as suffering increased.
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