Beyond low self-esteem

Author: Alfred Adler
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Alfred Adler was a prolific author. The book The Insecurity and Transcendence, was written during the most mature period of Alfred Adler's thought. Since the psychoanalytic master Freud, based on the theory of pan-sexuality, claimed that all human behavior could be traced back to "sex," many subsequent psychoanalysts have proposed different opinions, making various corrections to Freud's pan-sexuality. These new ideas are collectively referred to as the "New Psychoanalytic School," while Alfred Adler, centered on the concept of the "inferiority complex," founded "Individual Psychology" and became the founder of a school. He believed that all human behavior stems from inferiority feelings and the overcoming and transcendence of these feelings. This is the main idea of The Insecurity and Transcendence. In this book, the author describes the image of inferiority feelings, their impact on personal behavior, and how individuals can overcome these feelings, transforming them into a pursuit of superiority to achieve brilliant accomplishments. Therefore, for anyone who wants to overcome inferiority feelings and achieve success in life and career, The Insecurity and Transcendence is undoubtedly a must-read. I think introducing this person and his book here should also have significant practical meaning for the people active on this website. Alfred Adler (1870) was born in the suburbs of Vienna to a family of grain merchants, the second child. His family was wealthy, and everyone loved music, but he believed his childhood was not happy, not because of his parents but because of his older brother. He felt no matter how hard he tried, he could never catch up to his brother's achievements. He suffered from a hunchback from a young age, making it difficult for him to move, so his brother's lively and energetic behavior made him feel ashamed, and he felt small and ugly, always inferior to his brother. Despite this, he was a kind and amiable child. At the age of five, he fell seriously ill, nearly to the point of death, and after recovering, he resolved to become a physician. Later, he said his life's goal was to overcome the fear of death from his childhood, and many of his psychological views can be traced back to his childhood memories. Later, Alfred Adler entered the University of Vienna and received his medical degree in 1895. Two years later, he married Raissa Tinofejewna, a Russian student. Raissa was a domineering and eloquent woman who was deeply concerned with the social revolution in her homeland. Her independent spirit did not quite align with the conservative atmosphere of Alfred Adler's class, and in his memoirs, Alfred Adler said, "It is easier to say than to do when it comes to gender equality." This suggests that their marriage initially had some friction, but later, they learned to respect each other and remained married until the end of their lives. During his time in Vienna, Alfred Adler, like the Viennese, often went to cafes to drink, chat, and laugh with friends and students. He was friendly, modest, and unpretentious, making friends with people from all walks of life. Alfred Adler had thoroughly studied Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams and believed it made great contributions to understanding human nature. At one point, he wrote an article defending Freud's views in a famous Viennese publication, which led Freud to invite him to join Freud's discussion group. Some people thus thought Alfred Adler was a student of Freud, but this was far from the truth—they were equals. Although their views differed greatly from Freud's, he still joined Freud's group in 1902. After that, he became one of the leaders of the group and was highly praised by Freud, eventually succeeding him as the president of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society and the editor of the Psychoanalytic Journal. In 1907, Alfred Adler published a paper on inferiority feelings caused by defects and their compensation, which brought him widespread fame. He believed that inferiority caused by physical defects or other reasons could not only destroy a person, leading to self-destruction or mental illness, but also motivate them to strive and compensate for their weaknesses. For example, Demosthenes of ancient Greece, who suffered from stammering, became a famous orator after years of hard practice; President Roosevelt, who had polio, was a well-known figure for his struggles. Sometimes, a defect in one area can lead to compensation in another. For instance, Nietzsche, though physically frail, abandoned his sword for a pen and wrote the immortal philosophy of power. Such examples are countless in history and literature. Earlier, Freud had already proposed that compensation was due to the shortcomings caused by the disruption of sexual development. Influenced by Freud, Alfred Adler introduced the concept of "masculine protest," believing that both men and women have a desire for strength to compensate for a sense of inadequacy. Later, Alfred Adler realized that the inferiority of children is a universal fact, regardless of whether they have physical defects. Because they are physically weak, they must rely on adults and are controlled by them in every aspect. When children use this inferiority as an excuse to avoid what they can do, they develop a tendency toward neurosis. If this inferiority persists in later life, it can form an "inferiority complex." Therefore, inferiority is not a sign of abnormality but a normal developmental process in an individual's pursuit of superiority. At this time, Freud considered Alfred Adler's views a significant contribution to self-psychology but felt they did not