the foundations of personality-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　thoughts；　that　a　weary　discouragement　comes。　To　such　as　these；　the　counsel　of　〃action　right　or　wrong　but　action　anyway！〃　is　good；　but　the　difficulty　is　to　make　them　overcome　their　doubts。　Their　cerebral　oscillation　makes　them　weary　but　they　cannot　seem　to　stop　it；　their　pendulum　of　choice　never　stops　at　action。　＇1＇　See　William　James'　〃Varieties　of　Religious　Experiences；〃　for　beautiful　examples。　The　Russian　writers　are　often　narrators　of　this　struggle。

If　one　wishes　to　destroy　the　energy　of　any　one；　the　best　way　to　do　it　is　to　sow　the　seeds　of　doubt。　〃Your　ideal　is　a　fine　one；　my　friend；　butisn't　it　a　little　sophomoric？〃　〃A　nice　piece　of　work；　butwho　wants　it？〃　On　the　other　hand；　to　one　obsessed　by　doubt　it　may　happen　that　a　whole…hearted　endorsement；　a　resolution　of　the　doubt；　brings　with　it　first　relief　and　then　a　swing　of　energy　into　the　channels　of　action。　5。　Competition　is　a　great　factor　in　energy　release。　Every　one　has　seen　a　horse　ambling　along；　apparently　without　sufficient　energy　to　go　more　than　four　miles　an　hour。　Suddenly　he　cocks　up　his　ears　as　the　sounds　of　the　hoof　beats　of　a　rapidly　traveling　horse　are　heard。　He　shakes　his　head　and　to　the　amazement　or　amusement　of　his　driver　sets　off　in　rivalry　at　a　two…minute　clip。　Intensely　cooperative　and　gregarious　as　man　is；　he　is　as　intensely　competitive；　spurred　on　by　his　observations　of　the　other　fellow。　Introduce　a　definite　system　of　rivalry　into　a　school　or　an　office；　and　you　release　energies　never　manifested　before。　There　are　some　to　whom　this　is　the　main　releaser　of　energy；　struggle；　competition　and　victory　over　another　is　their　stimulus。　They　can　play　no　game　unless　there　is　competition；　and　the　solitary　pleasures　and　satisfactions；　like　reading；　exploring；　a　row　on　the　river　or　a　walk　in　the　woods；　cannot　arouse　them。　Others　dislike　rivalry　or　competition；　they　are　too　sympathetic　to　wish　victory　over　another　and　also　they　dread　to　lose。　They　prefer　team　play　and　cooperation。　The　world　will　always　seem　different　to　these　two　types。　This　may　be　said　now　that　for　most　of　us；　who　are　somewhat　of　a　blend　in　this　matter；　rivalry　is　pleasant　and　stimulating　when　there　is　a　show　of　success；　but　we　prefer　cooperation　when　we　foresee　failure。　This　brings　up　the　interesting　phase　of　precedent　in　energy　release。　Early　success；　unless　it　brings　too　high　a　self…valuation；　which　is　its　great　danger；　is　remarkably　valuable　in　releasing　energy；　and　failure　establishes　a　precedent　that　may　bring　doubt；　fear　and　the　attendant　inhibition　of　energy。　Of　course；　failure　may　bring　with　it　caution　and　a　recasting　of　plans　and　thus　constitute　the　most　valuable　of　experiences。　But　if　it　is　too　great；　or　if　there　is　lacking　a　certain　fortitude；　it　may　act　as　a　paralyzer　of　energy　thenceforth。　In　the　prize　ring　this　is　often　noted；　the　spirit　of　a　man　goes　with　a　defeat　and　he　never　again　has　self…confidence；　thereafter　his　energy　is　constantly　inhibited。　Emotions　have　long　been　studied　in　their　effects　on　energy。　In　fact；　every　animal　that　bristles　and　snarls　as　it　faces　a　foe　is；　unconsciously；　attempting　to　paralyze　with　fear　its　opponent；　to　render　it　helpless　through　the　inhibition　of　action。　So　with　the　lurking　tiger；　it　waits　in　silence　for　the　prey　and　seeks　the　fascination　of　surprise　as　a　factor　in　victory。　