Suicide is a radical act of escape. Someone who tries to escape from life, cannot escape responsibility. Furthermore, taking his life cannot solve any problem.
Just as the chess player who sweeps all the pieces off the board is violating the rules, similarly someone who throws his life away is violating the rules of the game of life. “The rules of the game do not require us to win at all costs, but they do demand that we never give up the fight.” (The Doctor and the Soul, p. 53)
Why responsibility is something we cannot escape goes back to Frankl’s basic premise: To be human is to be responsible. Hearing these words, I can’t help thinking of the following Jewish source:
“Let your impulse not promise you that death is an escape for you, for against your will you were formed and against your will you were born, and against your will you live, and against your will you die, and against your will you will eventually give an accounting before the King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed Be He. (Avot 4:22)
You can get a face-lift. You can change your habits. You can choose any number of things you want to do with your life. But you cannot not be who you are. Responsibility is built in to the human condition.
Responsibility means that what you do matters. What you do has a consequence. What you do impacts others.
In this awareness of responsibility lies a kind of power, but it is different from the Adlerian will-to-power. We want to feel powerful, but does it follow that we want to feel responsible?
But what is power? True empowerment is not ego-centric but other-directed. I have been empowered for a purpose. As a human being, the crown of creation, I have been handed the reins of leadership. “Take care of this world in which I have placed you,” the Creator commands.
A true leader leads with humility and a sense of service. We don’t want to have tyrannical, egotistical leaders.
Against your will, you will make a difference in the world. Of that there is no question. The kind of difference you will make is up to you.