René van Stijn – 2 Dec 2022 – 1 Book Points

Man’s Search for Meaning – Victor E. Frankl

A critical and practical analysis based on my learnings from the book and a comparison to other authors.

Thana A. J. Bos
Team Academy Amsterdam

Since reading ‘12 Rules for Live’ by Jordan B. Peterson about three years ago, I have had a sustained
interest in psychology. Both because of how it has helped me sort out my life and because of a deep
intellectual curiosity about the human condition. Besides Sigmund Freud and Carl Yung, Jordan B.
Peterson often refers to Victor E. Frankl as foundational to his work. Both because of his experiences
during the second world war and because he is the founder of logotherapy. To learn more about him
and his work, ‘Man’s Search of Meaning’ is the obvious choice. The specific question that led me to
pick up this book is: how important is meaning to psychological well-being and where does man get
meaning from? Besides, I was interested in learning more about the differences between logotherapy
and psychotherapy. The overarching question might be something like this: how can I live my life in
the best way possible by attending to the past, present, and future in the best manner possible? By
learning about how Victor E. Frankl did so while living in the extreme conditions of a concentration
camp in the second world war, I am sure that I can apply some of his lessons to my life.
Keywords: psychology, meaning, logotherapy, psychotherapy

Summary
In essence, ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ is an elaboration on the famous quote by Nietzsche, which says: “He who has a why
to live can bare almost any how”. The book is split into three parts: experiences in a concentration camp, logotherapy in a
nutshell, and the case for tragic optimism. The first part is a chilling account of Frankl’s experiences in the concentration
camps of Nazi Germany. As a result of Frankl’s background, it focuses on the (psychological) experiences of him and his
comrades while in the concentration camps rather than facts. Secondly, these experiences are abstracted from to form
‘logotherapy in a nutshell’. Here, we learn that logotherapy is about solving neuroses by focusing on logos; meaning in life.
This is opposed to psychotherapy, which focuses on the tension between innate, but unfulfilled drives and desires. It is
fundamentally past-centric while logotherapy is present and future-centric. Finally, a case for tragic optimism is made, in
which Frankl gives his practical advice based on his theories. The main point is that happiness cannot be pursued, but that
it is the result of dedicating oneself to a cause greater than oneself. Most striking about the book is that Frankl describes
how, in his time, there was a mismatch between what people needed to be ‘sane’ and what society offered them. Since then,
this seems to have gotten only worse as those things that gave meaning to life have become increasingly rare.

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Comparing & Contradicting
Since ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ (Frankl, 1992) was foundational for ‘12 Rules for Life’ (Peterson, 2018), they touch on
many of the same issues. Since the latter is, in many ways, an abstraction of the former, it makes the lessons learned from
Frankl’s experiences in the concentration camps more applicable to everyday life. However, Frankl’s work does provide
deeper insights into the issue of finding meaning in one’s life and logotherapy specifically compared to Peterson’s work.
Core to Peterson's teachings is that the amount of meaning one feels is equal to the amount of responsibility he or she can
adopt. Meaning, therefore, is not something which you ‘find’ or ‘discover’; it is the result of confronting life properly. All
of this is best summarized by the following quote from Frankl: “What is demanded of man is not, as some existential
philosophers teach, to endure the meaninglessness of life, but rather to bear his incapacity to grasp its unconditional
meaningfulness in rational terms. Logos is deeper than logic.” Both Peterson and Frankl seem to agree that meaning is not
something you can rationalize. It is something which can only be experienced in the present moment.

Interestingly, more spiritual teachings such as that of Tolle (2004) and Shetty (2020) are also heavily focused on living in
the present moment. Presence seems to be one of the major ‘cures’ for depression, otherwise referred to as meaninglessness
(Tolle, 2004). The main difference between Frankl’s and Tolle’s work is where meaning comes from. According to Tolle,
meaning is something innate to human beings. It is something which is always there; it only has to be noticed. As a result,
the meaning one can experience is independent of one’s responsibilities and actions. Frankl seems to agree with this but
also identifies that there are two other sources of meaning: deeds and one’s mindset concerning hopeless suffering. But,
Frankl does add that the ultimate meaning of life must, by definition, be deeper than logic. Which refers back to the
experience of deep presence. This is the realm on which religion and spirituality touch. All of the above is in stark contrast
with Freud’s psychotherapy, which is focused very much on the past. What is interesting about Peterson (Beyond Order;
12 More Rules for Life, 2021) is that his philosophy encompasses the whole spectrum; past, present, and future.

The meaning of ‘ikigai’ – ‘reason for being’ – is closely related to what we refer to with ‘meaning’ (García & Miralles, 2017).
However, based on the popularized Venn diagram (figure 1) which is often used when referring to ‘ikigai’, it seems to have
a very different meaning. According to García & Miralles (2017), ikigai is a combination of: that which you love, that which
you are good at, that which you can be paid for, and that which the world needs. It, therefore, assumes that meaning is
something we can rationally ‘discover’. This is in stark contrast to Frankl’s (1992) interpretation of meaning which is a
byproduct of action, attitude, and responsibility. The popularized Venn diagram with ikigai at its core turns out to have
been created by American entrepreneur Marc Winn (Kemp, 2020). As Winn argues, ikigai is greatly misunderstood in the
western world. The traditional Japanese ikigai (figure 2) is much more in line with Frankl’s vision of meaning. As Kemp
explains, our reason for being according to the traditional interpretation of ikigai can be found in the realm of small things,
in the practice of a hobby, in your roles and relationships, and by simply living your values (Kemp, 2020). This is also very
much in line with what Shetty (2020) sees as the recipe for living a ‘good’ life.