On　the　other　hand；　the　emotion　of　fear　may　be　a　releaser　of　energy　for　the　prospective　victim；　it　may　release　the　energies　of　flight　and　add　to　the　power　of　the　animal。　In　this；　there　is　a　unique　and　neglected　phase　of　emotion；　i。e。；　if　you　shake　your　fist　at　your　enemy　and　he　runs　away　or　knocks　you　down；　then　your　manifestation　of　anger　has　been　unsuccessful　for　you　but　his　reaction　has　been　successful　for　him。　If　he　becomes　so　paralyzed　with　fear　that　you　can　work　your　will　with　him；　then　your　anger　is　successful　while　his　fear　is　not。　Most　of　the　psychologists　have　neglected　this　phase　of　emotion。　Thus　it　is　hard　to　understand　the　use　fainting　from　terror　has　to　the　victim。　The　answer　is　it　is　useful　to　him　who　has　caused　the　victim　to　faint。　6。　For　the　individual；　the　emotion　of　fear　has　as　its　function　a　preparation　for　a　danger　that　is　foreseen　to　be　too　powerful　to　be　met　with　effective　resistance。　Fear　says；　〃It's　no　use　to　fight；　fly　or　hide。〃　Therefore；　normally　there　is　a　heightening　of　energy　feeling　and　action　in　these　two　directions。　There　are　plenty　of　recorded　incidents　where　fear　has　enabled　men　to　run　distances　utterly　impossible　to　them　otherwise。　In　the　fear　states　of　mental　disease；　the　resistance　a　frail　woman　will　offer　to　her　attendants　is　such　that　the　utmost　strength　of　several　people　is　required　to　restrain　her。　Under　these　circumstances　fear　acts　as　an　energizer；　causing　physical　reactions　not　ordinarily　within　the　will　of　the　person。　〃Fear　lends　wings；〃　is　the　time…honored　way　of　expressing　this。　The　trapped　animal　makes　〃frantic〃　efforts　to　escape。　Fear　is　extraordinarily　contagious；　perhaps　because　as　herd　members　the　cry　of　fear　sets　us　all　racing　for　safety。　This　is　the　grimmest　danger　from　fires　in　public　places　or　the　presence　of　a　coward　in　a　military　unit。　Panic　occurs　with　its　blind　unreasoning　flight；　and　the　result　is　disastrous。　I　emphasize　again　that　emotions　are　poorly　adapted　to　the　welfare　of　the　individual。　Business　panics　are　in　large　measure　the　result　of　the　contagiousness　of　fear；　timidity　spreads　like　wildfire；　distrust　and　suspicion　are　aroused　and　stagnation　results　without　a　〃real〃　basis。　In　President　Wilson's　phrase；　the　panic　is　〃purely　psychological。〃　Intellectualized；　fear　becomes　one　of　the　driving　forces　of　life；　as　Hobbes＇1＇　pointed　out。　Fear　of　punishment　undoubtedly　deters　from　crime；　though　it　is　not　in　itself　sufficient；　and　the　kind　of　punishment　becomes　important。　Fear　of　hunger　has　brought　prudence；　caution；　agriculture　into　the　world。　Life　insurance　has　its　root　in　fear　for　others；　who　are　really　part　of　one's　self；　the　fear　of　the　rainy　day　is　back　of　most　of　the　thrift；　though　the　acquisitive　feeling　and　duty　may　also　operate　powerfully。　Fear　of　venereal　disease　impels　many　a　man　to　continence　who　otherwise　would　follow　his　desire。　And　fear　of　the　bad　opinion　of　others　is　the　most　powerful　deterrent　force　in　the　world。　〃What　will　people　say〃　is；　at　bottom；　fear　that　they　will　say　bad　things；　and　though　it　keeps　men　from　the　〃bad〃　conduct；　it　inhibits　the　finer　nobler　actions　as　well。　There　is　a　great　deal　of　unconventional　untrammeled　belief　in　the　world　that　never　finds　expression　because　of　fear。　How　deeply　the　fear　of　death　modifies　the　life　of　people　it　is　impossible　to　state。　To　every　one　there　comes　the　awful　reflection　that　he；　that　warmly　pulsating　being；　in　love　with　the　world　and　with　living；　〃center　of　the　universe；〃　HE　himself　must　die；　must　be　cold　and　still　and　have　no　will；　no　power；　no　feeling；　be　buried　in　the　ground。　Most　of　the　essential　melancholy　of　the　world　is　due　to　this　realization；　and　most　of　the　feeling　of　pessimism　and　futility　thus　has　its　origin。　Mortal　mana　worm　of　the　eartha　brief　flower　doomed　to　perishand　all　of　it　finds　final　expression　in　Gray's　marvelous　words：　　〃The　boast　of　heraldry；　the　pomp　of　pow'r；　　　　　　　And　all　that　beauty；　all　that　wealth　e'er　gave；　　　Await　alike　the　inevitable　hour。　　　　　　　The　paths　of　glory　lead　but　to　the　grave。〃

