Existential vacuum is the concept framed by Viktor Frankl survivor of the concentration camp of Nazi holocaust. Being a psychiatrist he founded Logotherapy which eventually became a part of existential analysis.
In eighteenth century human existence gained prominence so the human subjective elements like responsibility, freedom, will, feelings, meaning in life were centralized. Man according to existentialism searches for meaning in life or existence.
According to Viktor Frankl when there is no meaning in life, i.e. purpose or goal to achieve something, a vacuum of meaninglessness sets in. Man in order to fill in this gap searches for a meaning in life. When the right meaning is not found he becomes desperate he tries to ascribe some kind of meaning to moment or situation. Yet he may not find satisfaction in such temporary make beliefs he continues his search exasperated and devoid of hope in finding a meaning or search for meaning. Then a phase of meaninglessness (life without meaning) occurs in his life.
Much of the times people may not recognize that a meaning exists at all in life. When different situations of life demand meaning from man his responsibility is up surged to find meaning ( his will to search for meaning is up surged) which is called as will to meaning by Viktor Frankl. Man in his pursuit for meaning in life may embrace conformism (man wishes to do what other people do) or totalitarianism (man does what other people wish him to do). While lost in finding meaning in conformism and totalitarianism man may not identify his unique meaning.
According to Viktor Frankl meaning is unique for each and every individual. Each and every individual has the freedom to choose his own unique meaning in life.
When Man doesn’t find meaning that suits his vacuum he grapples and tries to fill in that vacuum with elements like busyness, power, earning money, overindulgence in sex, passive entertainment etc. such a fill up in existential vacuum leads to a feeling of futility, boredom, apathy, hedonism, too much self-reflection, Mass Neurotic Triad- Depression, Aggression, Addiction and Neurotic vicious cycles like Obsession, Compulsion, Phobia.
Happiness, power, successful life, feeling of well being does not confirm meaningful life. Many people with all the above assets may contain existential vacuum. They may be self contained with conformism and totalitarianism. Feeling of transitoriness of the above assets is the criteria for meaninglessness. People with all the above assets look back at their past and check their assets as possessions and try to cover up their existential vacuum with a false façade of satisfaction and happiness. But beneath the surface of the façade existential vacuum acts as the engulfing amoeba which sucks in and vanishes the genuine contentment.
Meaning in life can be obtained
i) Way of suffering and enduring with dignity.
ii) Doing creative deeds
iii) Experiencing something and someone we value like aesthetic experiences and love
iv) Acquiring and using virtues like compassion, humor, bravery etc.
v) Serving others
vi) Self transcendence
Meaning has many dimensions, to acknowledge a few mentioned by Viktor Frankl in his studies, we may refer to them as different types of meanings dealt by Frankl himself.
Meaning in life – meaning in life denotes the purpose in life i.e. the goals to achieve.
Meaning of moment – meaning of moment is the transitory situational meaning which arises from moment to moment. It is purpose oriented.
Ultimate meaning - ultimate meaning is the meaning which dawns upon man after which man transcends into higher realms like spiritual realm. This meaning is generally obtained in latter part of man’s life. It may or may not be obtained by man.
Meaning of life – meaning of life is more philosophical than purposeful. It is not materialistic in the sense that it consists of entire essence of life, questioning the purpose of existence of man.
In the history and today many dignitaries who hold high positions are eschewed by corruption, adultery, scams, crime etc. are suffering from existential vacuum for treating which they need responsible meaning through Logotherapy .
Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy is considered as a form of existential psychotherapy. Logo means “meaning”. Logo therapeutic techniques are used to tackle the effects of existential vacuum (like hedonism, boredom, over indulgence in sex, apathy, feeling of futility, excessive self reflection, Sunday neurosis, passive entertainment Neurotic triad- depression, addiction, aggression and Neurotic vicious cycles – obsession, compulsion, and phobias), to deal with the frustration in search for meaning called “Noogenic Neurosis” and helps man in his search to obtain his unique meaning. Logotherapy does not cater meanings to people but makes man feel responsible for finding his own unique meaning by respecting his freedom of choice.
According to Viktor Frankl the existential vacuum is a wide spread phenomenon of this century because man lacks animal instincts and the crumbled traditions are inadequate to reveal the purpose in life. Existential vacuum manifests itself mainly in the state of boredom which is more rampant than despair is due to automation and more leisure hours, Sunday neurosis is a kind of depression which afflicts people who become aware of the lack of content in their lives when the rush of the busy week is over and the void within themselves becomes manifest. Many Suicide cases can be traced back to existential vacuum. Widespread phenomena such as depression, aggression and addiction are understandable by recognizing existential vacuum underlying them. The crisis of pensioners and aging people is due to the meaninglessness in their lives.
Existential vacuum takes various guises like will to money, will to pleasure etc. instead of will to meaning. Neurotic triad i.e. depression, aggression, addiction and neurotic vicious cycles like obsession, compulsion and phobia have relapses even though they are treated due to underlying existential vacuum. Hence Logotherapy is recommended to treat not only Noogenic neurosis but also Psychogenic and Somatogenic neuroses.
In this era of existentialism and humanism man needs the help of Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy more than Freud’s Psychoanalysis. As Logotherapy gained prominence probably man crossed the limits of unconscious and entered the parameters of meaning.
In today’s affluent modern world of technology and automation man immersed in materialistic possessions and artificial luxurious life has to introspect into his life whether he is moving on with a responsible meaning or has a meaningless void of existential vacuum filled with sucked in scrap of futile life.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Viktor Frankl:
Man’s search for meaning (1959) published by Washington Square Press.
Man’s search for meaning (1959) published by Washington Square Press.
The will to meaning (1969) published by Meridian, Penguin Group, New York, USA.
Man’s search for Ultimate Meaning (2000) published by Basic Books, New York, USA.
Written by
N. Jyothirmayi
N. Jyothirmayi
