Over the past week, I have devoted considerable time to researching the Holocaust, particularly the dilemma faced by many influential figures as to whether they should remain or escape. However, in all the literature and articles I encountered, the emotional aspect of the Holocaust seemed largely overlooked. Undoubtedly, emotions were heightened, but as Viktor Frankl pointed out, our feelings were often dulled to form a protective barrier around us.
Frankl identified apathy, an emotional numbing and a state of indifference, as symptoms that emerged during the second stage of a prisoner's psychological response. This indifference made prisoners insusceptible to the brutalities inflicted upon them daily. Thus, an essential protective shell was created around the prisoner through this insensitivity.
On a lighter note, and to illustrate how emotions can impact perception and interactions, consider this joke:
A man walked into a library and asked the librarian for books about paranoia. She w…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Shui’s Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.