Man’s Search For Meaning, Essay Example

Two pieces of information from the foreword that helped you understand the main purpose of Fran kl’s (2006) book is one when the writer states that the book has survived nearly one hundred English printings. Additionally, it was published in twenty one other languages, but in the English edition alone over three million copies were sold. Importantly, this assisted me in understanding the magnitude   contents communicated and how people internationally have reacted to the information as well as Frankl’s  (2006) story of his experiences in a concentration camp. The second piece of information that griped my attention in astonishment is in exploring the impact of the book on readers the author speculated, perhaps, if people gravitate to a book of this nature there must be something impacting about its presentation. In the analysis he discovered that theoretically, it is the lesson learnt from these experiences that impact people’s daily lives contained in the autobiographical account (Frankl, 2006).

The first statement, which caused me to reflect on my own life relates to “We dislike talking about our experiences. No explanations are needed for those who have been inside, and the others will understand neither how we felt then nor how we feel now” (Frankl, 2006, pp. 90). Many times we may not have entered a place called the concentration camp, but experiences in life can become a concentration camp. For example, the recent housing crisis in America when many property owners lost their homes due to unemployment this for me was a concentration camp experience. Mortgage companies treated client who paid their mortgages faithfully for years as if they were criminals. In my situation it felt as through one was help hostage in an economic system which was unfair to the poor. After owning a property for 10-15 years, living in the same neighborhood, suddenly one had no place to live, almost becoming homeless if there was no money available to pay for an apartment. This is an awesome experience, which is not pleasant talking about because few people will understand the magnitude of this torture.

The second statement that creates an impeding reflection is contained in this sentence, ‘in psychiatry there is a certain condition known as “delusion of reprieve,” the condemned man, immediately before his execution, gets the illusion that he might be reprieved at the very last minute’ (Frankl, 2006, pp. 93). Again reflecting on the foreclosure experience losing my home of 15 years; as the date was given for the auction, in the last minute my heart was hopeful that some investor would offer me a second mortgage so it would be possible to keep my home. In reality my case was already tried and I was condemned to be hung metaphorically. The truth of the matter  no investor would offer mortgage to a person who is unemployed receiving a temporary unemployment check, which could barely meet basic needs of life for a single parent with two children. It was indeed a delusion of reprieve as I stood there to see my property auctioned for far less than what it was worth.

The statement applicable to this paragraph means that the way in which a person responds to adversity, determines the extent to which the experience will offer deeper understanding of what life is all about becomes profound.  Suffering and difficulties can add a deeper meaning to anyone’s life if the lessons emerging from them are learnt. Even suffering and difficulty in my opinion comes to teach us ultimately that ‘the things in life for which we grave and slave can never keep us from the grave. The life we build may never stand because we may build on sinking sand. However, virtues such as truth, love, humility, empathy and integrity can never die’ (anonymous). Always owning a dream property in an exclusive neighborhood was one of my dreams. By owning the property that was eventually auctioned certainly was a fulfillment to that dream. After the experience this quote was given to me by a friend, who was experiencing a similar difficulty. In had to relocate with family who were not very pleasant. They tried making me feel guilty of misdeeds for losing my property and it became a blame game until I left their home with my children. The lesson was learnt. The grave could be any difficult experience and even though we try to follow society’s prescription of success this did not prevent me from being caught in the unemployment and foreclosure crisis.

In the quotation explaining paragraph five Frankl’s (2006) discovers a consolation concerning suffering. He philosophies that we expect life to deliver fortune, goodness, love and rewards, but this often does not happen altogether for everyone. Sometimes it does not happen that way all the time for anyone. However, what life expects from us brings an understanding of purpose. It is my belief that some suffering and difficulties occur to point us towards our purpose since we may have strayed away from it. For example, unexplained difficulties in our lives can be frustrating, but while trying to resolve them we find greater meaning through discovering what life is all about. It is not concerned with slaving to get things. In modern societies people ‘work to buy food to get strength to work’ (anonymous).This is the misery go round of life without purpose. We expect life to bring us every good and perfect gift. Often this does no that happen the way we expect. However, when we turn the coin the other side and begin looking at what life expects from us there is fulfillment, joy, peace and contentment even in the face of adversity knowing that suffering and difficulties are pointing us to our highest good because it is what life expects from us. From this perspective I can agree with both of Frankl’s (2006) quotes.

In concluding this discussion it must be reiterated that of Fran kl’s (2006) book has survived nearly one hundred English printings. Additionally, it was published in twenty one other languages, but in the English edition alone over three million copies were sold. This assisted me in understanding the magnitude of the story and its impact on the world. Theoretically, it is the lesson learnt from these experiences impacting people’s daily lives contained in the autobiographical account that made the work so popular. Essentially, while unexplained difficulties in our lives can be frustrating, in trying to resolve them we find greater meaning through discovering what life is all about. The way in which a person responds to adversity, determines the extent to which the experience will offer deeper understanding of what life is all about.