A Radical Idea About Freedom

Based on the ideas of Alfred Adler — a contemporary of Freud who went in a completely different direction — the book argues something uncomfortable: your past does not define you. While Freud said your childhood determines your adult neuroses, Adler said you choose how to interpret your experiences.

A person who was bullied in school might become withdrawn — or might become an advocate for others. The same past, two different outcomes. Adler called this teleology: we are not pushed by causes but pulled by goals.