An idea struck me re-reading the last trio of chapters. Dalinar is just so different between the flashbacks and the present, there may well be more going on there than just changing course as a response to traumatic events (which is basically how he describes it himself). And the impression I get from the flashbacks is that the old Dalinar (i.e. the Blackthorn) would've absolutely hated the person he is now. Thought of becoming such a person as a curse, in fact.