I hope that you guys found the first part of this book both as depressing and uplifting as I did. I know it sounds contradictory, but here it works.
Viktor Frankl talks about the prisoners' struggle to survive the day to day savagery of being debased and treated like faceless, nameless animals. Each prisoner was identified only by a number. He says that this was basically the hardest thing to survive--being completely insignificant. How did the different groups mentioned in the book combat this feeling? What did they do to make themselves significant, and at what cost?
Do you see any parallels in today's pop culture, politics, or even your personal relationships?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
How can no one have commented on this? Honestly . . . I think it is interesting how people try and make themselves feel identified by simply scraping some peas out of the bottom of the soup for their friends. It has made me think - what have I done to make myself be "identified?" Don't answer that.
I like KT. Thanks for your answer.
I thought it was interesting to see the dynamic between the prisoners. The Capos treated the prisoners often worse than the guards. They wanted some modicum of power and control, and that's where they found it.
I like how the prisoners used their talents and gifts to make a meaningful contribution to their society, whether it was medicine or music or anything in between.
I know that I look for ways to feel significant in my own life by identifying myself as a wife, mother, lawyer, young person, a woman, and even a reader. I promise not to make any of you non-lawyers do something eggregious (sp?) so that I feel like I'm better than you!
Agreed, ladies.
I agree, KT that a way in which people can feel identified is through their relationships with others. For as much as Frankl talked about loneliness, I thought it was sweet how he spoke of his wife, and how he was willing to stay with his patients instead of trying to escape. How wonderful it is to mean something to people that we love.
Lindy, I agree that the dynamic between the prisoners was interesting: the "degraded majority" and "promoted minority." It kind of reminded me of my "stint" in law enforcement training, where I saw a bunch of corrections officers in training who were already salivating to be in a position of authority above inmates. And how quickly did these Capos change their attitude toward their fellow inmates when the camp was being taken over. Those who are given temporary power must really live in fear.
Post a Comment