Logotherapy gems

• Everything can be taken from a man, but the last of the human freedoms; the freedom to choose one’s attitude in any a given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way
• By virtue of this capacity man is capable of detaching himself not only from a situation, but also from himself. He is capable of choosing his attitude toward himself
• Human freedom is finite freedom. Man is not free from conditions. But he is free to take a stand in regard to them. The conditions do not completely condition him
• Only to the extent to which man fulfills a meaning out there in the world, does he fulfill himself
• If you take human beings as they are, you make them worse. If you take them as they can be, you help them to become what they are capable of becoming
• 'We needed to stop asking ourselves about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life-daily and hourly. . . . Therefore, it was necessary for us to face up to the full amount of suffering, trying to keep moments of weakness and furtive tears to a minimum. But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer' - Quoted from Frankl's book