the foundations of personality-第57章

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　intellectual　value。　And　the　persuasion　that　seeks　private　ends　from　private　audiences　〃sizes〃　up　its　audience　as　a　preliminary。　The　capacity　to　understand　others　and　to　sway　them；　to　impress　them　according　to　their　make…up；　is　a　trait　of　great　importance　for　success　or　failure。　It　needs　cultivation；　but　often　it　depends　on　a　native　sociability；　a　friendliness　and　genuine　interest；　on　a　〃good　nature〃　that　is　what　it　literally　purports　to　be；good　nature。　Though　many　of　the　persuasive　kind　are　insincere　and　selfish；　I　believe　that　on　the　whole　the　taciturn　and　gruff　are　less　interested　in　their　fellows　than　the　talkative　and　cordial。　The　persuasive　person　has　a　touch　of　the　fighting　spirit　in　the　trait　called　aggressiveness。　He　is　rarely　shy　or　retiring。　To　do　well；　he　must　be　prepared　for　rebuffs；　and　he　is　possessed　of　a　species　of　courage　and　resistance　against　refusal　and　humiliation。　In　the　highest　form　the　persuader　is　a　teacher　and　propagandist；　changing　the　policy　of　peoples；　in　the　commonest　form　he　is　a　salesman；　seeking　to　sell　a　commodity；　in　the　lowest　he　is　the　faker；　trying　to　hoodwink　the　credulous。　4。　The　strong；　the　crafty；　the　talkers　each　seek　fulfillment　of　purpose　from　an　equal　or　higher　level　than　their　fellows。　But　power　and　fulfillment　may　be　reached　at　from　a　lower　level；　from　the　beggar's　position；　from　the　place　of　weakness。　There　are　some　whose　existence　depends　upon　the　response　given　to　their　supplications；　who　throw　themselves　directly　on　the　charity　and　tender…heartedness　of　society。　Inefficient；　incapable　of　separate　existence；　this　parasitic　class　is　known　to　every　social　service　group；　to　every　rich　or　powerful　man　who　helps　at　least　in　part　to　maintain　them。　I　do　not　mean　those　who　are　physically　or　intellectually　unable　to　cope　with　the　world；　these　are　merely　unfortunate。　I　mean　those　whose　energy　and　confidence　is　so　low；　or　whose　lack　of　pride　is　such　that　they　are　willing　to　ask　for　help　continually　rather　than　make　their　own　way。　There　is；　however；　a　very　interesting　type　of　person　who　uses　weakness　as　a　weapon　to　gain　a　purpose；　not　support。　The　tears　of　many　women　have　long　been　recognized　as　potent　in　that　warfare　that　goes　on　between　the　sexes；　the　melting　of　opposition　to　the　whim　or　wish　when　this　manifestation　of　weakness　is　used　is　an　old　story。　The　emotional　display　renders　the　man　uncomfortable；　it　disturbs　him；　he　fears　to　increase　it　lest　the　opponent　become　sick；　his　conscience　reproaches　him；　and　he　yields　rather　than　〃make　a　fuss。〃　Tears　can　be　replaced　by　symptoms　of　a　hysteric　nature。　I　do　not　mean　that　these　symptoms　are　caused　by　the　effort　to　win；　but　they　become　useful　and　are　made　habitual。　Nor　is　this　found　only　in　woman；　after　an　accident　there　are　men　in　plenty　whose　symptoms　play　a　role　in　securing　compensation　for　themselves；　not　necessarily　as　malingerers。　It　is　in　human　nature　to　desire　the　sympathy　of　others；　and　in　some　cases　this　sympathy　is　sought　because　through　sympathy　some　other　good　will　be　forthcoming；a　new　dress；　a　lump　sum　of　money；　or　merely　securing　one's　own　way。　Very　noticeably　do　children　tend　to　injure　themselves　if　crossed；　anger　tends　to　turn　on　itself；　and　the　effect　on　the　other　party　is　soon　realized；　and　often　utilized。　A　child　may　strike　its　head　against　the　floor　without　any　other　motive　than　that　arising　from　hopeless　anger；　but　if　this　brings　the　parents　to　their　knees；＇1＇　the　association　is　made　and　the　experience　becomes　part　of　the　working　technique　of　the　child。　＇1＇　This　turning　of　anger　upon　itself　is　a　factor　in　self…destruction。　It　is　seen；　so　the　naturalists　say；　in　the　snake　and　the　asp；　and　it　is　common　in　human　relations。

