Skylines of New York

Viennese Psychologist's Philosophy Brings Peace of Mind to Baffled Americans

By CHARLES ESTCOURT JR.

NEW YORK, March 2[¿3?].—People like the philosophy of Dr. Alfred Adler, the Viennese psychologist, now visiting here. It's so comfortable. It brings peace of mind to baffled Americans attending his lectures.

Dr. Adler says that most people who accomplish great things have had great inferiority feelings. That pleases listeners who haven't accomplished much. It is nice to feel that persons of distinction have attained position because in reality they are worth while. Also such ideas rekindle the hopes of ambitious persons who feel inferior.

The doctor also says that inferior persons often excel at the game of bridge. That doesn't bother the bridge champions because they are too busy winning. On the other hand it gratifies the poor players. According to the psychologist, men and women become expert at bridge because it is a comparatively easy way to gain an artificial sense of being superior.

This visitor from Vienna declares that the lucky individuals are the ones with an inferiority complex and the courage to overcome it. Dr. Adler, short, thick-set, competent, affords proof of this in himself. He was ill from birth until two years old. He plugged away at life and won. He says that [¿holdup men?], suicides, great lovers, social snobs and many smoking and drinking women are examples of persons having the inferiority complex without the strength to fight it down in a rational way.

Fuente: Charles Estcourt Jr., "Skylines of New York. Viennese Psychologist's Philosophy Brings Peace of Mind to Baffled Americans", Buffalo Evening News, 24 de marzo de 1930, pág. 14 (sección "Amusements"), columna sindicada de la North American Newspaper Alliance. Transcripción hecha sobre la imagen de la página en Fulton History (fultonhistory.com, Buffalo NY Evening News 1930, 06136), de baja resolución; el OCR de la plataforma solo sirvió de orientación. Se transcribe la parte de la columna dedicada a Adler (los cuatro primeros párrafos). La cifra final de la fecha de la crónica y las palabras «holdup men», tapadas por una línea de pliegue, son conjeturales. El inventario da la pág. 24; la página impresa es la 14.