“Meanings are not determined by situations, but we determine ourselves by the meanings we give to situations. The individual chooses the interpretation of the facts, chooses his goal, chooses the method and instruments whereby to reach his goal.”
—
Alfred Adler
The Science of Living (1929), Greenberg Publishers
Commentary
Adler articulates a proto-existentialist psychology: individuals are not passive recipients of fate but active interpreters. The 'facts' of life (inferiority, limitation, hardship) have no inherent meaning until the individual assigns one.
This is psychologically and philosophically radical. It places responsibility on the individual: not for circumstances (which may be unjust), but for the meaning and response to circumstances. This influenced Viktor Frankl's logotherapy, cognitive psychology, and existential therapy.
Commentary
Adler articulates a proto-existentialist psychology: individuals are not passive recipients of fate but active interpreters. The 'facts' of life (inferiority, limitation, hardship) have no inherent meaning until the individual assigns one.
This is psychologically and philosophically radical. It places responsibility on the individual: not for circumstances (which may be unjust), but for the meaning and response to circumstances. This influenced Viktor Frankl's logotherapy, cognitive psychology, and existential therapy.