A refreshing discussion of human nature, resilience and the human spirit. This is a worthwhile read for anyone not satisfied with a purely mechanistic or positivistic account of human nature or for those searching for a glimpse of human strength and spiritual capacity. It is also relevant to see how the perspectives or Viktor Frankl and Sigmund Freud were connected to larger socio-cultural events in Austria during WWI and WWII. The main thesis makes us question the absolute truth claims presented by these authors and forces us to search within the context of their “local social world” to see how their views were influenced. I would recommend this paper for those interested in culture, positive aspects of suffering, spirituality, or resilience.