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Figure 1. Popularized ikigai diagram by Marc Winn. Figure 2. Traditional Japanese ikigai diagram.

What I have Learned

As stated in the introduction, I was hoping to learn more about the influence of meaning on psychological well-being.
Although there are several models of psychological well-being, Frankl’s work makes a strong case for the necessity of
meaning. Through his accounts of life in the Nazi concentration camps, it becomes apparent that meaning helps us survive
even the direst of circumstances. However, meaning is not a singular thing; it can be the result of creating a work or doing
a deed, experiencing something or encountering someone deeply, or changing one's attitude towards suffering. The tricky
thing, as learned from Frankl, is that happiness, success and meaning cannot be pursued directly. It is the unintended side
effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself; taking responsibility and fulfilling one's tasks. The true meaning
of life is out in the real world, not within one’s psyche. Besides, it is constantly evolving based on the conditions.

Besides, Frankl explained that the goal of psychology is to solve neuroses. However, different schools of psychology focus
on different core axioms such as power, happiness and meaning. Psychotherapy is about diving into the past to resolve
innate unfulfilled drives and find explanations for present-day neuroses. On the other hand, logotherapy is about the
present and future. The premise is that psychological stability and determination are the result of a sense of meaning and
therefore of taking responsibility. It is about expanding one's circle of influence (Covey, 1989) to be of service. What seems
to be fundamentally missing from modern-day society is a call for action; for taking on the responsibility to struggle toward
a valued goal. As a result of our immense freedom and wealth, an existential vacuum has been created. One in which there
is a lack of rules; human instincts are no longer necessary and culture has been overruled. This manifests itself as boredom
and apathy. Interestingly, man has always strived to make his life more comfortable and stable. Yet, this results in
tremendous psychological illness. To be psychologically strong, humans need challenges and something to strive for.

In my opinion, all of this is best summarized by the following quote: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing:
the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Regardless of the situation, one might be in; one always has the freedom to change, whether through action or mindset.
Man is therefore far from deterministic. In practice, our struggles and pain often become our most important sources of
meaning. The most painful realization might be that our life on earth is finite. However, reminding oneself of this regularly
can also be a source of power. The truth is that every moment can only ever be lived once.

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My Opinion
In my opinion, ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ is a must-read for students regardless of their interests. Although relatively
short, it is an incredibly dense book which gives answers to many modern-day points of tension in people's lives. At the
same time, it is a chilling personal account of what life was like in the concentration camps. Educating and reminding
ourselves of this terrible time in history is, in my opinion, necessary to prevent such things from happening again in the
future. Moreover, the extreme circumstances in Nazi Germany give us insights into the most fundamental truths about the
human condition. I would therefore classify this book as both a historical and self-help book. This makes it a great starting
point for anyone that wants to have a life worth living; based on meaning, not happiness.

Application of Knowledge
One principle discussed by Frankl which I have not touched on yet is ‘paradoxical intension’. This is a practical technique
I have applied regularly since learning about it where you purposefully focus your attention on and purposefully over-
overestimate a ‘negative’ behaviour or tendency. In doing so, you get a sense of control over a previously uncontrollable
behaviour or feeling. As a result, you can then use this control in the opposite direction. For example, when not being able
to fall asleep while lying in bed, purposefully trying to stay awake for as long as possible helps me to fall asleep quicker. This
general principle applies to many aspects of life such as public speaking and exercise. Since I am, by nature, high in trait
neuroticism, this helps me break negative feedback loops and regain a sense of control. Instead of fixating on the anxiety
and frustration as a result of the gap between what I want and the reality of the situation, this technique helps me to regulate
my emotional state. Besides, I am continuing to apply the other learnings from ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ which I learned
about through Peterson’s work about three years ago.

Conclusion
All in all, ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ has become one of my fundamental sources to draw from when it comes to
understanding and dealing with my psychological struggles. Combined with the other works referenced in this report, it
has given me a rule book to follow in search of a life worth living. Most importantly, it teaches us that meaning is not
something to rationally discover; it can only be experienced in the present moment. It is fundamentally the result of
adopting responsibility and expanding our circle of influence. In conclusion, seek out challenges and strive to make this
world a better place. That is the surest recipe for psychological well-being and a life well-lived.

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References
Covey, S. R. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character Ethic. New York: Simon and
Schuster.

Frankl, V. E. (1992). Man's search for meaning: an introduction to logotherapy. Boston: Beacon Press.

García, H., & Miralles, F. (2017). The Ikigai Journey. North Clarendon: Tuttle Publishing.

Kemp, N. (2020, February 2). How To Find Your Reason For Being With Ikigai. Retrieved from Ikigai Tribe:
https://ikigaitribe.com/blogpost/how-to-find-your-reason-for-being/

Peterson, J. (2018). 12 Rules For Life. Toronto: Random House Canada.

Peterson, J. (2021). Beyond Order; 12 More Rules for Life. London: Penguin Random House.

Shetty, J. (2020). Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace an Purpose Every Day. Simon & Schuster Audio.

Tolle, E. (2004). The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. Novato, California: New World Library.