Father of Inferiority Complex Says U. S. Women Lead Talk, But He Does All the Talking
By MARJORIE DORMAN.
Dr. Alfred Adler of Vienna, world famous as the "father of the inferiority complex," today agreed with Count Keyserling that women dominate America. Seen for a few minutes before leaving for Chicago, Dr. Adler, who returns to Vienna in May, declared women dominate here because they were once in such a minority in the United States that now they have gained the upper hand they have decided never to relinquish it.
"Competition between men and women is in all countries like a race," said he, "and in this country, because woman nears her goal, woman is more exaggerated in her actions than elsewhere.
Says Women Imitate Men.
"Those of your sex who suffer from an inferior complex in regard to the opposite sex prove it by imitating man's vices—such as drinking and, in less degree, smoking. Women conscious of failure take refuge in a useless superiority complex or they copy man in the externals.
"The worth and importance of mothers is recognized here as nowhere else. With many more opportunities for all, the striving is very great here. I do not think it is injuring women. In countries which lack your great opportunities it is useless.
Versatility Possible in U. S.
Woman here has more ways of expressing her personality than the European woman. America's marvelous growth of cities has given special home conditions — apartments, no housekeeping—and therefore your women are pushed into carrying on their lives outwardly.
Dr. Adler speaks rapidly and his English is so broken it is difficult to understand him. He is short, thickset, with a small mustache, protuberant lips and keen, gray eyes. Like most thinkers, he writes far better than he speaks. His mind works so rapidly speech handicaps his remarkable mental range.
No Place for Papa.
"To be occupied in social work, in business, in writing—such is the modern woman," he added. "No, certainly; it will not hurt her. Biologically she will take care of herself and the race. The home life gives woman bigger place than man because he, even more than she, is engrossed in business, leaving to her not only the home but the cultural fields. American women are the supporters of art, literature and culture, generally, more than Europe's."
"Do you think man——" queried the interviewer. But, as with Count Keyserling, man was not to get much attention.
"Your women are far better speakers than your men," continued Dr. Adler, paying no attention to man. "The women here find it no task to lead conversation. Man listens. In Europe man has to take care of the talk."
But Dr. Adler refused to let a woman get in a single word at the interview.
"Do you think——" The interviewer gave it up.
"Also in beauty, striking beauty, what an interest your women take!" he interrupted, saying American women exaggerate, because men will not admit their equality.
Who, the interviewer meditated, was the remarkably conversational woman who had given Dr. Adler the impression that women dominate in conversations in the United States?
Fuente: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, Nueva York), jueves 29 de marzo de 1928, pág. M 3; entrevista de Marjorie Dorman. Transcripción hecha sobre la imagen de la página (fultonhistory.com, «Brooklyn NY Daily Eagle 1928 a Grayscale - 1208.pdf»), con ayuda del OCR de la plataforma; el borde derecho de la columna está recortado en algunas líneas del escaneo y se ha completado con el OCR. Se respeta el texto del periódico, también la falta de comillas de apertura en el párrafo «Woman here has more ways…», que sigue la cita de Adler, y la expresión «inferior complex». La misma rueda de prensa la recoge en versión más breve William R. Lipman en su columna «Gotham Daze» (New York World, sindicada; Albany Knickerbocker Press, c. 30-3-1928), que no se transcribe.