＇1＇　Hobbes　made　fear　the　most　important　motive　in　the　conduct　of　man。

〃Why　strive；　thou　poor　creature；　for　wealth　and　power；　sink　thyself　in　the；　Godhead！〃　〃Turn；　turn　from　vain　pursuits；　fame；　the　bubble；　is　bound　to　break　as　thou　art。〃　This　is　one　type　of　reaction　against　this　fear；for　men　react　to　the　fear　of　death　variously。　If　man　is　mortal；　God　is　not；　and　there　is　a　life　everlasting。　The　life　everlastingwhether　a　reality　or　notis　conjured　up　and　believed　in　by　an　effort　to　compensate　for　the　fear　of　death。　I　have　a　son　who；　when　he　was　three；　manifested　great　emotion　if　death　were　to　enter　in　a　story。　〃Will　anything　happen？〃　he　would　ask；　meaning；　〃Will　death　enter？〃　And　if　so；　he　would　beg　not　to　have　that　story　told。　But　when　he　was　four；　he　heard　some　one　say　that　there　were　people　who　took　old　automobiles　apart；　fixed　up　the　parts　and　these　were　then　placed　in　other　automobiles。　〃That's　what　God　does　to　us；〃　he　cried　triumphantly。　〃When　we　die；　He　takes　us　apart　and　puts　us　into　babies；　and　we　live　again。〃　Thereafter　he　would　discuss　death　as　fearlessly　as　he　spoke　of　dinner；　and　all　his　fears　vanished。　Here　was　a　typical　rationalization　of　fear；　one　that　has　helped　to　shape　religion；　philosophies；　ways　of　living。　And　the　widespread　belief　in　immortality　is　a　compensation　and　a　rationalization　of　the　fear　of　death。　If　some　men　rationalize　in　this　fashion；　others　take　directly　opposite　means。　〃Eat；　drink　and　be　merry；　for　to…morrow　we　die。〃　The　popularity　of　Omar　Khayyam　rests　upon　the　aptness　of　his　statement　of　this　side　of　the　case　of　Man　vs。　Death；　and　many　a　man　who　never　heard　of　him　has　recklessly　plunged　into　dissipation　on　the　theory；　〃a　short　life　and　a　merry　one。〃　This　is　more　truly　a　pessimism　than　is　the　ascetic　philosophy。　〃Well；　then；　I　must　die；〃　says　another。　〃Oh；　that　I　might　achieve　before　death　comes！〃　So　men；　appalled　by　the　brief　tenure　of　life　and　the　haphazard　way　death　strikes；　work　hard；　spurred　on　by　the　wish　to　leave　a　great　work　behind　them。　This　work　becomes　a　Self；　left　behind；　and　here　the　fear　of　death　is　compensated　for　by　a　little　longer　life　in　the　form　of　achievement。　Many　a　father　and　mother；　looking　at　their　children；　feel　this　as　part　of　their　compensation　for　parenthood。　〃I　shall　die　and　leave　some　one　behind　me；〃　means；　〃I　shall　die　and　yet　I　shall；　in　another　form；　live。〃　Part　of　the　incentive　to　parenthood；　in　a　time　which　knows　how　to　prevent　parenthood　and　which　shirks　it　as　disagreeable；　is　the　fear　of　death；　of　personal　annihilation。　For　there　is　in　death　a　blow　to　one's　pride；　an　indignity　in　this　annihilation；Nothingness。　There　is　a　still　larger　reaction　to　the　fear　of　death。　I　have　stated　that　the　feeling　of　likeness　is　part　of　the　feeling　of　brotherhood　and　in　death　is　one　of　the　three　great　likenesses　of　man。　We　are　born　of　the　labor　of　our　mothers；　our　days　are　full　of　strife　and　trouble　and　we　die。　Men's　minds　have　lingered　on　these　facts。　〃Man　that　is　born　of　a　woman；　is　of　few