In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl reflects on his times at concentration camps, such as Auschwitz, as a prisoner of the Nazis. Frankl gives vivid descriptions about everyday life at a concentration camp, and all the horrible ordeals he and his fellow prisoners had to experience. Throughout the book Frankl struggles to find reasons to live, but as a psychiatrist, he looked at the situation differently. He ultimately realized that people find the meaning of life by living every moment of it. It is this concept that led to the formation of logotheraphy: what motivates human achievements and personal development is searching for meaning in life. Life, whether it is under happy or suffering conditions, will always have some sort of meaning.
I chose this book because Frankl displays how people can chose against the path of least resistance by searching for meaning in their life. Even though he was placed in horrible conditions, and suffered a lot, he still decided to not give into the Nazis, and chose to live life differently. I first read this book in my high school psychology class, and it really showed me that if we look at life differently, then we do not always have to follows paths of least resistance, and we can actually live a better life.
One concept that this book incorporates is the path of least resistance. According to Johnson’s “What It All Has to Do with Us”, the path of least resistance is the most appealing choice one could make as compared to all the other choices we have (80). People choose the path of least resistance because it is the most accepted choice, and it saves people the trouble of others giving discouraging reactions. Overall, we are afraid of how people will react if we choose a different path; it can mean approval or disapproval, but not knowing is the worst part. In Frankl’s book, he decided to look at life differently instead of suffering and giving into the Nazis. Unlike many of his fellow prisoners, Frankl decided to go against the path of least resistance. He violated a social norm found within concentration camps, and it ultimately led to his advantage. This shows that paths of least resistance are not always the best choices to make. Going against a common belief can have just as much advantages for an individual. This illustrates the concept of how individuals and social systems work together: individuals make social systems, and participation in social systems shape individuals (Johnson 78). Frankl shows how he participates in a social system through socialization (learning from the ideas and images he was exposed to at the concentration camps), and through not following paths of least resistance. Consequently he developed a sense of identity that positioned him in relation to his fellow prisoners. He showed that just because they are the ones being oppressed, it does not mean that they are at a complete disadvantage.
After reading this book, I was really surprised at just how much motivation and drive Frankl had in order to stay alive. Living in such horrible conditions, being malnourished, and completely disrespected, Frankl still kept hope for himself. It is not everyday that we see this type of courage, and it is pretty motivating. I know that in certain circumstances I tend to give in easily and give up. I know that I really should not give up, especially after reading this book. It taught me that giving up does not get me anywhere and looking for a positive meaning in life will eventually lead to a better lifestyle.
Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search for Meaning. Boston: Beacon Press, 1992.
Johnson, Allan G. Privilege, Power, and Difference. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
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