The Science of Living
Language: English
Pages: 172
ISBN: 1517080835
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
DR. ALFRED ADLER'S work in psychology, while it is scientific and general in method, is essentially the study of the separate personalities we are, and is therefore called Individual Psychology. Concrete, particular, unique human beings are the subjects of this psychology, and it can only be truly learned from the men, women and children we meet. The supreme importance of this contribution to modern psychology is due to the manner in which it reveals how all the activities of the soul are drawn together into the service of the individual, how all his faculties and strivings are related to one end. We are enabled by this to enter into the ideals, the difficulties, the efforts and discouragements of our fellow-men, in such a way that we may obtain a whole and living picture of each as a personality. In this coordinating idea, something like finality is achieved, though we must understand it as finality of foundation. There has never before been a method so rigorous and yet adaptable for following the fluctuations of that most fluid, variable and elusive of all realities, the individual human soul. Since Adler regards not only science but even intelligence itself as the result of the communal efforts of humanity, we shall find his consciousness of his own unique contribution more than usually tempered by recognition of his collaborators, both past and contemporary. It will therefore be useful to consider Adler's relation to the movement called Psycho-analysis, and first of all to recall, however briefly, the philosophic impulses which inspired the psycho-analytic movement as a whole.
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dominant throughout his life. Experience taught us early in our studies of Individual Psychology that we might exclude the importance of inheritance, as well as the importance of an isolated part. We see that the prototype answers experiences in accordance with its own scheme of apperception. And it is this 52 THE SCIENCE OF LIVING scheme of apperception that we must work upon in order to produce any results. This sums up the approach of Individual Psychology which has been developed in the
last twenty-five years. As one may see, Individual Psychology has traveled a long way in a new direction. There are many psychologies and psychiatries in existence. One psychologist takes one direction, another another direction, and no one believes that the others are right. Perhaps the reader, too, should not rely on belief and faith. Let him compare. He will see that we cannot agree with what is called "drive" p'sychology (l\1cDougall represents this' tendency best in America), because in
could act as a host in society, making his friends have a good time and being friendly with them and thinking of their interests, he would improve tremendously. But in ordinary social life we see that he does not enjoy himself, does not have ideas and as a result says: "Stupid persons-they cannot enjoy me, they cannot interest me." The trouble with such persons is that they do not understand the situation because of their private intelligence and their lack of common sense. As we have said, it is
case-the case of a boy who was on the way to becoming a criminal. He stole, played "hookey" from school, etc. until his parents were in despair. His early remembrances were of how he had always wanted to move around and to hurry. He was now working with his father and was sitting still all day. From the nature of the case part of the treat124 OLD REMEMBRANCES ment prescribed was that he be made a salesman -a traveller for his father's business. One of the most significant types of old
knows that we judge a person by his manner of standing, walking, moving, expressing himself, etc. We do not always con135 THE SCIENCE OF LIVING sciously judge, but there is always a feeling of sympathy or antipathy created by these impreSSIOns. Let us consider attitudes in standing, for instance. We notice promptly whether a child or adult stands upright or whether he is crooked or bent. This is not very difficult. We have to watch specially for exaggerations. A person who stands too straight,