the foundations of personality-第39部分

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e　discovery　of　the　great　analogist；　Flechsig。

At　any　rate；　the　organization　of　activity　for　definite　purposes　starts。　The　little　investigator　is　apparently　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　everything　it　can　reach；　including　its　fingers　and　toes；　are　good　to　eat；　for　everything　reached　is　at　once　brought　to　the　mouth；　the　primitive　curiosity　thus　being　gustatory。　In　this　research　the　baby　finds　that　some　few　things　are　pleasant；　many　indifferent　and　quite　a　few　disgusting　and　even　painful；　which　may　remain　as　a　result　not　far　different　from　that　obtained　by　investigation　in　later　years。　The　desire　for　pleasant　things　commences　to　guide　its　activities。　Every　new　thing　is　at　once　an　object　for　investigation；　perhaps　because　its　possibilities　for　pleasure　are　unknown。　That　curiosity　may　have　some　such　origin　is　at　least　a　plausible　statement。　At　any　rate；　desire　of　a　definite　type　steps　in　to　organize　the　mere　desire　for　activity；　and　impulse　is　controlled　by　purpose。　The　child　learns　to　creep；　and　the　delight　in　progression　lies　in　the　fact　that　far　more　things　are　accessible　for　investigation；　for　rearrangement；　for　tasting。　It　is　no　accident　that　we　speak　of　our　〃tastes〃　that　we　say；　〃I　want　to　taste　of　experience。〃　That　is　exactly　what　the　child　creeping　on　the　floor　seeks；to　taste　of　experience　and　to　anticipate；　to　realize；　to　learn。　Out　of　the　desire　for　activity　grows　a　desire　for　experience　born　of　the　pleasure　of　excitement　that　we　spoke　of　previously。　This　desire　for　experience　becomes　built　up　into　strange　forms　under　teaching　and　through　the　results　of　experience。　It　is　very　strong　in　some　who　become　explorers；　roues；　vagabonds；　scientists　as　a　result；　and　it　is　very　weak　in　others　who　stay　at　home　and　seek　only　the　safe　and　limited　experience。　You　see　two　children　in　one　room；and　one　sits　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　perhaps　playing　with　a　toy　or　looking　around；　and　the　other　has　investigated　the　stove　and　found　it　hotter　than　he　supposed；　has　been　under　the　table　and　bumped　his　head；　has　found　an　unusually　sweet　white　lump　which　in　later　life　he　will　call　sugar。　The　good　child　is　often　without　sufficient　curiosity　to　be　bad；　whereas　the　bad　child　may　be　an　overzealous　seeker　of　experience。　So　our　child　reaching　out　for　things　develops　ideas　of　cause；　effect　and　power；　commences　to　have　an　idea　of　himself　as　a　cause　and　likes　the　feeling　of　power。　As　he　learns　to　walk；　the　world　widens；　his　sense　of　power　grows；　and　his　feeling　of　personality　increases。　Meanwhile　another　side　of　his　nature　has　been　developing　and　one　fully　as　important。　The　persons　in　his　world　have　become　quite　individual；　mother　is　now　not　alone；　for　father　is　recognized　with　pleasure　as　one　who　likewise　is　desirable。　He　carries　one　on　his　shoulder　so　that　a　pleasurable　excitement　results；　he　plays　with　one；　holds　out　strings　and　toys　and　other　instruments　for　the　obtaining　of　experience。　Usually　both　of　these　great　personages　are　friendly；　their　faces　wear　a　smile　or　a　tender　look；　and　our　little　one　is　so　organized　that　smiles　and　tender　looks　awaken　comfortable　feelings　and　he　smiles　in　return。　The　smile　is　perhaps　the　first　great　message　one　human　being　sends　to　another；　it　says；　〃See；　I　am　friendly；　I　wish　you　well。〃　Later　on　in　the　history　of　the　child；　he　will　learn　much　about　smiles　of　other　kinds；　but　at　this　stage　they　are　all　pleasant。　