address the id or superego and that compensation was merely a function of the self. At this point, Alfred Adler's views had not yet formed an independent system, but when Alfred Adler emphasized compensation as his central idea, the two were at odds. Initially, they tolerated each other, but when Freud demanded that Alfred Adler's articles in his journal be reviewed by Jung first, they officially broke ties. Freud wrote to the publisher of the Psychoanalytic Journal: "Remove Alfred Adler's name from the cover of my journal, or I will remove my own name!" The Vienna Psychoanalytic Society held many meetings on Alfred Adler's views, and due to Freud and many others insisting that Alfred Adler's views were incompatible with the psychoanalytic school, Alfred Adler led his followers to leave the Psychoanalytic Society and establish the "Free Psychoanalytic Research Society," which he called "Individual Psychology." After breaking with Freud, Alfred Adler abandoned Freud's pan-sexual psychological views, dismissing them as a of sex, and explained masculine protest through the concept of society. He did not deny the reality of unconscious motivations but placed greater emphasis on the function of the self than Freud. He also did not deny the importance of dream interpretation but believed dreams were a way to solve personal problems, not, like Freud, to explain everything in terms of sex. For example, he believed the Oedipus complex was simply the dependence of a spoiled child on his mother. Of course, sex exists, but like hunger or thirst, these biological factors only enter the realm of psychology when pursuing superiority. In 1911, a German philosopher, Hans Vaihinger, published a book called The Psychology of 'As If,' which had an immediate and significant impact on Alfred Adler's thought. Vaihinger proposed that humans live based on some false goals that do not exist in reality. We believe the universe is a well-ordered entity and act based on this false notion, but in reality, the universe is chaotic. We create a false God and pretend he is real, yet there is no objective God. Despite these being false in experience, we do not doubt their reality, and our thoughts and behaviors are influenced by them. Alfred Adler applied this concept to psychology, especially the problem of causality. Freud considered causality to be a fundamental law of psychology, but Alfred Adler saw in Vaihinger's concept something that could undermine Freud's views. He believed that what motivates human behavior is their expectations of the future, not their past experiences. These goals, though false, enable humans to act according to their expectations. Individuals often do not understand the purpose of their goals and sometimes do not even know what their goals are, so these goals are often unconscious. Alfred Adler called one such false goal the "ideal of the self," through which individuals can gain a sense of superiority and maintain self-esteem. During World War II, Alfred Adler served in the Austrian army as a doctor. Later, he worked in Vienna's educational institutions, providing guidance to children. At this time, he found that his views were not only applicable to parent-child relationships but also to teacher-student relationships. He had a profound and lasting influence on teachers, and many individual psychologists came from teachers who applied his views to education. Around 1920, Alfred Adler had already gained widespread fame. In Vienna, many students and followers surrounded him, and he spent much time with them. Then, he traveled abroad, giving lectures everywhere. In 1926, he first arrived in the United States and was warmly welcomed. In 1927, he was appointed as a professor at Long Island Medical College. That same year, he published The Insecurity and Transcendence, which mainly covers twelve key points: the meaning of life, the mind and body, inferiority and superiority, early memories, dreams, the influence of family, the influence of school, adolescence, crime and prevention, career, people and companions, and love and marriage. The original title of the book was What Life Should Mean to You. In 1934, Alfred Adler decided to settle in the United States. The following year, he founded the International Journal of Individual Psychology. In 1937, Alfred Adler was invited to give lectures in two cities. Due to overexertion, he died of a heart attack on the streets of Aberdeen, Scotland. Alfred Adler was a prolific author. The Insecurity and Transcendence, was written during the most mature period of Alfred Adler's thought. Since the psychoanalytic master Freud, based on the theory of pan-sexuality, claimed that all human behavior could be traced back to "sex," many subsequent psychoanalysts have proposed different opinions, making various corrections to Freud's pan-sexuality. These new ideas are collectively referred to as the "New Psychoanalytic School," while Alfred Adler, centered on the concept of the "inferiority complex," founded "Individual Psychology" and became the founder of a school. He believed that all human behavior stems from inferiority feelings and the overcoming and transcendence of these feelings. This is the main idea of The Insecurity and Transcendence. In this book, the author describes the image of inferiority feelings, their impact on personal behavior, and how individuals can overcome these feelings, transforming them into a pursuit of superiority to achieve brilliant accomplishments. Therefore, for anyone who wants to overcome inferiority feelings and achieve success in life and career, The Insecurity and Transcendence is undoubtedly a must-read. I think introducing this person and his book here should also have significant practical meaning for the people active on this website.