Man’s Search for Meaning

Victor Frankl was a holocaust survivor and psychoanalyst, whose critical thesis was that meaning is a fundamental component of the human psychological landscape. Reflecting on his concentration camp experiences, he concluded that Nietzsche had it right: “A man who has a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how.’” For those who work in health care, this insight is critical. It helps us understand how hope, even under the most difficult or excruciating of circumstances, can be sustained, as long as it is connected with an ability to find meaning in one’s continued existence.