Meaning, Past, and Personal Choice

Jodie and Chris discuss the book's claim that the past doesn't determine us and meaning is what we assign now.

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Transcript

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Transcript

Episode notes

In this episode, Chris Do and Jodie Cook dive deeply into The Courage to Be Disliked, exploring the core ideas of Adlerian psychology and how they contrast with the more widely known Freudian approach. Jodie explains why this single book has followed her across continents—literally part of her 23-kilo life—and how its central messages about agency, choice, and goal-driven behavior have shaped her worldview.

Chris shares his own experience reading the book for the first time, remarking on how its ideas often feel like someone has put his own thoughts on paper. Together, they unpack how the book’s dialogue between a philosopher and a student challenges conventional thinking around trauma, past experiences, and personal responsibility.

Timestamps

(00:00) – Intro

(04:01) – Meaning we assign events

(07:04) – Freudian vs Adlerian psychology

(10:09) – Goal-based behavior explained

(14:00) – Blushing example breakdown

(17:59) – Radical responsibility and agency

(22:01) – Three ways books change us

(24:59) – Seeking acceptance and approval

(28:30) – Courage to choose happiness

(32:10) – Self-sufficiency and social harmony

(36:15) – Shifting life paths intentionally