“To all those who walk the path of human cooperation war must appear loathsome and inhuman.”
- February 7, 1870 – May 28, 1937
- Austrian
- Psychotherapist, Medical Doctor, Founder of Individual Psychology
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Quote
“To all those who walk the path of human cooperation war must appear loathsome and inhuman.”
Explanation
This quote reflects Alfred Adler’s belief in social interest and mutual cooperation as the foundation of a healthy society and individual psychology. For those who genuinely commit to collaboration, empathy, and shared human progress, war represents the antithesis of their values. It is not only destructive in a physical sense, but also morally repugnant, as it tears apart the very fabric of human connection and solidarity.
Adler developed this perspective in the turbulent early 20th century, amid the devastation of World War I and the rise of nationalism. He saw war as a symptom of failed human development, both individually and collectively—a result of fear, aggression, and the inability to relate to others with compassion. His psychological theories placed strong emphasis on the need to overcome inferiority not through domination, but through contribution to the community. War, therefore, was for him a sign of profound psychological and social dysfunction.
In the contemporary world, Adler’s stance resonates in movements advocating for nonviolence, diplomacy, and global cooperation. Whether addressing international conflict, racial tension, or community violence, this quote underscores the idea that those who are truly committed to the human project of peace and unity must reject war not only as impractical, but as fundamentally inhuman and incompatible with the ideals of progress. It is a call to uphold cooperation as the ethical and psychological imperative of our time.
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