Community Sense

Community sense

 

The core concept of Adler's psychology is the sense of community. It is easy and common expression, but it is profound to trace its meaning. Adler said that human beings making communities is the same as basic principle and instinct inherent in human beings. So community sense is not learned but is excavated. If so, why do humans want a sense of community, a relationship between humans and humans? It is because of human weakness, Adler said. Since humans have not been able to live alone because of the weakness of humans, they have lived in a collective society to hunt and protect the women and children in group from the era of hunter-gatherer societies. Therefore, human beings achieve civilization because of weakness and inferiority. If a man was fast, he would not have made a car, he would not have invented an airplane if he could fly, and would not have made a ship if he could withstand in water like whale. Civilization is not a product of human pride, but a product of inferiority. Human beings have formed a collective society and civilization because of their weaknesses. So community sense is like instinct.

In this sense, I think that the core concept of Adler's sense of community is itself a faith. It is the concept of fellowship that is necessary in the church to know the weakness of human being and to establish cooperation. It is faith that man trusts in God knowing his weaknesses. Fellowship is also necessary in such a concept. It is not an authoritative relationship but democratic and horizontal relationship when I know that I need you because of my weakness rather than I know that I am stronger than you because I am superior to you.

Adler's sense of community is a core concept that any community in our society needs.