Though　his　parents　are　usually　friendly　and　give；　now　and　then　they　deprive；　and　they　look　different；　they　say；　〃No；　no！〃　This　〃no；　no〃　is　social　inhibition；　it　is　backed　up　by　the　power　of　deprivation；　punishment；　disapproval；　it　has　its　power　in　a　something　in　our　nature　that　gives　society　its　power　over　us。　From　now　there　steps　in　a　factor　in　the　development　of　character　of　which　we　have　already　spoken；　a　group　of　desires　that　have　their　source　in　the　emotional　response　of　the　child　to　the　parent；　in　the　emotional　response　of　an　individual　to　his　group。　Out　of　the　social　pressure　arises　the　desire　to　please；　to　win　approval；　to　get　justification；　and　these　struggle　in　the　mind　of　the　child　with　other　desires。　We　said　the　child　seeks　experience；but　not　only　on　his　own　initiative。　The　father　stands　against　the　wall；　perhaps　with　one　foot　crossing　the　other。　Soon　he　feels　a　pressure　and　looks　down；　there　is　the　little　one　standing　in　his　imitation　of　the　same　position。　Imitation；　in　my　belief；　is　secondary　to　a　desire　for　experience。　The　child　does　not　imitate　everything；　he　is　equipped　to　notice　only　simple　things；　and　these　he　imitates。　Why？　The　desire　to　experience　what　others　are　experiencing　is　a　basic　desire；　it　expresses　both　a　feeling　of　fellowship　and　a　competitive　feeling。　We　do　not　feel　a　strong　tendency　to　imitate　those　we　dislike　or　despise；　or　do　not　respect；　we　tend　to　imitate　those　we　love　and　respect；　those　for　whom　we　have　a　fellow　feeling。　Part　of　the　fellow　feeling　is　an　impulse　to　imitate　and　to　receive　in　a　positive　way　the　suggestion　offered　by　their　conduct　and　manners。　Analogous　to　imitation；　and　part　of　the　social　instinct；　is　a　credulity；　a　willingness　to　accept　as　if　personally　experienced　things　stated。　Part　of　the　seeking　of　experience　is　the　asking　of　questions；　because　the　mind　seeks　a　cause　for　every　effect；　a　something　to　work　from。　Indeed；　one　of　the　main　mental　activities　lies　in　the　explaining　of　things；　an　unrest　is　felt　in　the　presence　of　the　〃not　understood〃　which　is　not　stilled　until　the　unknown　is　referred　back　to　a　thing　understood　or　accepted　without　question。　The　child　finds　himself　in　a　world　with　laid…down　beliefs　and　with　explanations　of　one　kind　or　another　for　everything。　His　group　differs　from　other　groups　in　its　explanations　and　beliefs；　his　family　even　may　be　peculiar　in　these　matters。　He　asks；　he　is　answered　and　enjoined　to　believe。　Without　credulity　there　could　be　no　organization　of　society；　no　rituals；　no　ceremonials；　no　religions　and　customs；but　without　the　questioning　spirit　there　could　be　no　progress。　Most　of　the　men　and　women　of　this　world　have　much　credulity　and　only　a　feeble　questioning　tendency；　but　there　are　a　few　who　from　the　start　subject　the　answers　given　them　to　a　rigid　scrutiny　and　who　test　belief　by　results。　Let　any　one　read　the　beliefs　of　savages；　let　him　study　the　beliefs　of　the　civilized　in　the　spirit　in　which　he　would　test　the　statement　of　the　performance　of　an　automobile；　and　he　can　but　marvel　at　man's　credulity。　Belief　and　the　acceptance　of　authority　are　the　conservative　forces　of　society；　and　they　have　their　origin　in　the　nursery　when　the　child　asks；　〃Why　does　the　moon　get　smaller？〃　and　the　mother　answers；　〃Because；　dear；　God　cuts　a　piece　off　every　day　to　make　the　stars　with。〃　The　authorities；　recognizing　that　their　power　lay　in　unquestioning　belief；　have　always　sanctified　it　and　made　the　pious；　non…skeptical　type　the　ideal　and　punished　the　non…believer　with　death　or　ostracism。　