the foundations of personality-第27章
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harmonize our choice and acts with the purposes we regard as our best。 If we seek to influence others； then this view of the will is the only hopeful one； for if will is a free entity how can it possibly be influenced by another agent？ The very essence of freedom is to be noninfluenced。 Seeking to galvanize the will of another； there is need to search for the influences that will increase the energy of his better purposes； to 〃appeal to his better self；〃 meaning that the spurs to his good conduct are applied with greater force； but that first the nature of the particular things that spur him on must be discovered。 Praise？ Blame？ Reward？ Punishment？ Education？ Authority？ Logic？ Religion？ Emotional appeal？ Substitution of new motives and associations？ The will is therefore no unit； but a sum total of things operating within the sphere of purpose。 Purpose we have defined as arising from instinct and desire and intellectualized and socialized by intelligence； education； training； tradition； etc。 Will is therefore best studied under the head of purpose and is an outgrowth of instinct。 Each instinct； in its energy； its fierceness； its permanence； has its will。 He who cannot desire deeply； in whom some powerful instinct does not surge； cannot will deeply。 If we look at character from the standpoint of emotion； instinct； purpose and intelligence； we find that emotion is an internal discharge of energy； which being FELT by the individual becomes an aim or aversion of his life； that instinctive action is the passing over of a stimulus directly into hereditary conduct along race…old motor pathways for purposes that often enough the individual does not recognize and may even rebel against； that instinct is without reflection； but that purpose； which is an outgrowth of instinct guided and controlled by intelligence； is reflective and self…conscious。 Purpose seeks the good of the individual as understood by him and is often against the welfare of the race； whereas instinct seeks the good of the race； often against the welfare of the individual。 Intelligence is the path of the stimulus or need cerebrally directed； lengthened out； inhibited； elaborated and checked。 Often enough faulty； it is the chief instrument by which man has become the leading figure on the world stage。
CHAPTER VII。 EXCITEMENT； MONOTONY AND INTEREST No matter what happens in the outside world； be it something we see； hear or feel； in any sense…field there is an internal reverberation in our bodies；excitement。 Excitement is the undifferentiated result of stimuli； whether these come from without or from within。 For a change in the glands of the body heaps up changes within us； which when felt； become excitement。 Thus at the mating period of animals； at the puberty of man； there is a quite evident excitement demonstrated in the conduct of the animal and the adolescent。 He who remembers his own adolescence； or who watches the boy or girl of that age； sees the excitement in the readiness to laugh； cry； fight or love that is so striking。 Undoubtedly the mother…stuff of all emotion is the feeling of excitement。 Before any emotion reaches its characteristic expression there is the preparatory tension of excitement。 Joy； sorrow； anger； fear； wonder； surprise； etc。； have in them as a basis the same consciousness of an internal activity； of a world within us beginning to seethe。 Heart； lungs； blood stream； the great viscera and the internal glands； cerebrum and sympathetic nervous system； all participate in this activity； and the outward visage of excitement is always the wide…open eye； the slightly parted lips； the flaring nostrils and the slightly tensed muscles of the whole body。 Shouts； cries； the waving of arms and legs； taking the specific direction of some emotion； make of excitement a fierce discharger of energy； a fact of great importance in the understanding of social and pathological phenomena。 On the other hand； excitement may be so intensely internal that it shifts the blood supply too vigorously from the head and the result is a swoon。 This is more especially true of the excitement that accompanies sorrow and fear than joy or anger； but even in these emotions it occurs。 There are some very important phases of excitement that have not been given sufficient weight in most of the discussions。 1。 In the very young； excitement is diffuse and spreads throughout the organism。 An infant starts with a jump at a sudden sound and shivers at a bright light。 A young child is unrestrained and general in his expression of excitement； no matter what emotional direction that excitement takes。 Bring about any tension of expectation in a childhave him wait for your head to appear around the corner as you play peek…a…boo； or delay opening the box of candy； or pretend you are one thing or anotherand the excitement of the child is manifested in what is known as eagerness。 Attention in children is accompanied by excitement and is wearying as a natural result； since excitement； means a physical discharge of energy。 A child laughs all over and weeps with his entire body； his anger involves every muscle of his body and his fear is an explosion。 The young organism cannot inhibit excitement。 As life goes on； the capacity for localizing or limiting excitement increases。 We become better organized； and the disrupting force of a stimulus becomes less。 Attention becomes less painful； less tense； i。e。； there is less general muscular and emotional reaction。 Expectation is less a physical matterperhaps because we have been so often disappointedand is more cerebral and the emotions are more reflective and introspective in their expression and less a physical outburst。 Indeed； the process often enough goes too far； and we long for the excitement of anticipation and realization。 We do not start at a noise； and though a great crowd will 〃stir our blood〃 （excitement popularly phrased and accurately）； we still limit that excitement so that though we cheer or shout there is a core of us that is quiet。 This is the case in health。 In sickness； especially in that condition known as neurasthenia； where the main symptoms cluster around an abnormal liability to fatigue； and also in many other conditions； there is an increase in the diffusion of excitement so that one starts all over at a noise； instead of merely turning to see what it is； so that expectation and attention become painful and fatiguing。 Crowds； though usually pleasurable； become too exciting； and there is a sort of confusion resulting because attention and comprehension are interfered with。 The neurasthenic finds himself a prey to stimuli； his reaction is too great and he fatigues too readily。 He finds sleep difficult because the little noises and discomforts make difficult the relaxation that is so important。 The neurasthenic's voluntary attention is lowered because of the excitement he feels when his involuntary attention is aroused。 In the condition called anhedonia； which we shall hear of from time to time； there is a blocking or dropping out of the sense of desire and satisfaction even if through habit one eats； drinks； has sexual relationship； keeps up his work and carries out his plans。 This lack of desire for the joys of life is attended by a restlessness； a seeking of excitement for a time； until there arises a curious over…reaction to excitement。 The anhedonic patient finds that noises are very troublesome； that he becomes unpleasantly excited over music； that company is distressing because he becomes confused and excited； and crowds； busy scenes and streets are intolerable。 Many a hermit； I fancy； who found the sensual and ambitious pleasure of life intolerable； who sought to fly from crowds to the deserts； was anhedonic but he called it renunciation。 （Whether one really ever renounces when desire is still strong is a nice question。 I confess to some scepticism on this point。） 2。 Seeking excitement is one of the great pleasure…trends of life。 In moderation； tension； expectation and the diffuse bodily reactions are agreeable； there is a feeling of vigor； the attention is drawn from the self and there is a feeling of being alive that is pleasurable。 The tension must not be too long sustained； nor the bodily reaction too intense； relaxation and low
