“But the most powerful arguments in favor of "a
tragic optimism" are those which in Latin are called
argumenta ad hominem. Jerry Long, to cite an example,
is a living testimony to "the defiant power of the
human spirit," as it is called in logotherapy.8 To quote
the Texarkana Gazette, "Jerry Long has been paralyzed
from his neck down since a diving accident
which rendered him a quadriplegic three years ago. He was 17 when the accident occurred. Today Long can
use his mouth stick to type. He 'attends' two courses
at Community College via a special telephone. The
intercom allows Long to both hear and participate in
class discussions. He also occupies his time by reading,
watching television and writing." And in a letter I
received from him, he writes: "I view my life as being
abundant with meaning and purpose. The attitude that
I adopted on that fateful day has become my personal
credo for life: I broke my neck, it didn't break me. I
am currently enrolled in my first psychology course in
college. I believe that my handicap will only enhance
my ability to help others. I know that without the
suffering, the growth that I have achieved would have
been impossible.”