Comments on: Viktor Frankl: Man’s Search for Meaning http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/ Igor Menaker Fine Art Photography Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:58:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: KM http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/#comment-13 KM Wed, 06 Sep 2006 22:10:23 +0000 http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/#comment-13 “life is not a quest for pleasure and happiness, but quest for meaning" I have to disagree with the above statement that life is not a search for happiness. To me it's both. It appears that life is indeed a quest for meaning which can only be answered through happiness. Thus can you not say that life is a quest for happiness? That is not to say that life is only about happiness, but that meaning is found through happiness. It may be that I missed a certain point but it appears that if life asked anyone what they wished from it, they would certainly say, I wish to be happy. Thus everyone is attempting to find happiness which in itself is the meaning. For example look at the quote: "When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer, he will have to accept his suffering as his task; his single and unique task. He will have to acknowledge the fact that even in suffering he is unique and alone in the universe. No one can relieve him of his suffering or suffer in his place. His unique opportunity lies in the way in which he bears his burden." Suffering is not a desirable, yet inescapable state. Suffering is the absence of happiness. Thus one could say that the unique way in which I bear this suffering is through the discovery of something that makes me happy. “life is not a quest for pleasure and happiness, but quest for meaning”

I have to disagree with the above statement that life is not a search for happiness. To me it’s both. It appears that life is indeed a quest for meaning which can only be answered through happiness. Thus can you not say that life is a quest for happiness? That is not to say that life is only about happiness, but that meaning is found through happiness.

It may be that I missed a certain point but it appears that if life asked anyone what they wished from it, they would certainly say, I wish to be happy. Thus everyone is attempting to find happiness which in itself is the meaning. For example look at the quote:

“When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer, he will have to accept his suffering as his task; his single and unique task. He will have to acknowledge the fact that even in suffering he is unique and alone in the universe. No one can relieve him of his suffering or suffer in his place. His unique opportunity lies in the way in which he bears his burden.”

Suffering is not a desirable, yet inescapable state. Suffering is the absence of happiness. Thus one could say that the unique way in which I bear this suffering is through the discovery of something that makes me happy.

]]> By: NR http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/#comment-8 NR Sun, 27 Aug 2006 20:38:11 +0000 http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/#comment-8 This summer my oldest sun died. DTP. Now I know that I hate the death. And now I see a much more since reading the words: life is not a quest for pleasure and happiness, but quest for meaning. * * * This summer my oldest sun died. DTP.
Now I know that I hate the death. And now I see a much more since reading the words: life is not a quest for pleasure and happiness, but quest for meaning.

* * *

]]> By: Serg http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/#comment-4 Serg Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:27:16 +0000 http://blog.menaker.com/2006/08/23/viktor-frankl-mans-search-for-meaning/#comment-4 I knew you were going there. All your recent posts showed it clearly and it was just a matter of time when the main question was going to be posted - the meaning of life. I bet everyone in their life has asked this question once and so have I. Sure enough; it was painful to find a satisfying answer. Nothing seems to be right or make sense at all. Then I figured that that was exactly the problem. Trying to find the reasoning, I mean. Sounds strange, doesn't it? But it worked! Well, at least for me. When one is looking for the answer to the meaning of life he or she is never searches for the answer to the meaning of death. Why, indeed? Death is the natural end of life. It's clear and hence does not require an answer. Period. But is it really the answer? Does one really know what death is? You can't really answer this question until you are there and when you are there you cannot communicate back to those who are alive. Meaning what? Meaning, we don't ask ourselves this "meaningless" question and rather focus on searching the answer to the meaning of life instead. If you are asking where the heck I am getting at, I tell you to the answer I found for myself, my friend. The meaning of life is merely life itself in its infinite variety of biological forms including us, human beings. It is as simple as it gets. I believe that the answer mustn't be complicated. I think simplicity rules the Universe. One can like it or not, but on that scale nothing matters at all. All is everything and everything is all. The Why we live is not a question to me, but the Why we think is. Human's mind is the biggest mystery to us, life forms. I knew you were going there. All your recent posts showed it clearly and it was just a matter of time when the main question was going to be posted - the meaning of life. I bet everyone in their life has asked this question once and so have I. Sure enough; it was painful to find a satisfying answer. Nothing seems to be right or make sense at all. Then I figured that that was exactly the problem. Trying to find the reasoning, I mean. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But it worked! Well, at least for me.

When one is looking for the answer to the meaning of life he or she is never searches for the answer to the meaning of death. Why, indeed? Death is the natural end of life. It’s clear and hence does not require an answer. Period. But is it really the answer? Does one really know what death is? You can’t really answer this question until you are there and when you are there you cannot communicate back to those who are alive. Meaning what? Meaning, we don’t ask ourselves this “meaningless” question and rather focus on searching the answer to the meaning of life instead.

If you are asking where the heck I am getting at, I tell you to the answer I found for myself, my friend. The meaning of life is merely life itself in its infinite variety of biological forms including us, human beings. It is as simple as it gets. I believe that the answer mustn’t be complicated. I think simplicity rules the Universe. One can like it or not, but on that scale nothing matters at all. All is everything and everything is all.

The Why we live is not a question to me, but the Why we think is. Human’s mind is the biggest mystery to us, life forms.

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