Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.
Viktor E. FranklRead
The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity — even under the most difficult circumstances — to add a deeper meaning to his life. It may remain brave, dignified and unselfish. Or in the bitter fight for self preservation he may forget his human dignity and become no more than an animal
Interpretation
What this quote means
A person's response to suffering can give life profound meaning and dignity, even in difficult circumstances.
This quote by Viktor E. Frankl emphasizes the importance of how individuals confront their suffering and challenges. By embracing their fate with bravery and dignity, people can find deeper meaning in life, demonstrating their humanity rather than succumbing to a primal instinct for self-preservation. It underscores the idea that our responses to adversity define our character and the essence of our existence.
Themes
FateSufferingDignityMeaningLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about resilience and character.
More from Viktor E. Frankl
All quotes →The crowning experience of all, for the homecoming man, is the wonderful feeling that, after all he has suffered, there is nothing he need fear anymore—except his God.
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Here lies the chance for a man either to make use of or to forgo the opportunities of attaining the moral values that a difficult situation may afford him. And this decides whether he is worthy of his sufferings or not.
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It is the pursuit of happiness that thwarts happiness.
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Logotherapy sees the human patient in all his humanness. I step up to the core of the patient's being. And that is a being in search of meaning, a being that is transcending himself, a being capable of acting in love for others.
Viktor E. FranklRead
The more one forgives himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.
Viktor E. FranklRead
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