This blog post examines Adler’s teleology and approach to pursuing happiness through ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’, discussing the importance of self-acceptance and task separation.
Understanding Teleology: It’s Not About Causes or Starting Points!
The most distinctive feature of this book is its reflection of Alfred Adler’s philosophy, a somewhat unfamiliar name. The story begins when a young man seeks out an old man to find the meaning of happiness, and the old man starts teaching him Adler’s philosophy. Alfred Adler is counted among the three great psychologists alongside Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung, but he is being re-examined for founding the field of individual psychology, which is completely different from their psychoanalysis. Specifically, in the book, the old man points out to the young man that Freud’s traumatic perspective, which emphasizes unavoidable causes, reveals the impotence of human free will to resist them and further carries the risk of leading to nihilism. In contrast, the teleology proposed by Adler, even when dealing with the same causal facts, grants diverse possibilities for interpretation in the present. This perspective differs from existing viewpoints by granting individuals the freedom to design their own lives based on their interpretive stance, thereby enabling human value to be respected.
The claim that it depends on individual interpretation risks being understood as arbitrary interpretation and may not appear entirely positive. Indeed, during class, several presenters criticized that if teleology is strictly adhered to, it could lead to self-justification and complacency within a given situation. However, this criticism is somewhat unjustified on two counts. First, the core of Adler’s philosophy lies not in arbitrary interpretation, but rather in actively directing interpretation toward a specific orientation. He did not merely stop at escaping feelings of inferiority and the desire for recognition, which could appear as self-satisfaction; he used overcoming these as a starting point. What is emphasized is rather the meaning of happiness he speaks of—namely, a series of processes leading to trust in others. Second, Adler’s philosophy pursues a value superior to self-satisfaction. He argued that the goal of happiness ultimately lies in the realization of what he called the community feeling—that is, a sense of contribution—formed by establishing multiple bonds of trust with others. While the need for recognition depends entirely on the immediate person before you, Adler’s sense of contribution aims for a more fundamentally superior value, as it seeks to help all unknown others.
Core Concept: Self-Acceptance and Separation of Tasks
In the book, the young man, troubled by his unhappiness, sought out the old man. Their conversation began by identifying the causes of unhappiness. They identified human relationships as the primary cause of unhappiness, specifically stemming from the manifestation of inferiority and the unmet need for recognition. Therefore, they stated that by freeing oneself from such inferiority and the need for recognition, one could eliminate the cause of unhappiness and become happy. The old man introduced this as what Adler named self-acceptance and the separation of tasks. He further stated that recognition from others cannot be one’s ultimate task, and that one should not measure oneself by comparison with others, but only by comparison with one’s own ideal self. This is because only through desirable comparison with oneself can one find the impetus for self-development.
Regarding this, some presenters questioned whether comparing oneself to competitors can truly be deemed unjust. This was particularly intriguing because, from personal experience, a healthy competitive spirit has significantly influenced self-development. However, the elder stated that the desire for recognition is flawed because it makes the recognition of others the goal itself, eliminating the opportunity to contemplate one’s own desirable state. This is because humans inherently possess a nature that always strives upward.
Pursuing recognition from others to the extent that one eliminates the opportunity to pursue one’s own desirable state is not upward-oriented and thus contrary to human nature. Furthermore, for an individual who has reached the highest state, comparison with others becomes meaningless; in this case too, it is self-evident that the only opportunity for self-development lies in comparison with oneself. Ultimately, while one may initially go through a process of comparison with others, comparison with oneself will ultimately constitute a more desirable, higher value. The author’s argument remains persuasive.
Final Principle: Live Each Fleeting Moment – Kinesis and Ennergeia
The final point emphasized in this work is to find joy in each fleeting moment. According to the old man’s interpretation, if life thus far has been about drawing a line toward a purpose (kinetic), the direction to take henceforth is one that values each fleeting moment (energeia). By doing so, even if some meaning of life remains unfulfilled, his life gains significance. It can also serve as a turning point for those who have blindly pursued life solely for a greater cause or the achievement of lofty values, enabling them to enjoy the process.
Meanwhile, the old man notes that the aesthetics of focusing on each fleeting moment might, in a sense, lead one to think life is meaningless. This is because being faithful to each fleeting moment is possible even without any purpose or direction. However, the text follows by stressing the importance of not forgetting the sense of contribution that provides direction, like the North Star, and Adler’s core value of the sense of contribution is emphasized once again. This was easy to accept, given its consistency.
Personally, I wonder if the candlelight vigils that have continued over the past few months can also be seen in this context. Although no final conclusion has been reached yet, and even in recent weeks the rallies seemed to have no effect, people began to appear here and there who were enjoying the process of participating. This process, stemming from the desire to leave a more desirable environment for future generations rather than being a succession of meaningless moments, particularly resonated with me as it shares similarities with the sense of contribution.
In Conclusion
We often become so fixated on finding the cause of a problem that we overlook discussing solutions for the given situation moving forward. Moreover, we frequently become exhausted by wasteful, counterproductive efforts before we even begin to consider solutions. In this reality, Adler’s philosophy from a century ago holds significant relevance for us today, amidst greater confusion than ever before. We must first accept how far we fall short of the ideal state for every problem. We should also refrain from wasteful evaluations that go beyond our own domains, separate the tasks, and focus solely on comparing ourselves to ourselves. This allows us to develop a legitimate sense of inferiority and improve upward. I believe this process, ultimately leading to solutions that realize social contribution, clearly holds great significance.
