--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The attempt to develop a sense of humor…" description: "\"“The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of a trick learned while mastering the art of living. Yet i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/viktor-e-frankl-668_art_the-attempt-to-develop-a-sense-of-humor_655861.jpg" --- # The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things… ![“The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of a trick learned while mastering the art of living. Yet it is possible to practice the art of living even in a concentration camp, although suffering is omnipresent. To draw an analogy: a man's suffering…” quote by Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/viktor-e-frankl-668_art_the-attempt-to-develop-a-sense-of-humor_655861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/viktor-e-frankl-668_art_the-attempt-to-develop-a-sense-of-humor_655861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/viktor-e-frankl-668_art_the-attempt-to-develop-a-sense-of-humor_655861.jpg) > ““The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of a trick learned while mastering the art of living. Yet it is possible to practice the art of living even in a concentration camp, although suffering is omnipresent. To draw an analogy: a man's suffering is similar to the behavior of gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will fill the chamber completely and evenly, no matter how big the chamber. Thus suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little. Therefore the "size" of human suffering is absolutely relative.”” [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering expands to fill any mental space, making its magnitude relative to the person. **In simple terms:** Suffering fills the mind regardless of size. Key Takeaway Accept suffering, focus on meaning. Themes existentialism resilience psychology Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - prisoner of war - terminal illness - personal trauma - daily stress Key Concepts logotherapy relative perception human condition Questions to Reflect On - How can you find meaning amid unavoidable pain? - What practices help keep perspective when suffering feels all‑consuming? A Different Perspective Suffering can be overwhelming and may hinder meaning‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-living/) [Concentration camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration-camp/) [Conscious mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious-mind/) [Holocaust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holocaust/) [Human soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-soul/) [Human suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-suffering/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Matter Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-suffering-467181/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Omnipresent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-omnipresent-5235875/) [Suffering Similar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-similar-467182/) ## Related quotes > [“a man’s suffering is similar to the behavior of gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/a-man-s-suffering-is-similar-to-the-behavior-of-gas-if-a-certain/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [To draw an analogy: a man's suffering is similar to the behavior of a gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-draw-an-analogy-a-man-s-suffering-is-similar-to-the-behavior-of-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“a man’s suffering is similar to the behavior of gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/a-man-s-suffering-is-similar-to-the-behavior-of-gas-if-a-certain-2/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Thus suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little. Therefore the 'size' of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/thus-suffering-completely-fills-the-human-soul-and-conscious-mind-no/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“It is well known that humor, more than anything else in the human make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/it-is-well-known-that-humor-more-than-anything-else-in-the-human-make/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Demon or not, it didn't matter, suffering was everywhere he looked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brom/demon-or-not-it-didn-t-matter-suffering-was-everywhere-he-looked/) [Brom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brom/) > [“At every new torment which is too hard to bear we feel yet another vein protrude, to unroll its sinuous and deadly length along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/at-every-new-torment-which-is-too-hard-to-bear-we-feel-yet-another/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [No matter how much suffering you went through, you never wanted to let go of those memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/no-matter-how-much-suffering-you-went-through-you-never-wanted-to-let/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Physical, emotional, and mental pain are inevitable in life. Suffering is another matter. Suffering is the personalization we bring to our difficulties. \[We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-hanson-lasater/physical-emotional-and-mental-pain-are-inevitable-in-life-suffering/) [Judith Hanson Lasater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-hanson-lasater/) > [“The question was whether an ape which was being used to develop a poliomyelitis serum, and for this reason punctured again and again, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-question-was-whether-an-ape-which-was-being-used-to-develop-a/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Is it not conceivable that there is still another dimension, a world beyond man's world; a world in which the question of an ultimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/is-it-not-conceivable-that-there-is-still-another-dimension-a-world/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Most men in a concentration camp believed that the real opportunities of life had passed. Yet, in reality, there was an opportunity and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/most-men-in-a-concentration-camp-believed-that-the-real-opportunities/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Fundamentally, therefore, any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him-mentally and spiritually. He may retain his human dignity even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/fundamentally-therefore-any-man-can-even-under-such-circumstances/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“The story of the young woman whose death I witnessed in a concentration camp. It is a simple story. There is little to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-story-of-the-young-woman-whose-death-i-witnessed-in-a/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“He main retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp. Dostoevsky said once, 'There is only one thing that I dread: not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/he-main-retain-his-human-dignity-even-in-a-concentration-camp/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## More by Viktor E. Frankl > [For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/for-the-meaning-of-life-differs-from-man-to-man-from-day-to-day-and/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“In the past, nothing is irretrievably lost, but rather, on the contrary, everything is irrevocably stored and treasured. To be sure, people tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/in-the-past-nothing-is-irretrievably-lost-but-rather-on-the-contrary/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer... his unique opportunity lies in the way he bears his burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/when-a-man-finds-that-it-is-his-destiny-to-suffer-his-unique/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“A positive attitude enables a person to endure suffering and disappointment as well as enhance enjoyment and satisfaction. A negative attitude intensifies pain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/a-positive-attitude-enables-a-person-to-endure-suffering-and/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“our sacrifice did have a meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/our-sacrifice-did-have-a-meaning/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Man's last freedom is his freedom to choose how he will react in any given situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-last-freedom-is-his-freedom-to-choose-how-he-will-react-in-any/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-more-one-forgets-himself-by-giving-himself-to-a-cause-to-serve-or/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-i-venture-to-say-that-would-so/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Man's search for meaning is the chief motivation of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-search-for-meaning-is-the-chief-motivation-of-his-life/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [In a last violent protest against the hopelessness of imminent death, I sensed my spirit piercing through the enveloping gloom. I felt it transcend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/in-a-last-violent-protest-against-the-hopelessness-of-imminent-death/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/but-happiness-cannot-be-pursued-it-must-ensue/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another one's belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another one's right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-one-s-belief-but-it/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“I think it was Lessing who once said, 'There are things which must cause you to lose your reason or you have none to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-think-it-was-lessing-who-once-said-there-are-things-which-must/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“I believe that my handicap will only enhance my ability to help others. I know that without the suffering, the growth that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-believe-that-my-handicap-will-only-enhance-my-ability-to-help/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“He main retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp. Dostoevsky said once, 'There is only one thing that I dread: not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/he-main-retain-his-human-dignity-even-in-a-concentration-camp/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) [Explore all 381 Viktor E. Frankl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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