Part 5/8:

Frankl emphasizes that no matter the adversity faced, individuals have the freedom to choose how they respond. He introduces the idea that between stimulus and response lies a gap—an opportunity for individuals to choose their reaction. While external circumstances may be beyond control, our internal responses remain our own.

In his words, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.” Even in the most restrictive conditions, such as a concentration camp, individuals retain the ability to behave nobly or succumb to base instincts, a choice determined by one’s decisions rather than the prevailing conditions.