Commentary/review

An interesting read. A Socratic dialogue about Adlerian psychology, depicted as a system of philosophy. Adler is interpreted by Ichiro Kishimi who made the system seem modern, universal and quite inspiring.

The book is written for the Japanese market, perhaps mainly for the younger generation. Questions and remarks made by the young interlocutor in the dialogue sound silly and aggressive which can be off-putting to a European reader. The youth is an extreme individual who does not progress in his understanding but teleports from being arrogant, disturbed and externally steerable right to an enthusiastic neophyte of the Adlerian faith. Yet the book is definitely worth one’s time just for the sake of Kishimi’s interpretation which is really quite remarkable.

I am not sure about the narration. It fits the writing but perhaps it should not, to lessen the extreme Japaneseness of the dialogue.

Edit: having read the sequel, The Courage to be Happy, I suspect that the style of dialogue is fully intentional. It illustrates the attitudes recommended by Adlerian psychology and provokes emotion which help to digest and retain information. Both books are worth a read (and reread, if necessary).

A simple cover with a part of an enso although the philosophy discussed in the book is not about Zen but about European culture, something between Stoicism and Austrian psychology. Strange that but not too obvious.

Edit: perhaps it was noy an enso but a letter C. The covers are alright.

Cover Photo by Peter Steiner on Unsplash