Fortunately　for　the　race；　the　skeptic；　if　silenced；　modifies　the　strength　of　the　belief　he　attacks　and　in　the　course　of　time　even　they　who　have　defended　begin　to　shift　from　it　and　it　becomes　refuted。　Beliefs；　as　Lecky＇1＇　so　well　pointed　out；　are　not　so　of　ten　destroyed　as　become　obsolete。　＇1＇　Lecky：　〃History　of　European　Morals。〃　As　he　points　out；　the　belief　in　witchcraft　never　was　disproved；　it　simply　died　because　science　made　it　impossible　to　believe　that　witches　could　disorganize　natural　laws。

It　may　seem　as　if　imitation　were　a　separate　principle　in　mental　growth；　and　there　have　been　many　to　state　this。　As　is　well　known　Tarde　made　it　a　leading　factor　in　human　development。　It　seems　to　me　that　it　is　linked　up　with　desire　for　experience；　desire　for　fellowship；　and　also　with　a　strongly　competitive　feeling；　which　is　early　manifest　in　children　and　which　may　be　called　〃a　want　of　what　the　other　fellow　has。〃　Children　at　the　age　of　a　year　and　up　may　be　perfectly　pleased　with　what　they　have　until　they　see　another　child　playing　with　something；something　perhaps　identical　with　their　own。　They　then　betray　a　decided；　uncontrollable　desire　for　the　other　child's　toy；　they　are　no　longer　content　with　their　own；　and　by　one　means　or　another　they　seek　to　get　it；by　forcible　means；　by　wheedling　or　coaxing；　or　by　tormenting　their　parents。　The　disappearance　of　contentment　through　the　competitive　feeling；　the　competitive　nature　of　desire；　the　role　that　envy　plays　in　the　happiness　and　effort　of　man；　is　a　thesis　emphasized　by　every　moralist　and　philosopher　since　the　beginning　of　things。　In　the　strivings　of　every　man；　though　he　admit　it　or　not；　one　of　the　secret　springs　of　his　energy　is　this　law　of　desire；　that　a　large　part　of　its　power　and　persistence　is　in　the　competitive　feeling；　is　in　envy　and　the　wish　to　taste　what　others　are　experiencing。　A　basic　law　of　desire　lies　in　an　observation　of　Lotze；　elaborated　by　William　James。　We　may　talk　of　selfishness　and　altruism　as　if　they　were　entirely　separate　qualities　of　human　nature。　But　what　seems　to　be　true　is　that　one　is　an　extension　of　the　other；　that　is；　we　are　always　concerned　with　the　ego　feeling；　but　in　the　one　case　the　ego　feeling　is　narrow　and　in　the　other　case　it　includes　others　as　part　of　the　ego。　Lotze's　observations　on　clothes　shows　that　we　expend　ego　feeling　in　all　directions；　that　we　tend　to　be　as　tall　as　our　top　hats　and　as　penetrating　as　our　walking　sticks；　that　the　man　who　has　a　club　in　his　hand　has　a　tactile　sense　to　the　very　end　of　the　club。　James　in　his　marvelous　chapter　on　the　various　selves　points　out　that　a　man's　interests　and　affections　are　his　selves；　and　that　they　enclose　one　another　like　the　petals　of　a　rose。　We　may　speak　of　unipetalar　selves；　who　include　only　their　own　bodies　in　self…feeling；　of　bipetalar　selves　who　include　in　it　their　families；　and　from　there　on　we　go　to　selves　who　include　their　work；　their　community；　their　nation；　until　we　reach　those　very　rare　souls　whose　petals　cover　all　living　things。　So　men　extend　their　self…feeling；　if　ambitious；　to　their　work；　to　their　achievements；if　paternal　to　their　children；　if　domestic；　to　wife　and　home；　if　patriotic　to　the　nation；　etc。　Development　lies　in　the　extension　of　the　self…feeling　and　in　the　increase　of　its　intensity。　But　the　obstacle　lies　in　the　competitive　feelings；　in　that　dualism　of　man's　nature　that　makes　him　yearn　not　only　for　fellowship；　but　also　for　superiority。　These