Posting this Man’s Search for Meaning review, after just having finished listening to the book, while I’m still hot.:) Let’s see what Viktor E. Frankl, the father of logotheraphy, who is a neurologist, psychologist and has been through 4 Nazi death camps has to tell us. And see whether it could be an effective and a suitable read for you! In this short post I´ll summarize the 3 chapters of the book shortly and elaborate on my experience.
Covey read it, and had takeaways!
I had just finished Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of highly effective people as you have probably noticed, and one of the references he mentioned was to this book.
Shown at top of Self improvement book lists
I had also browsed a few best self improvement lists recently and saw this book rated at the top of few of them.
Short audiobook
It is also a short audiobook, the length of which is: 4h 44m.
Which is good because I would be able to publish a review quicker for you guys.
Patrick´s decision making process
Author
I had also put it through the test on Patrick’s decision making process as I always do, and so, understood that the first criteria – the Author (Wikipedia) is one of the influential people in the field of psychology and after reading about him understood that he is the father of a theory called “logotheraphy”.
Subject and Reviews
The other two criterias are -The reviews, and subject.
The reviews appeared well on audible reviews about the book, and I also watched a video review of it on youtube, which also showed the book favorably.
The subject is psychology. Despite the fact that I don’t usually read on psychology, because that is not my career path. I realized that if the book was mentioned by Covey and is one of the top rated in self improvement book lists, it was most probably worth checking out.
Part 1: Experiences in a concentration camp (02:49:07)
Invokes feelings
This part right from the beginning gave me the chills.
The very illustrative descriptions put me right there in the camps together with Frankl.
I was horrified to understand the mind of a person inside those camps better, but still extremely intrigued. What had it been like was the question that drove me. How did men act? What could keep their hopes up in spite of such a tragic reality?
Illustrative and prisoners psychological phases
In his descriptive story Frankl illustrated everything from the arrival to a camp continuing to life in camp and to the moment of release. He had broken it down into those three parts also in his psychological analysis of the people who were inside (those are the three psychological phases they have been through according to Frankl)
A holocaust story with the analysis of a psychiatrist on the situations
In camp he describes his view also as a prisoner but almost always you can feel that he shows it through the eyes of a psychological analysis of people and the way they act.
Part 2: Logotheraphy in a nutshell ( 01:08:20 )
Explaining the story´s morals
Since most people ask for a more thorough psychological explanation after the story, Frankl decided to add this part to try to explain what logotheraphy is. As he says
“Logos” is meaning from Latin and “Theraphy” is treatment.
Background Terms and Logotheraphy explained.
In this part he goes about explaining many psychological terms.
Like:
Existential vacuum, paradoxical intention, Noahlogical neurosis,
Psychogenic Neurosis, Nihilism, Pandeterminism and more.
He explains the first chapter and Logotheraphy in general.
I must confess that listening to this in an audiobook was quite difficult, and I had to stop every few seconds to write down what he said, so that I would be able to digest it.
Specialized knowledge chapter
In opposition to the first chapter, this chapter is less of a story and more of an explanation (reminds me of specialized knowledge books).
Although he gives examples for most of the explanations, it has no chronological order.
Therefor, I would advise getting this book in physical format or eBook format. So that this part would be easier for you to digest.
Part 3: Postscript 1984 the case for a tragic optimism (00:34:06)
How to flip story´s morals in our advantage
In essence this is an addition which elaborates on how we could say yes to life in spite of life’s tragedy.
The tragedy is that we have to pass through suffering, guilt and death unavoidably.
This one is a good one for you guys because I’m sure that you guys are masters of pain 😛
Further clarification
He also goes about other ways, in which meaning is helpful or lack of it is harmful, and other aspects of it and examples.
Takes time to digest
Again the chapter seems quite a bit unorganized thoughts, meaning there are no concrete subheadings or chronological story, which made it a bit difficult to digest, nonetheless it contains a few gems of knowledge that would help understand “meaning in life” a bit better, or at least so it seems. I believe that it will take me some time until I could see how this helps, when the correct situation arrives .
My experience
Understanding the role of meaning in our lives
After finishing the book, I feel like I better understand the roles of having a meaning in a person’s life, and what are the effects if one feels he has it or doesn’t.
Effects it had on me
As for myself, I feel that It didn’t change my perspective too much. This book does not contain any tasks to complete but rather enriches our knowledge on human behavior and what drives us. Of course it always gives the chills to read about a holocaust story in such detail and horrors that men have been through and awakes quite a few emotions.
One key takeaway
As long as a person remembers his meaning this gives him a great force to continue. And that I shall remember.
"He who has a why to live for can bare almost any how"
Great narration
I have to also point out that the narration is amazing, it has made the experience a whole lot better.
Man's search for meaning review Conclusion
From the experiences in the Nazi death camps to the explanation of logotheraphy
this book is full of psychologic and philosophic Ideologies. Understanding the terms and ideas that lie herein, could help one better understand what drives people, and help oneself understand how he can find meaning for his own life.
Viktor’s stories from the death camp in Part 1 express man’s search for meaning in radical situations which helps better understand human nature.
Finally, parts 2 and 3 are stuffed with professional terms, which I would personally suggest reading in paper/ physical format, maybe even eBook.
Cheers and may we all find meaning and fulfill it. Keep working champions 🙂
Acquiring options
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Youtube Review
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