Speaker divulges the meaning in life

by: adam hurlburt
Staff Writer

It seemed like an interesting enough lecture topic, finding the meaning in life.  Not quite sure how one man could lump something as relatively broad as finding meaning in life into an hour and a half lecture, but if Monty Python could do it on DVD, why not give it a try? 

Guest lecturer Dr. Robert Hutzell’s official title for his presentation on Oct. 28 was “Finding Meaning in Life in Spite of Everything.”  The lecture detailed the existential methods of psychotherapy developed by the late Dr. Viktor Frankl, referred to as “logotherapy.”  This term is derived from the Greek word ‘logos’ which means truth.  Frankl developed logotherapy by reading the works of all the great (read popular) philosophers, finding relating passages and conclusions and building from that point.

 “A person may find temporary happiness in pleasure, power, money or other busyness, but they will not find ultimate satisfaction,” Hutzell said.  “True satisfaction comes from the pursuit of meaning in life.”

Hutzell stated that human beings could peruse meaning in many different ways, including logotherapy and Socratic Dialogue.  Of course, he favored his buddy Frankl’s logotherapy techniques.

So what the hell is this logotherapy anyhow?  According to Hutzell, logotherapy is the search for and actualization of personally meaningful values.  Hutzell believes that discovering personally important values and beliefs and acting within them will not only provide a base of personal satisfaction, but it will also provide nourishing meaning to day-to-day life. 

So find what you dig and dig it?  That’s what gives meaning to life?  Didn’t I learn that in Kindergarten?

It doesn’t hurt to simplify things, that’s for sure; but to ground the meaning in life in something so instinctual as basing your behavior and attitude on your personal values seems to be a prime candidate for the oversimplification of the year award (which won’t be awarded this year, in the spirit of simplification).

“What does one do in a situation of values in conflict, whether it be intrapersonally, relationally, or socially?” someone asked.  “In that case you develop a hierarchy of values, you stick to the values that are most important to you and you sacrifice those others if need be, this will still provide you with satisfaction and meaning,” Hutzell replied.

How is potentially sacrificing a very important piece of your psyche going to provide you with satisfaction and meaning?

What if all of person’s values are immoral?  What does that person do to provide meaning to their life?  Are they not entitled to have meaning and satisfaction in their life, despite everything?

Human beings have been following their personal values and interests for as long as we have been cognitively aware, and yet there is still pain, suffering, violence, war and despair.  All this time we have been asking what is the meaning in life.  Have we been blindly following it all along?  Possibly, if it is taken into account that the meaning in life may not include things so selfishly human as satisfaction, values and happiness. But I digress, that last sentence goes deeper than logotherapy is willing to go.

Hutzell is a clinical psychologist at the Veteran’s Administration Central Iowa Health Care System and the Knoxville Area Community Hospital Clinic.  He has served as president of the National Organization of VA Psychologists and the Iowa Psychological Association.  He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, and has published over 250 papers, articles and columns.  Hutzell is editor-in-chief of the International Forum for Logotherapy.

The meaning in life is moderation