The Lifestyle of Vladimir Putin

ABSTRACT:In early 2000, before Vladimir Putin became known on the world stage—even before he had been elected president of Russia—he gave an interview to three Russian journalists who asked him the types of questions that constitute an Adlerian lifestyle personality questionnaire: that is, to describe himself and his family while growing up, and to relate early memories or recollections. Interpreting his responses shows that Putin, who grew up an only child, mythologized the perceived heroic role that his soldier–father had played in World War II in defense of the Soviet empire and had also set a goal for himself to be a leader of “hooligans” (his word) when he was younger and then of a more accepting conservative Russian or Soviet society. With regard to Putin’s current behavior, in which he likely sees himself as a kind of czar invading Ukraine, and given that the interview was conducted over 20 years ago, the purpose of this article is to show the longitudinal value of using Adlerian interpretive methods to assess personality.