5。　There　is　in　man　an　urge　to　activity　independent　of　reward　save　in　the　satisfaction　that　comes　from　that　activity。　This　current　is　organized　into　work；　and　the　goal　becomes　achievement。　The　most　powerful　factor　in　discharging　the　energies　of　man　is　the　desire　for　achievement。　Wealth；　superiority；　power；　philanthropy；　renown；　safety　and　pleasure　enormously　reinforce　this　purpose；　but　behind　the　GOOD　work　of　the　world　is　the　passion　to　create；　to　make　something；　to　mold　the　resisting　forces　of　nature　into　usefulness　and　beauty。　Handicraftsman；　artist；　farmer；　miner；　housewife；　writer；all　labor　contradicts　the　legend　that　work　is　a　curse。　To　gain　by　work；　to　obtain　desires　through　labor；　is　a　method　of　attainment　that　is　a　natural　ideal　of　man。　This　makes　opportune　a　discussion　of　the　work…traits。　Since　ours　is　an　industrial　society；　in　which　the　work　of　a　member　is　his　means　of　obtaining　not　only　respect；　but　a　living；　these　traits　are　largely　those　by　which　he　is　judged　and　by　which　he　judges　himself。　Since　work　for　some　is　their　life　and　for　others　their　means　of　obtaining　a　living；　it　is　obvious　that　the　work…traits　may　be　all　the　traits　of　the　individual；　or　only　a　few　of　them。　Certain　traits　are　especially　important；　and　to　these　we　must　limit　ourselves。　The　energy　of　the　individual。　Some　are　so　constituted　that　they　can　constantly　discharge　their　energy　at　a　high　rate。　These　are　the　dynamics；　the　hyperkinetic；　the　Rooseveltianstrenuousthe　busy　people；　always　able　to　do　more。　The　modern　American　life　holds　this　type　as　an　ideal；　though　it　is　quite　questionable　whether　these　rather　over…busy　people　do　not　lose　in　reflective　and　creative　ability。　The　rushing　stream　turns　the　wheels　of　the　mills；　but　it　is　too　strenuous　for　stately　ships。　This　type　however　achieves　things；　is　seen　often　in　the　fine　executive　and　usually　needs　no　urging。　There　is　another　fine　type　not　so　well　adapted　to　our　civilization；　which　is　easily　exhausted；　but　can　accomplish　very　much　in　a　short　time；　in　other　words　discharges　energy　intermittently　at　a　high　rate。　Charles　Darwin　was　of　this　kindintermittently　hyperkinetic　obliged　to　rest　after　an　hour's　labor；　but　by　understanding　this；　WILLING　to　rest。　Unfortunately；　unless　one　is　a　genius　or　rich；　industry　does　not　make　allowances　for　this　type。　Industry　is　organized　on　steadiness　of　energy　discharge；eight　hours　every　day；　six　days　a　week。　The　commonest　type　is　the　〃average〃　person　who　is　capable　of　moderately　intense　but　constant　activity。　This　is　the　steady　man　and　woman；　it　is　upon　this　steadiness　that　the　whole　factoryshop　systemis　based。　That　this　steadiness　deadens；　injures　vivacity　and　makes　for　restlessness；　is　another　matter。　A　distinctly　pathological　type　is　found　in　some　feebleminded　and　some　high　mentalities。　This　unfortunate　discharges　energy　at　a　low　rate　is　slow　in　action　and　often　intermittent　as　well　as　hypokinetic。　The　loafer　and　the　tramp　are　of　this　type。　Around　the　water　front　of　the　seaports　one　can　find　the　finest　specimens　who　do　odd　jobs　for　as　much　as　will　pay　for　lodging　and　food　and　drink。　Perhaps　the　order　of　the　desired　rewards　should　be　reversed。　Every　village　furnishes　individuals　of　this　group；　either　unable　or　unwilling　to　work　consecutively　or　with　energy。　Often　purposeless　day…dreamers　or　else　bereft　of　normal　human　mentality；　these　are　the　chronically　unemployed　of　our　social…　industrial　system。　It　must　be　remembered　that　to　work　steadily　every　day　and　in　the　same　place　is　not　an　innate　circumstance　of　man's　life。　For　the　untold　centuries　before　he　developed　into　an　agriculturist　and　a　handicraftsman；　he　sought　his　food　and　his　protection　in　the　simplest　way　and　with　little　steady　labor。　Whether　as　hunter　or　fisher　or　nomad　herdsman；　he　lived　in　the　open　air；　slept　in　caves　or　in　rudely　constructed　shelters　and　knew　nothing　of　those　purposes　that　keep　men　working　from　morning　till　night。　It's　a　long　way　from　primitive　man　and　his　occupations；　with　their　variety　and　their　relaxations；　to　the　factory　hand；　shut　up　in　a　shop　all　day　and　doing　just　one　thing　year　in　and　year　out；　to　the　housewife　with　her　multitudinous；　never…ending　tasks　within　four　walls；　to　the　merchant　engrossed　with　profit　and　loss；　weighing；　measuring；　buying；　selling　and　worrying　without　cessation。　The　burden　of　steadiness　in　labor　is　new　to　the　race；　and　it　is　only　habit；　necessity　and　social　valuation　that　keeps　most　men　to　their　wheel。　We　would；　I　think；　be　oversentimental　in　our　treatment　of　this　subject　if　we　omitted　two　hugely　important　factors　in　work　character。　Two