the foundations of personality-第37章

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　us　a　conceited　ass　and　laugh　at　us　behind　our　backs；　but　so　long　as　we　do　not　find　it　out；　it　doesn't　matter。　There　is；　however；　no　blow　quite　so　severe　as　the　sudden　realization　that　we　have　mistaken　the　opinion　of　others；　we　have　been　〃fooled。〃　To　be　fooled　is　to　be　lowered　in　one's　own　self…esteem；　and　we　like　sincerity　and　hate　insincerity　largely　because　our　self…esteem　stands　on　some　solid　basis　in　the　one　case　and　on　none　whatever　in　the　other。　Most　of　us　would　rather　have　people　say　bad　things　of　us　to　our　face　than　run　the　risk　of　the　ridicule　and　the　foolish　feeling　that　comes　with　insincerity。　There　are　some　who　are　always　suspicions　that　people　are　insincere　in　praise　or　friendly　words；　they　hate　being　fooled；　they　know　of　no　criterion　of　sincerity　and　such　people　are　in　an　adynamic　state　most　of　the　time。　The　difference　between　the　trusting　and　the　suspicious　is　that　one　responds　with　energy　and　belief　to　the　manifestations　of　friendliness　in　everybody；　and　the　other　has　no　such　inner　response　to　guide　his　energy　and　his　actions。　Trust　in　others　is　a　releaser　of　energy；　distrust　paralyzes　it。　＇1＇　To　paraphrase　Doctor　Holmes　the　biggest　factor　in　John's　self…valuation　is　HIS　idea　of　Jane's　idea　of　John。

4。　Doubt　and　inability　to　choose　may　be　contrasted　with　certitude　and　clear　choice　in　their　effect　on　energy　release。　Of　course；　one　of　the　signs　of　lowered　energy　is　doubt；　as　a　sign　of　high　energy　is　certainty。　Nevertheless；　a　situation　of　critical　importance；　in　which　choice　is　difficult　or　digagreeable；　inhibits　energy　feeling＇1＇　and　discharge　perhaps　as　much　as　any　other　mental　factor。　Especially　is　this　true　when　the　inhibition　concerns　a　moral　situation〃Ought　I　to　do　this　or　that〃and　where　the　fear　of　being　wrong　or　doing　wrong　operates　so　that　the　individual　does　nothing　and　develops　an　obsession　of　doubt。　This　〃to　be　or　not　to　be〃　attitude　is　typical　of　many　intelligent　people；　yes；　even　intellectual　people。　They　we　so　many　angles　to　a　situation；　they　project　so　far　into　the　future　in　their　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