What drives a person to live? What pushes us to go
along in spite of intricacies of life? These are questions that I want to seek
when I first saw the title of Viktor Frankl’s book. It was a very interesting
story which inspires me to find my own path, where I can see myself flourishing
with different colors.
This
book is one of my favorites. I happened to know this because someone recommended
it to me. I was also challenged that this book will provide existential beliefs
and will change (at least) my way of looking about things. Indeed, it was a
great choice!
I hope that my generation, millenials to be
particular, will read this book. It will serve as a revelation and guide on
which path to take, and it will ignite individual’s fervor to look for the
reason of their existence. Although science is significant in our lives, science
cannot explain solely things around us such as meaning, love, passion, and
hope. Abstract things will never be
perceived through the use of our naked eyes but can only be perceived by our
hearts. Once you felt it, you no longer need to express it through words or
elucidate its proof using scientific formula.
I
remember Jonathan Livingston Seagull’s goal, another best-selling book, which is “do not be afraid of showing your wings, of pursuing different way from the
majority because being unique doesn’t make you deviant rather it makes you who
you really are.” It reminds me that we are a perfect being. Thinking as a
perfect being doesn’t mean there’s no room for us to commit any mistakes rather
it means that we live our life to the fullest and being the best as we can
be. Our souls possess inexplicable
power, and a person experiencing the darkest of the darkest predicament will
always have a way to surpass those difficulties. It is still a mystery as I put
it, for science cannot measure the will of the person, the will to continue
even chains of poverty, hunger and suffering pulling him down.
As
I read the pages of Frankl’s book, I pondered a lot of things. Here’s my list
of insights:
One, I think that our souls are incarcerated in this
body which limits us to see our full power but if we have enough will, we can
use it. Does it makes sense?
Two, science and books will not be able to measure
our will. Frankl’s goal to be released in the camp is an evident example. He eats
less and sleeps less each day as well as he suffers psychologically, physically
and spiritually. He supposed to be dead by that time, but he lived because of
his great will power to survive. And that power to survive is immeasurable.
Third, happiness is about mindset. The academe
taught me to become so cautious and doubtful in things that I see in the world.
I do not rely on things that are not supported by empirical evidences, I
question almost everything, and it seemed that I became doubtful. I guess, science
and objective reasoning changed me. With this recognition of the world, I feel
that sometimes the world is cruel and bias. But through thinking about people
that I care and love, these feelings of sorrows and disappointments in life
fade away. Happiness is a choice. If we only rely on objectivity, sometimes we
tend to become stoic but if we rely more on subjectivity, we tend to commit
mistakes because of uncontrolled flow of emotions. I guess the balance between
these two things must be achieved. You choose which road to take without
neglecting the essence of these two things.
Fourth, I like Dr. Frankl’s statement “Pleasure is, and must remain, a side-effect or
by-product, and is destroyed and spoiled to the degree to which it is made a
goal in itself.” Pleasure must be the result of hard work; it is not a
sought-after goal. If we set pleasure as our aim, then life would be
superficial and dull. Fifth, his
views in life taught me to cherish every moment because one day all of us will
die.
Finally, I believe in Dr. Frankl’s statement “Man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid
pain but rather to see a meaning in his life,” because there are situations in
life that we still continue to endure pain and tension because we find meaning
to it.
Frankl’s
book is priceless, it contains thoughts which has a valuable substance that
must be shared and be circularized around the globe. It is an eye-opener to any
individual that we should not give up and we must continue to live. We must
search for meaning and that is the primary goal of man. His theory is very
unique the same with Freud’s for reason that it contains human’s morality. And
when I refer to morality, his theory protects the welfare of the people, giving
the people a sense of understanding to one’s self and teaching the people to
show its hidden spirit, waiting to be awaken when in time. The essence of the
book is more than spreading the information during the time of World War I, its
heartfelt story will surely move any people, ignite the desires to continue
searching for our meaning. Thus, it is not surprising that it is one of the
best-selling books of all time and touched millions of people around the world.
Reading this will surely help the posterity and save millions of people enslaved
by their own misery and sufferings.
I
love the main goal of his theory which is logotherapy, it taught me something
that I will never forget. The worst thing of all is not dying per se, but dying
without knowing your own existence. We should live for the following main three
reasons and we should put these things in our heart and mind: Live because
there is love, live because we have talent to use and above all, we have
lingering memories preserved.
I
recommend this book to young individuals, the generation where I belong. I would like to quote Dr. Frankl’s reminder
for young people like me, “Don’t aim at success — the more you aim at it a
target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot
be pursued ... Happiness must happen and the same holds for success: you have
to let it happen by not caring about it.” My generation forgets to think for a
moment. Most of my young people, like me, are busy looking at life in a
different view, viewing life as a matter of acquiring earthly possessions.
Unfortunately, it is evident. When I look at social media such as Facebook and
Twitter, I see most of my friends in the same generation are posting things
about their new gadgets, expensive food they will eat, expensive places they
have just seen, and many more that are not so essential. Instead of seeing life
in this kind of perspective, I think it is better for me to follow what Frankl stated
in his book. I should look life at its nakedness. Nakedness means life far from
earthly things, a life that is not ranked by wealth. Although sometimes it is
good to feel that you have acquired something like material things out of your
hard work, but I think it should not be posted in the social media every now
and then especially if you are just starting to make good fortunes in your own.
As for me, it is like boasting what you have just got and it is like getting
too much attention.
My
generation tends to compete with others as if life is about survival, as if
life is about a race. Instead of trying to outperform others, why not try to compete
ourselves? Competing the self is far safer and more meaningful than trying to
compete with others. I think and I feel
that most of us tend to race or consider life as games, seeing life as black
and white or seeing life as win or lose. I just realized after reading the book
that we must redefine success in life, success does measure neither material possessions
nor fame. As for me, success in life must be a measurement of individual’s meaning,
knowing the reason of person’s existence in this world. It is indeed grateful
to know that I am alive but being cognizant of my own purpose is much more joy.
I realized that I should not take my life too seriously that I even forget to
say grace to the ultimate Being and express love to people around me. I am very
grateful reading this book once again, for this is the right time of reading
it. Reminding me once again not to count
the possessions I have but happy memories that linger in my mind, meaningful
conversation with significant people in my life, and taking things one step at
a time. There is no need to rush on things for I am very young. I need to
listen more often and talk less. I need to read more books and comprehend
unfathomable circumstances that occur in my pathways. I need to be more open
and kind. I need to internalize more principles that I have learned in school
and I need to enjoy my life with my loved ones. Above all, I have learned that the
finest things in life are not seen but meaning of my existence is.
