Spinoza’s Ethics
Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it.
Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning
The prisoner who had lost faith in the future—his future—was doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline and became subject to mental and physical decay.
The Future or the Past?
On December 31, 2025, I blogged a response to a WordPress.com prompt asking if I think of the past or future more often. That post is here.
While reading Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, about his time in the concentration camps of Germany during World War II, I came across the two quotes above and thought a lot about my life.
There were times when I did not feel like I had much of a future. And I think I did decay mentally and physically. Some of that I’m still trying to recover from today.
Although I have had mental, economic, social, and physical struggles in my life, I feel grateful for the life I have, and no longer feel the need to throw myself pity parties.
I feel sad that people have suffered horrific injustices and torture, and even died due to their mistreatment at the hands of other human beings.
Suffering is part of being human, and it is unavoidable in many cases. What I have enjoyed about Frankl’s perspective is that we can choose how we want to respond to that suffering. And it is hope in the future that keeps us alive.
Concluding Thoughts
I’m still recovering from the flu, but I am feeling more vibrant than yesterday. Most of yesterday was spent sleeping. I am still working on Frankl’s book, and hope to finish it today.
I have this thought that books written about the human condition will become rare one day, and part of my enthusiasm for reading in 2026 is to broaden my world view.
Are there any books you want to read, and why?
Reality Bytes 