The Subjective Past: A Narrative of “Me Now”

Masterclass with Sandeep Dutt

To explore Adlerian psychology’s concepts of empathy, teleology, and the subjective nature of the past.

Key Takeaways

• Empathy is a Skill, Not Sympathy: Empathy is the active skill of imagining another’s life to understand their perspective, distinct from passive agreement (sympathy).

• Teleology Over Aetiology: Behaviour is driven by present goals, not past causes. The past is a tool used to justify current choices, not a determinant of them.

• The Past Is Subjective: Memory is a narrative constructed to affirm one’s “self now.” This explains why people recall strict teachers with gratitude (to affirm their current success) or resentment (to justify current dissatisfaction).

• Respect Is Contagious: Educators must model respect as an equal to students. This practice, like courage, spreads and builds a foundation for all relationships.

Topics

Empathy vs. Sympathy

• The session began by defining empathy as an active skill rather than a passive feeling.

• Empathy: The skill of imagining another’s life to understand their perspective.

  • Example: To understand a student who doesn’t study, imagine their specific life circumstances (age, home, friends) to grasp their motivations.

• Sympathy: Passive agreement with another’s opinions or feelings.

• Actionable Insight: Educators must “dive in” and show concern for students’ concerns, interacting with them as equals to build respect.

Teleology: The Power of Present Goals

• Adlerian psychology’s core principle is teleology—the idea that human behaviour is driven by present goals rather than past causes.

• Contrast:

  • Teleology (Future-focused): We act to achieve goals.

  • Aetiology (Past-focused): We are determined by past events.

• Example: A person with a “dark personality” isn’t a victim of a bad home environment (aetiology). They chose that personality to achieve the goal of avoiding hurt (teleology).

The Subjective Past: A Narrative of “Me Now”

• The past is a subjective narrative constructed to affirm one’s “self now.”

• Mechanism: To justify current choices, people select events from the past and assign meaning to them, while ignoring or erasing contradictory events.

• Example: A man bitten by a dog initially recalled only the attack, which supported his view of a dangerous world. When his worldview shifted to a safer one, he recalled being helped by a stranger, creating a new, affirming narrative.

• Application to Education: This explains why students recall strict teachers differently:

  • Gratitude: To affirm their current success.

  • Resentment: To justify current dissatisfaction.

History as a Manipulated Narrative

• The group discussed how this subjective principle applies to collective history.

• Insight: History is a “grand story” manipulated by those in power to legitimise their rule.

• Examples:

  • NCERT textbooks are periodically rewritten to reflect current political sentiment.

  • British history curricula often omit colonialism.

• Conclusion: The past, both personal and collective, is a tool for the present, not an objective reality.

Next Steps

• Priyanka Rathore: Share handwritten notes from the session in the WhatsApp group for collective reflection.

• All Participants: Review the session recording and notes before the next meeting.

• All Participants: The next masterclass is scheduled for March 7, 2026.

Fathom AI Notes, read with due care.