What Is the ballsiest thing you've ever handed in as a project or assignment in school?

 Until my reading of a Man’s search for meaning, I thought I had a full view into the mind of man. A species like any other, that at its base nature looks to survive above all else. But until now I never knew just how much information on the common man I was missing. The ability of humans to adapt to whatever conditions present is one if find admirable and even yet so, I find the ability absolutely terrifying. Though out the retelling of events, the author gives us man examples of where his fellow prisoners have adapted to their surroundings in an effort to continue on daily. 


 In one section of the book Frankl speaks on how his comrades in suffering and himself alike, would often find joy in being under an officer who was famous for being less strict than other officers. Now in their minds they were still obviously at a concentration camp, but they had adapt to find different situations as either “lucky” as Frankl says or unlucky. Even once when Viktor was being transferred from one camp to another, he spoke of the joy and happiness everyone felt towards being at that particular camp, rather than a camp which held facilities to dispose of them easily. I find a human’s ability to see the cracks of light that breakthrough in a seemingly infinite tunnel of darkness highly commendable. It never truly dawned on myself how much tenacity truly lies within each of us. Nor did I realize how much tenacity truly was dependent on mental strength. It is easier to break a body than it is a mind.

 While this adaptability is highly commendably it is also terrifying. Just as one can acclimate to see the light, one can also force themselves to rather change their perception of light. When all you can see is darkness, it is easier to become darkness, to move and work with the shadows rather than against them. As seen in some prisoners who were “promoted” to lead other prisoners. They could often become just as harsh and brute as the actual guards. These prisoners soon felt it was their “duty” as “high-ranking” officials to carry out their jobs with the swiftest and most efficient motions. No longer did they care for their once comrades. Nor did they stop and wonder if they should do onto others and they would hope others do onto them. They became the darkness, they became the shadows, even worse they sought to be greater than the darkness and shadows they once knew. In a system where all you can see is darkness, why fight it, when you can join it. 

In short, humans are a tenacious species. Our level of tenacity is one the sole things in which I can even begin to fathom held the human race together after so many years. It is wondrous, yet petrifying to know whether or not this tenacity will continue to help our species grow and learn, or ultimately be our downfall.
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