The purest nature of man is a heavily debated subject between philosophers. In Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl shares his perspective on human nature. His view of human nature is a blend of both Hobbesian pessimism and Rousseauian optimism.
. When speaking about the final psychological phase of camp life, Frankl suggests a gloomy view of humans. He states, “During this psychological phase one observed that people with natures of a more primitive kind could not escape the influences of the brutality which had surrounded them in camp life”(90). Frankl is explaining that prisoners, more primal in their nature, turned to a vicious state after being subjugated to such treatment while in camp.
. However, Frankl also highlighted …show more content…
Frankl observes, “…There are two races of men in this world, but only these two--the ‘race’ of the decent man and the ‘race’ of the indecent man. Both are found everywhere; they penetrate into all groups of society. No group consists entirely of decent or indecent people. In this sense, no group is of “pure race”… (86). Frankl expresses how man in its entirety cannot be generalized as either decent or indecent; there will always be a man who is contradictory in his fundamental nature from the rest of his peers. He again articulated this blend of ideals in his examination of the psychological make-up of the guards. Viktor specifies, “Life in a concentration camp tore open the human soul and exposed its depths. Is it surprising that in those depths we again found only human qualities which in their very nature were a mixture of good and evil?” (87). Frankle is communicating that when the core of a human soul is examined, it cannot be distinguished as fundamentally wicked or virtuous.
Throughout his book, Viktor Frankl plays with the ideas of fundamental negativity about human nature and fundamental positivity about human nature, but his overall view on the nature of mankind is a combination of the two
. When speaking about the final psychological phase of camp life, Frankl suggests a gloomy view of humans. He states, “During this psychological phase one observed that people with natures of a more primitive kind could not escape the influences of the brutality which had surrounded them in camp life”(90). Frankl is explaining that prisoners, more primal in their nature, turned to a vicious state after being subjugated to such treatment while in camp.
. However, Frankl also highlighted …show more content…
Frankl observes, “…There are two races of men in this world, but only these two--the ‘race’ of the decent man and the ‘race’ of the indecent man. Both are found everywhere; they penetrate into all groups of society. No group consists entirely of decent or indecent people. In this sense, no group is of “pure race”… (86). Frankl expresses how man in its entirety cannot be generalized as either decent or indecent; there will always be a man who is contradictory in his fundamental nature from the rest of his peers. He again articulated this blend of ideals in his examination of the psychological make-up of the guards. Viktor specifies, “Life in a concentration camp tore open the human soul and exposed its depths. Is it surprising that in those depths we again found only human qualities which in their very nature were a mixture of good and evil?” (87). Frankle is communicating that when the core of a human soul is examined, it cannot be distinguished as fundamentally wicked or virtuous.
Throughout his book, Viktor Frankl plays with the ideas of fundamental negativity about human nature and fundamental positivity about human nature, but his overall view on the nature of mankind is a combination of the two