"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl

Some quotes:

"There is also purpose in life which is almost barren of both creation and enjoyment and which admits of but one possibility of high moral behavior: namely, in man's attitude to his existence, an existence restricted by external forces." p.106

"A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the "why" for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any "how." p.127

"The meaning of our existence is not invented by ourselves, but rather detected." p.157

"Logotherapy...considers man as a being whose main concern consists in fulfilling a meaning and in actualizing values, rather than in the mere gratification and satisfaction of drives and instincts." p.164

"What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him." p.166

"What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general, but rather the specific meaning of a person's life at a given moment." p.171
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This book, which has been around for awhile, seems like something I would have read. But no. I listened to it recently while driving and I was very impressed with the ideas. I agree with the essential premise - that people need something in life to look forward to - some kind of goal. It helps if a person thinks that it matters whether one continues to live or not. Whether it be because of contributions to the world of some kind or as a help to family or others or both.

I don't know if heaven is that for some people (the future goal that they need). Heaven is too abstract and unknowable for me. I prefer to have goals here on earth.

The idea that the earth is going downhill - that it is deteriorating due to humanity's (esp. 'well off' humanity) consumption can make the idea of the future problematic. I think it helps to be organic gardening and working on positive things. To have hope that enough people want to improve the situation.

I agree with Frankl about the attitude thing as well. He talks about how much a difference one point of view makes. I don't think he would think that people should ignore problems - but he did have various examples of how the way people think about a certain things can create meaning as opposed to despair.

Much of the book discusses his time in German Concentration Camps. He had a book that he wanted to publish. And he had family that he hoped were still alive (most of them were not). Those things helped him get through.