personality theory:victor frankl vs carl rogers

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PERSONALITY THEORY – CARL ROGERS AND VICTOR FRANKL

Why is it that man lives up to a certain point not knowing what the meaning of life is. Not knowing what path to follow, not knowing if the energy and courage to discover the truths of ones own existence in this world exist. Some persons will drive past a street child on Cape Town roads and look sideways in horror, quickly lock a car door with an “unapparent” elbow; warm, safe, and comfortable in the interior of a brand new sports model car. Others will look away and ignore the feelings of pity, or even perhaps swear or curse this annoyance. But why is it that some will open the window, offer a smile, and return home to sit quietly and try to find a means to correct this sadness. Be it cooking a meal to be delivered back to that robot, beginning the plans in opening a children’s haven, or picking up the phone to urge officials to help correct the situation. Some will lie that night in a warm bed and worry about whether they remembered to post the telephone bill, yet others will lie imagining that small child sad at that robot, no shoes and the rain and ice of a Cape Town winter near, with no place to go.

Man is a social being with a purpose. No two persons have the same purpose, and no two person’s journey to find that purpose is identical (quoted in Hergenhahn and Olson, 1999). That is the beauty of this world – each individual’s life purpose contributes to a fully functioning world. For as many persons as there are in this world, there are as many paths to reach this state of self awareness or life contentment. For this reason, there are those that’s body and soul long to perhaps fight in a war and destroy mankind, those that wish to save and protect strangers, and those that never take the leap of faith to find out where it is that he fits into this strange world that we live in. For it is one’s personality, ones inner core, that is the deciding factor of ones relative position in any given society. Discovering this life purpose, and finding that one aspect of mankind that makes ones heart sore through the clouds, is paramount for self contentment and ultimately ones own happiness. It affects all actions and man’s daily existence. Yet, that first step into this unknown world needs to be taken with nerve. It was once said by an unknown source that, “one can never hope to discover new oceans if one does ...

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...it is due to cultural, or societal conditions (quoted in Hergenhahn and Olson, 1999). Yet emphasis of the meaning in any life and the seeking of those experiences in life that will achieve and maintain life purpose and transcend ones “shell” of existence, is of paramount importance. Man has the capacity to make choices, and our ultimate satisfaction relies completely on making appropriate and correct decisions for ourselves.

In closing, man is a social being with a purpose. No two persons have the same purpose, and no two person’s journey to find that purpose is identical. Yet, man has the spiritual capacity to transcend himself and to reach for meaning. Man must search for meaning in order to realize this unique and intended place in the world.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, D.M. (2002). Mosby’s Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary. United Kingdom: Mosby Inc.

Baumann, S.E. (1998). Psychiatry and Primary Health Care. Cape Town: Juta & Co.

Hergenhahn, B.R., & Olson, M.H. (1999). An Introduction to Theories of Personality. United States of America: Prentice Hall

Van Lennep, C. (2005). A Powerful Wave. Cape Town: Art Publishers.

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