the foundations of personality-第11章
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or verbally； he is regretful； let us say。 Out of this regret； out of this fear of being found out； out of the pain of nonconformity； arises the conscience feeling which says； 〃Thou shalt not〃 or 〃Thou shalt；〃 according to social teaching。 It may be objected that 〃Conscience often arrays itself against society； against social teaching； against perhaps all men。〃 It is not my place to trace the growth in mind of the idea of the Absolute Good； or absolute right and wrong； with which a man must align himself。 I believe it is the strength of the ego feeling which gives to some the vigor and unyieldingness of their conscience。 〃I am right；〃 says such a person； 〃and the rest of the world is wrong。 God is with me； my conscience and future times will agree；〃 thus appealing to the distant tribunal as James pointed out。 All the insane hospitals have their sufferers for conscience's sake； paranoid personalities whose egos have expanded to infallibility and whose consciences are correspondingly developed。 Conscience thus represents the power of the permanent purposes and ideals of the individuals； and it wars on the less permanent desires and impulses； because there is in memory the uneasiness and anxiety that resulted from indulgence and the pain of the feeling of inferiority that results when one is hiding a secret weakness or undergoing reproof or punishment。 This group of permanent purposes； ideals and aspirations corresponds closely to the censor of the Freudian concept and here is an example where a new name successfully disguises an age…old thought。 In other words； conscience is social in its origin； developing differently in different people according to their teaching； intelligence； will； ego…feeling； instincts； etc。 From the standpoint of character analysis there are many types of people in regard to conscience development。 In respect to the reactions to praise and blame the following types are conspicuous： 1。 A 〃weak〃 group in whom these act as apparently the sole motives。 2。 A group energized by love of praise。 3。 A group energized mainly by fear of blame。 4。 A type that scorns anything but material reward。 5。 Another； that 〃takes advantage〃 of reward； likes praise but is merely made conceited by it； hates blame but is merely made angry by it； fears punishment and finds its main goad to good conduct in this fear。 6。 Then there are those in whom all these motives operate in greater or lesser degree；the so…called normal person。 In reality he has his special inclinations and dreads。 7。 The majority of people are influenced mainly by the group with which they have cast their positions； the blame of others being relatively unimportant or arousing anger。 For there is this great difference between our reactions to praise and blame： that while the praise of almost any one and for almost any quality is welcome； the blame of only a few is taken 〃well；〃 and for the rest there is anger； contempt or defiance。 The influence of blame varies with the respect； love and especially acknowledged superiority of the blamer。 The 〃boss〃 has a right to blame and so has father or mother while we are children； but we resent bitterly the blame of a fellow employee； 〃he has no right to blame；〃 and we rebel against the blame of our parents when we grow up。 In fact； the war of the old and new generations starts with the criticism of the elder folk and the resentment of the younger folk。 It will be seen that reaction to praise and blame； etc。； will depend upon the irritability of ego feeling； the love of superiority and the dislike for inferiority。 This basic situation we must defer discussing； but what is of importance is that the primitive disciplinary weapons we have discussed never lose their cardinal value and remain throughout life and in all societies the prime modes of thought and conduct。 In similar fashion the conscience types might be depicted。 From the over…conscientious who rigidly hold themselves to an ideal； who watch every departure from perfection with agony and self…reproach； and who may either reach the highest level or 〃break down〃 and become inefficient to the almost conscienceless group； doing only what seems more profitable； are many intermediate types merging one with the other。 There are people whose conscience is localized； as the self…sacrificing father who is a pirate in business； or as the policeman who holds rigidly to conscience in courage and loyalty to his fellows； but who finds no internal reproach when he takes a bribe or perjures himself about a criminal。 What we call a code is really a localized conscience； and there are many men whose consciences do not permit seduction of the virgin but who are quite easy in mind about an intrigue with a married woman。 So； too； you may be as wily as you please in business but find cheating at cards base and unthinkable。 Conscience in the abstract may be a divine entity； but in the realities of everyday life it is a medley of motives； purposes and teachings； varying from the grotesque and mischief…working to the sublime and splendid。
CHAPTER III。 MEMORY AND HABIT There are two qualities of nervous tissues （possibly of all living tissue） that are basic in all nervous and mental processes。 They are dependent upon the modificability of nerve cells and fibers by stimuli； e。 g。； a light flashing through the pupil and passing along the optical tracts to the occipital cortex produces changes which constitute the basis of visual memory。 Experience modifies nervous tissue in definite manner； and SOMETHING remembers。 Who remembers？ Who is conscious？ Believe what you please about that； call it ego； soul； call it consciousness dipped out of a cosmic consciousness； and I have no quarrel with you。 Memory has its mechanics； in the association of ideas； which preoccupied the early English psychologists and philosophers； it is the basis of thought and also of action； and it is a prime mystery。 We know its pathology； we think that memories for speech have loci in the brain； the so…called motor memories in Broca's area。＇1＇ We know that a hemorrhage in these areas or in the fibers passing from them； or a tumor pressing on them may destroy or temporarily abolish these memories； so that a man may KNOW what he wishes to say； understand speech and be unable to say it； though he may write it （motor aphasia）。 In sensory aphasia the defect is a loss of the capacity to understand spoken speech； though the patient may be able to say what he himself wishes。 （It is fair to say that the definite location of these capacities in definite areas has been challenged by Marie； Moutier and others； but this denial does not deny the organic brain location of speech memories； it merely affirms that they are scattered rather than concentrated in one area。） ＇1＇ Foot of the left or right third frontal convolutions； auditory speech in the supramarginal； etc。
In its widest phases memory alters with the state of the brain。 In childhood impressibility is high； but until the age or four or five the duration of impression is low； and likewise the power of voluntary recall。 In youth （eighteen…twenty） all these capacities are perhaps at their highest。 As time goes on impressibility seems first of all to be lost； so that it becomes harder and harder to learn new things； to remember new faces； new names。 The typical difficulty of middle age is to remember names； because these have no real relationship or logical value and must be arbitrarily remembered。 The typical senile defect is the dropping out of the recent memories； though the past may be preserved in its entirety。 With any disease of the brain； temporary or permanent； amnesia or memory loss may and usually is present （e。 g。； general paresis； tumor； cerebral arteriosclerosis； etc。）。 As the result of Carbon monoxide poisoning； as after accidental or attempted suicidal gas inhalation； the memory； especially for the most recent events； is impaired and the patient cannot remember the events as they occur； he passes from moment to moment unconnected to the recent past； though his remote past is clear。 Since memory is the basis of certainty； of the feeling of reality； these unfortunates are afflicted with an uncertainty； a sense of unreality； that is almost agonizing。 As the effects of the poiso
