Review of Man's Search for Meaning By Viktor Frankl
July 6, 2021
One easily ignored aspect of history is the personal experience of those who endured major events. For me, Man's Search for Meaning filled this gap for the Holocaust and taught me a very valuable lesson: one can always control how they react to their circumstances. This lesson has nearly infinite applications and caused me to reevaluate how I react to situations. I frequently revisit passages in the book that stood out to me because I often find myself applying them to new situations in my life.
One of the most powerful passages of the book came when the author was explaining how one can control how they react to their environment in the midst of death and destruction. He said that one technique he used was to have conversations with his wife in his head. He was separated from his wife while in the concentration camp and did not know if she was alive. Thinking about his wife allowed him to shift his experience for a fleeting moment to something familiar and happy. This enabled him to preserve his will and not succumb to his demoralizing surroundings. Reading this passage made me realize that I could apply such techniques to my own life. While it takes considerable focus and perseverance, attempting to shift one's mind to a happier state while stressed can be very impactful.
Another lesson that was clear in Man's Search for Meaning was this: "No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same." This quote was important for me because it made me realize that even the most honest and kind people can be reduced to terrible acts due to their circumstances. The author gave examples of prisoners stealing from the weakest and those on the brink of death. The fact that these people were ordinary made me realize that every action must be judged within the context in which it was taken. This paradigm shift is also difficult to implement in real life, but makes for a more empathetic and optimistic view of the world.
In sum, Man's Search for Meaning is a fantastic book that speaks about the Holocaust from a unique point of view. The author's description of how his own mindset and the mindsets of other prisoners were shaped by the concentration camps is very profound and has stuck with me ever since I read the book.