To conclude the book study on The Courage to be Disliked and transition to its sequel.
The meeting focused on the book “The Courage to Be Disliked” by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi, which explores Adlerian psychology and the importance of interpersonal relationships. Sandeep led the session, reviewing key concepts from the book and facilitating a dialogue between Gurdeep, who played the Youth in the book, and the philosopher character. Participants shared their reflections on the book’s themes, including the significance of horizontal relationships and the courage to be true to oneself. The group also discussed the connection between philosophy, psychology, and religion, and the importance of practical application in daily life. Sandeep emphasised the value of continuous learning and encouraged participants to explore related resources, including the YouTube channel and blog, to deepen their understanding of the book’s concepts.
Key Takeaways
The group concluded The Courage to be Disliked, reflecting on its core principles: all problems are interpersonal, happiness is a choice, and courage is the key to change.
The sequel, The Courage to be Happy, begins with the Youth (now a teacher) rejecting Adlerian theory as impractical after it failed to manage a classroom without praise or rebuke.
The Philosopher counters that the Youth misunderstands Adler, whose principles are severe and require courage, not just intellectual agreement.
The session was paused at the Philosopher’s claim that the “stairway to understanding” Adler is “love,” a concept the Youth immediately dismisses.
Topics
Book Recap & Key Learnings
The group reviewed key takeaways from The Courage to be Disliked:
Interpersonal Relationships: All problems stem from relationships; horizontal structures are key.
Personal Responsibility: Happiness is a choice, independent of the past or others’ cooperation.
Present Moment Focus: The “here and now” is the only reality.
Participant Reflections:
Gurdeep: The focus on horizontal relationships is a challenge, but a key principle to adopt.
Akanksha: The book empowers individuals by shifting the blame from external factors to personal choice.
Khushi: The “live like you’re dancing” chapter resonated most, clarifying that external opinions are just that—opinions.
Transition to The Courage to be Happy
The sequel opens three years later, with the Youth now a teacher who has returned to the Philosopher, disillusioned with Adlerian theory.
The Youth’s Argument:
Adler’s ideas are “quackery” and “dangerous” because they are impractical in the real world.
Example: Applying the “no praise, no rebuke” principle resulted in an “unruly classroom.”
Conclusion: The Youth was forced to abandon Adler’s methods and use traditional discipline (rebuke, punishment) to manage students.
The Philosopher’s Counter-Argument:
Adler’s principles are not a simple “truth” but a tool (“eyeglass lenses”) that many misunderstand.
Proper understanding is “severe” and requires courage, not just intellectual agreement.
The Youth has not yet found the “stairway to understanding.”
The Stairway: The Philosopher reveals the path is “love,” a concept the Youth immediately finds absurd.
Community Updates & Resources
Good Schools Alliance: A Governing Council and a constitution are now in place, strengthening the organisation’s foundation.
Jaabas Kishori Project: A successful session was held at Atharput Academy with Project Fuel, involving the same trained teachers.
Learning Forward YouTube Channel: A valuable resource with over 7,500 subscribers and 571 videos, organised into playlists for easy access.
Teachers Academy Blog: Provides detailed, objective masterclass notes that complement the YouTube show notes.
Next Steps
Khushi: Create a presentation on The Courage to be Disliked for students.
Support: Gurdeep and the group will provide content and ideas.
All Participants:
Acquire The Courage to be Happy before the next session, and join the next Masterclass on January 31, 2026, to continue the discussion from the bookmark.
FATHOM AI-based post, read with due care.
