A Man’s Search for MeaningA Man’s Search for Meaning

LogotherapyLogotherapy– By Viktor FranklBy Viktor Frankl

Viktor FranklViktor Frankl

Author of the bookAuthor of the book

Written as a vivid portrayal of his personal Written as a vivid portrayal of his personal suffering and tragedy in the concentration campssuffering and tragedy in the concentration camps

The book is written to reflect the horrors of all The book is written to reflect the horrors of all who experienced imprisonment rather than who experienced imprisonment rather than Frankl’s individual experiencesFrankl’s individual experiences

He is a Psychiatrist; his professional experience He is a Psychiatrist; his professional experience is a relevant component to his characteris a relevant component to his character

CaposCapos

Prisoners who acted as trustees to the Nazi Prisoners who acted as trustees to the Nazi officers in return for special treatment and officers in return for special treatment and privileges within the camp.privileges within the camp.

They were spared beatings and malnourishmentThey were spared beatings and malnourishment

A psychological factor in that they betrayed A psychological factor in that they betrayed fellow citizens for favor from their captorfellow citizens for favor from their captor

They are presented to describe prison life and They are presented to describe prison life and as an example of the evil that exists in humansas an example of the evil that exists in humans

SS OfficersSS Officers

Official soldiers of the Nazi governmentOfficial soldiers of the Nazi government

They held in their hands decisions They held in their hands decisions regarding a prisoner’s life or death regarding a prisoner’s life or death

Concentration CampsConcentration Camps

They are most relevant due to their impact They are most relevant due to their impact on the human psyche rather than as on the human psyche rather than as specific placesspecific placesThey are discussed collectively to reflect They are discussed collectively to reflect the human state of mind and behavioral the human state of mind and behavioral responses to the captivity and brutality that responses to the captivity and brutality that was common to all concentration campswas common to all concentration campsAuschwitz, Dachau and an unnamed Auschwitz, Dachau and an unnamed Bavarian camp receive individual mentionBavarian camp receive individual mention

Three Phases of Psychological Three Phases of Psychological ReactionsReactions

Three psychological reactions were Three psychological reactions were common to all prisoners, which occurred in common to all prisoners, which occurred in a sequential manner: shock, apathy and a sequential manner: shock, apathy and readjusting to freedomreadjusting to freedom

LogotherapyLogotherapy

A meaning-centered psychological A meaning-centered psychological approach designed to help people approach designed to help people accomplish what Frankl believes is the accomplish what Frankl believes is the primary source of human motivation- primary source of human motivation- finding meaning in life.finding meaning in life.

Ways of Discovering MeaningWays of Discovering Meaning

Doing a deedDoing a deed

Experiencing something or encountering Experiencing something or encountering someonesomeone

A person’s attitude toward sufferingA person’s attitude toward suffering

UndernourishmentUndernourishment

10(?) ounces of bread10(?) ounces of bread

1 (?) pint of thin soup 1 (?) pint of thin soup

Prisoners watch themselves disintegrate Prisoners watch themselves disintegrate into emaciated beingsinto emaciated beings

This creates a primitive desire for food of This creates a primitive desire for food of which mental life centeredwhich mental life centered

Death in TeheranDeath in Teheran

Parable referenced several timesParable referenced several times

Used to illustrate the concept that fate is Used to illustrate the concept that fate is often beyond the control of individual often beyond the control of individual actionsactions

Humans cannot control all things Humans cannot control all things

It is important to choose honorable It is important to choose honorable attitudes and behaviors toward those attitudes and behaviors toward those things that cannot be changedthings that cannot be changed

Choice of ActionChoice of Action

A central theme to the book: humans have the A central theme to the book: humans have the psychological freedom to select their own psychological freedom to select their own thoughts and behaviors no matter what variables thoughts and behaviors no matter what variables define the situationdefine the situation

In the camps there were enough heroic In the camps there were enough heroic examples to indicate that even in conditions of examples to indicate that even in conditions of horrible stress humans control the independence horrible stress humans control the independence of their mind, and are capable of overcoming of their mind, and are capable of overcoming whatever negativity is thrust on them.whatever negativity is thrust on them.

Existential FrustrationExistential Frustration

Human’s search for meaning is a Human’s search for meaning is a fundamental motive of their existencefundamental motive of their existence

Meaning is not something that comes Meaning is not something that comes easily to peopleeasily to people

It requires deep personal understanding of It requires deep personal understanding of one’s own history and goals and can be an one’s own history and goals and can be an aggravating processaggravating process

Existential VacuumExistential Vacuum

The inability to find meaning in life, leading The inability to find meaning in life, leading to boredom and distressto boredom and distress

Frankl attributes many psychological Frankl attributes many psychological afflictions such as depression, aggression, afflictions such as depression, aggression, and addiction to the existential vacuum.and addiction to the existential vacuum.

Tragic OptimismTragic Optimism

Genuine optimism even in the face of Genuine optimism even in the face of extremely negative circumstancesextremely negative circumstances

Optimistic mindset allows people the Optimistic mindset allows people the opportunity to turn suffering into opportunity to turn suffering into achievement, improve oneself and act to achievement, improve oneself and act to take responsibilitytake responsibility

ThemesThemes

Choosing one’s feelingsChoosing one’s feelings

The need to discover the meaning of one’s The need to discover the meaning of one’s existenceexistence

Ways of discovering meaningWays of discovering meaning

Point of ViewPoint of View

AutobiographicalAutobiographical

Begins by discussing Frankl’s personal Begins by discussing Frankl’s personal experiencesexperiences

He then moves to a more clinical style He then moves to a more clinical style where he interjects his professional beliefs where he interjects his professional beliefs of human psychology in the third person.of human psychology in the third person.

Language and MeaningLanguage and Meaning

Format reminiscent of a journalFormat reminiscent of a journal

Creates a distinct picture of the Creates a distinct picture of the environment and allows the reader to environment and allows the reader to empathize with himempathize with him

He also writes about the psychology of this He also writes about the psychology of this traumatic experience; with this language traumatic experience; with this language the reader identifies with the injustice, the reader identifies with the injustice, despair, fear and sense of hopelessnessdespair, fear and sense of hopelessness