Benjamin McEvoy

Essays on writing, reading, and life

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The Viktor Frankl Podcast

April 9, 2020 By Ben McEvoy

I consider Man’s Search for Meaning to be the best book I have ever read.

After countless people getting in touch with me after writing this article on Man’s Search for Meaning, I thought it was about time to sit down and have a chat about it.

You can get the book here:

  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Listen to Hardcore Literature: Man’s Search for Meaning

If you want to listen in a dedicated browser, click here.

If you want to download the Mp3, click here.

You can also listen to the podcast through iTunes. Search for Hardcore Literature and it will pop right up so you can listen on-the-go.

And if you can spare just one second, please leave me a 5-star rating on iTunes because that will help more people see the show, which is important in the early stages of release. I really appreciate it!

Topics Covered in the Podcast (with Timestamps)

Feel free to jump to any particular theme that interests you:

  • 0:38 – Becoming a new father and drastic life changes
  • 2:57 – My most read article of all time
  • 4:09 – “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” (Nietzsche)
  • 5:15 – Auschwitz, Dachau, and the atrocities of the 20th century
  • 7:04 – Reality of life in the camps
  • 7:55 – The three big whys: love, work, and dignity in suffering 
  • 9:18 – It does not matter what you expect from life
  • 10:00 – A remedy for depression 
  • 10:55 – Virtue is a habit, an act
  • 11:45 – Everyone’s destiny is different – you designate your own meaning
  • 12:21 – The confiscated manuscript 
  • 14:50 – Recommended Frankl lecture (also below)
  • 15:14 – “The salvation of man is through love and in love.” (Frankl)
  • 16:40 – Love conquers all and is an antidote to pain
  • 17:31 – How to deal with suicidal thoughts 
  • 20:55 – What is prayer?
  • 21:32 – You can get used to anything – the human body is tougher than you think 
  • 22:24 – “Textbooks tell lies.” (Frankl)
  • 23:05 – “Writing poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric.” (Adorno)
  • 23:53 – The ultimate life perspective machine 
  • 24:51 – You can resist your environment’s influence
  • 25:00 – The Stanford Prison Experiments (Zimbardo)
  • 25:35 – How good people turn evil 
  • 27:00 – “Between stimulus and response there is a gap.” (Frankl)
  • 27:50 – On free will 
  • 28:43 – The last of human freedoms
  • 29:36 – There is meaning in suffering 
  • 30:26 – You don’t even know what suffering is 
  • 32:15 – Jordan Peterson on nihilism 
  • 32:45 – Pick up your cross
  • 33:38 – Are you worthy of your suffering?
  • 34:45 – How to reframe your problems
  • 35:38 – Without hope, without meaning, and without a future, death will come soon.
  • 37:00 – The Miracle Morning
  • 39:11 – Hope increases your survival rate
  • 39:38 – Who Man’s Search for Meaning is for

Mentioned in the podcast:

  • The Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo 
  • The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle 
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
  • Jordan Peterson (read 12 Rules for Life)
  • The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod 

Let me know what you think of the podcast and Man’s Search for Meaning. 

Filed Under: Hardcore Literature, Podcast

Benjamin McEvoy

I write essays on great books, elite education, practical mindset tips, and living a healthy, happy lifestyle. I'm here to help you live a meaningful life.

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