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Old November 1st, 2004, 07:36 PM
George Neeson George Neeson is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Elizabethtown, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 195
Smile Re: From the ground up ... an Adlerian primer??

Rita I really appreciate your comments and openness to the exploration of this deep and difficult theory. Let me respond to a few statements and questions if I am able.

1) Yes I do believe the inferiority feeling is the ground from which we build. It is the foundation stone on which the rest of the construction squarely rests.

2) You ask if the inferiority feeling "rests in the attitudes of society". Let me counter with a question rather than an answer because when you see this yourself, it opens up a whole new vista. Rita who creates this inferiority feeling? I don't think it to be infectious in the city square. It does not come in beef or sausage. Who then creates it and to what end? Remember we think teleogically or try to.

3) "The fictious goal is part and parcel of the daily striving" can not be thrilling! It is, after all a fictious goal ... a pursuit of that which never has nor ever will exist. It is a compensatory creation to cover up the horror of the feeling of being "less than nothing" (Minderwertigkeit") It is a response to a pervasive sense of worthlessness. It tastes terrible and the patient has no idea why it keeps on running because it is almost always hidden.

4) From the inside out is a valid optional metaphor. As if the person has internalized their own assessment of them selves based on a deep childhood discouragement. However on this "inside", there is this horrid inferior feeling unique to the creativity of each and every person with the attendant exhausting constant upward striving to the lofty impossible goal of perceived superiority which even while the person is doing it, they know it not to be true.

5) Meta therapy in my opinion, can only occur when the inferiority feeling and the fictional goal of superiority are completely dissolved away. Not that there is any hard rule about this, but boy I have gotten burned by introducing such a notion before the groundwork has been laid to have it come back to haunt me with esoteric discussions and no movement. That does not taste good as a therapist. I know. Perhaps most therapists have gone down that rabbit warren. Not that lofty ideals sould not be opened, but the person does not yet have the courage to pusue them and they may feel 'they have now arrived". Henry has said to me many times and I believe he is quoting Sophia, "Do not let them wear the crown ".

6) I am delighted you "want to grow up". The risk is the vector quality. There are several ways to grow up. We can seek to grow above our peers, or take the path I think you seek ... to achieve our own full measure that we may with Meuller "Bring a Blessing".

7) Rita please look at Henry's "Mind Map" of the Adlerian concepts. It is available to you above in a separate posting. It looks daunting and perhaps it is. It gives a visual picture of the breadth and depth and scope of this psychology. It will help you organize your thoghts. Don't be overwhelmed by it. Take it one branch at a time and read what Adler wrote. Believe me, eventually it "starts" to come together.

Thank you so much for your stimulating post and keep them coming. They are most helpful to me and all who take time to read this posting.
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George Neeson M.D.

Last edited by George Neeson; November 1st, 2004 at 08:24 PM.. Reason: spelling again...
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