Oh, that is a thought-provoking prompt and I guess once the ideas start flooding to me choosing just 1 will be bloody torture.
I'm going to make a coffee before bedtime, up early for work in the morning, by the time I return I will know my answer.
OK I'm back and I have an answer.
I did, so want to come up with something humourous to encourage a little fun but alas it was not to be, I would have been lying to myself if I chose an alternative answer.
I would have loved to sit and have a meal and a genuine converstaion with Viktor Frankl, the famous Austrian Neuroscientist who had more than a fleeting knowledge of what it means to find true meaning in life, even when faced with the most dire of circumstances. His thoughts on finding hope and a strong desire to surive, thrive and go on were gleaned in a Nazi concentration camp.
Despite his parents, wife and brother all dying in various camps Frankl became fascinated by those who retained their compassion, dignity and a sense of purpose & noted that those who cared for others or gave away their food to those who needed it more survived the longest. Those who gave up, never recovered. From this experience he wrote the famed literary masterpiece 'Man's search for meaning'. The book deatils the cultivation of hope where none should exist, it is actually quite a hopeful book despite giving account of some truly cruel, abhorrent behaviour from man to man.
I believe a conversation with him may shed some more light on how those in despair can find a purpose and a reason to endure even when all seems lost. This would be a fabulous lesson to be able to teach and is one that we human types need more than ever.
I imagine Viktor would be a warm, humble man who would put me at ease quickly and share anything he could to be of service to others.
Happy weekend WE'ers, I hope is a wonderful one filled with optimism, happines and joy.😎
(Sorry for the length, I did edit some out)
I've read Man's search for meaning Steven and am familiar therefore with his struggles and mindset.
Dinner with this chap would be a life-altering moment I think and one in which a person who was open to it would learn many things. I mentor a few people here and there and I use many examples, loosely veiled, from his book and some I suggest even read it, but one needs to be careful in that regard guess also. Powerful stuff.
Anyway, I concur with you in that this meeting/dinner would indeed prove to be very valuable. Thanks for sharing, getting involved and all.
Wow what an interesting choice of person to have dinner with. I can just about imagine how the conversation will flow at the dinner table. I hope he is a good conversationalist. My son is a neurosurgeon and I know not many are great talkers.
With all these in your mind, I hope Frankl will be able to be to dinner. There are people with great career prospect like Frankl, a neuroscientist is hard to come by. He will certainly make a good guest.
I've heard about them but I've never read the book, also, the back story makes it a worthwhile choice.
Sidenote: is the book an easy read?