Man’s Search for Meaning
To call this book merely an account of an individual’s harrowing experience in concentration camps would be an understatement. Man’s Search for Meaning is a thoughtful and unvarnished exploration of how a person can maintain dignity and humanity even amidst unimaginable suffering. Through keen observation, Dr Viktor Frankl offers readers a behind-the-scenes look at the constant torture, trauma and troubles endured by the “lucky” victims- those who weren’t sent to gas chambers.
Despite not being there, I felt I was there. While the book is concise, it isn’t a sprint. You’ll find many passages that compel you to pause, reflect or even give you goosebumps.
At first glance, the subject matter seems bleak. Yet Dr Frankl’s concept of “tragic optimism”—finding hope and meaning despite unavoidable suffering, guilt, and the inevitability of death—transforms the narrative into something deeply uplifting. His message served as a powerful reminder, filling me with renewed energy and shifting my mindset: I realized I don’t have to surrender to my circumstances by default
His call to action is clear that one shouldn’t be wasting life aimlessly. How do you avoid this? By finding a meaning and a purpose which can be achieved in three ways:
- A) Through creative work or deed
- B) Through experiencing love in something or someone
- C) Through the attitude taken in unavoidable suffering
As the founder of logotherapy, Frankl’s existential therapy centres on the idea that the primary motivation in life is the search for meaning—not pleasure (Freud) or power (Adler). He illustrates these principles with moving anecdotes, showing how a patient’s sense of purpose can lead to profound change.
At the same time, Dr Frankl cautions that suffering is a means to an end (meaning) and shouldn’t be an end itself. Suffering should be avoided whenever one can otherwise it becomes masochistic not heroic.
Several quotes lingered with me long after I finished reading. For example, Frankl cites Nietzsche: “He who has a Why to live can bear almost any How.” He also references Harold Kushner: “After all, people who were sent to the gas chambers at Auschwitz, where he lost so many friends and family, would march toward death with the Lord’s Prayer or the Shema Yisrael on their lips.”
Definitely worth a read. If you are open to it, this book may change your perspective on suffering and meaning- just as it did for me.
Jainam Vora
June 2025