Existential Vacuum - 1671 Words

There have been many phenomena introduced to man within the twentieth century. The most important and interesting of these phenomena is the existential vacuum. In the 1960s, Viktor Frankl observed that people twentieth century have lost meaning of purpose. He also observed that the existential vacuum was worse in the United States than in Europe or developing countries. A potential cause for this feeling of emptiness is the loss of animal instinct throughout human history. Every living culture, whether it was human or animal has an innate set of instincts that guide how we live. However, through time, humans have tamed those instincts and shoved them into non-existence by creating laws of â€Å"civility.† For example, people used to†¦show more content†¦Yes, we still eat meat, but the connection of what it means for one life (the cow, for example), to give up that life so that another (the human) may live, is lost. Where once people had respect for the food they ate and understood the life sustenance that made food so important, now it means nothing. There is no understanding to how food reacts with our bodies. The only understanding is that when you feel hunger, you want to eat. And food is readily available, so it is no big deal. Likewise, the connection to clothes has become how they make you look when wearing them, rather than the appreciation of how they are made. Humans used to be awed by something so simple as the sun rising every day, after disappearing the night before. Storms were something to be feared. A successful hunt was something to show appreciation for, as was a successful harvest. People developed religion to worship the aforementioned gods and/or the Supreme Being. The expression of faith was an integral part of society. However, again mostly in the last century, even faith has been eroding. Scientists have explained how storms happen and how the sun rises and sets. Many people find nothing to be awed at anymore and we definitely do not have ceremonies to honor the harvest or the hunt. Well, at least not in their original form, and this paper is not the forum to explain certain cultural calendars. People may go to church, synagogue, or other houses of worship, but theShow MoreRelatedThe Fundamental Principles That Confirm The Importance Of Frankl s Existential Theory And Logotherapy4000 Words   |  16 Pages Existential Therapy Ms. Belinda Coulter, Arlinda Blankumsee, and Georgia Green School of Professional Counseling Lindsey Wilson College Author Note Ms. Belinda Coulter, Arlinda Blankumsee, and Georgia Green, The School of Professional Counseling, Lindsey Wilson College.Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ms. Belinda Coulter, Arlinda Blankumsee, and Georgia Green, Email: belinda.coulter@lindsey.edy, arlinda.blankumsee@lindsey.edu, georgia.green@lindsey.edu. 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