the foundations of personality-第68章
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etting〃 of cares and worries； by indulging in excitement which has no fundamental purpose。 The pleasure of play for the adult is in the release of trends from inhibition； exactly as we may imagine that a harnessed horse； pulling at a load and with his head held back by a check…rein； might feel if he were turned loose in a meadow。 This is the kind of play spirit manifested in going out fishing； dressed in old clothes； with men who will not care whatever is said or done。 There is purpose； there is competition and cooperation and fellowship； but the organization is a loose one and does not bear heavily。 So； too； with the pleasure of a game of ball for the amateur who plays now and then。 There is organization； control and competition； but unless one is a poor loser； there is a relaxed tension in that the purpose is not vital； and one can shout； jump up and down and express himself in uninhibited excitement。 Whether this excitement has a value in discharging other excitement and feelings that are inhibited in the daily work is another matter； if it has such a value； play becomes of necessary importance。 In outdoor games in general； the feeling of physical fitness； of discharging energy along primordial lines and the happy feeling that comes merely from color of sky and grass and the outdoor world； bring a relief from sadness that comes with the work and life of the city man。 Often the play is an effort to seek excitement and thus to forget cares； or it is a seeking of excitement for its own sake。 Thus men gamble； not only for the gain but because such excitement as is aroused offers relief from business worries or home difficulties。 The prize fights； the highly competitive professional sports of all kinds are frequented and followed by enormous numbers of men； not only because men greatly admire physical prowess； but because the intense excitement is sought。 I know more than one business and professional man who goes to the 〃fights〃 because only there can he get a thrill。 There is a generalized mild anhedonia in the community； which has its origin in the fatigue of overintense purposes； failure to realize ideals and the difficulties of choice。 People who suffer in this way often seek the sedentary satisfaction of watching competitive professional games。 Indeed； the hold of competition on man exists not alone in his rivalry feeling toward others； it is evidenced also in the excitement he immediately feels in the presence of competitive struggle； even though he himself has little or no personal stake。 Man is a partisan creature and loves to take sides。 This is remarkably demonstrated by children； and is almost as well shown in the play of adults。 A recent international prize fight awakened more intense interest than almost any international event of whatever real importance。 That same day it passed practically unnoticed that America ended a state of war with Germany。 A law of excitement； that it lies in part in a personal hazard accounts for the growth of betting at games。 The effort to gain adds to the interest； i。 e。； excitement。 That it adds tension as well and may result in fatigue and further boredom is not reckoned with by the bettor or gambler。 To follow the middle of the road in anything is difficult； and nowhere is it more beset with danger than in the seeking of excitement。 Games of skill of all kinds； whether out of doors or within； baseball； cricket； billiards； and pool afford； then； the pleasure of exertion and competition in an exciting way and yet one removed from too great a stake。 Defeat is not bitter； though victory is sweet； a good game is desired； and an easy opponent is not welcomed。 The spirit of this kind of play has been of great value to society； for it has brought the feeling of fair play and sportsmanship to the world。 Primitive in its origin； to take defeat nobly and victory with becoming modesty is the civilizing influence of sportsmanship。 In the past women have lacked good…fellowship and sportsmanship largely because they played no competitive…cooperative games。 I shall not attempt to take up in any detail all the forms of pleasure…excitement seeking。 Dancing； music； the theater and the movies offer outlets both for the artistic impulses and the seeking of excitement。 In the theater and the movies one seeks also the interest we take in the lives of others； the awakening of emotions and the happy ending。 Only a few people will ever care for the artistic wholesale calamity of a play like 〃Hamlet；〃 and even they only once in a while。 Men and women seek variety； they seek excitement in any and all directions； they want relief from the tyranny of purpose and of care。 But also；they hate a vacuum； they can usually bear themselves and their thoughts for only a little while； because their thoughts are often basicly melancholy and full of dissatisfaction。 So they seek escape from themselves； they try to kill time； reading； playing and going to entertainments。 In fact； most of our reading is actuated by the play spirit； and is an effort to obtain excitement through the lives of others。 Humor＇1＇ is a form of pleasure seeking and giving； but depends on a certain technique； the object of which is to elicit the laugh or its equivalent。 The laugh is a discharge of tension； and while usually it accompanies pleasure； it may indicate the tension of embarrassment or even complex emotional states。 But the laugh or smile of humor has to be elicited in certain ways； chief of which are to bring about a feeling of expectation； and by some novel arrangement of words； to send the mind on a voyage of discovery which suddenly ends with a burst of pleasure when the 〃point〃 is seen。 The pleasure felt in humor arises from the feeling of novelty； the pleasure of discovering a hidden meaning and the pleasure in the 〃point〃 or motive of the story； joke or conduct。 ＇1＇ I use this term to include wit； satire and even certain phases of the comic。
Usually； the humorous pleasure has these motives： it points at the folly and absurdity of other people's conduct； thought； logic and customs。 It gives a feeling of superiority； and that is why all races love to poke fun at other races： certain characteristics of Jew； Irishman； Yankee； Scot； etc。； are presented in novel and striking fashion； in a playful manner。 It points out the weak and absurd side of people and institutions with which we have trouble； and this brings in marriage； business； mothers…in…law； creditors； debtors； as those whose weakness is exposed by the technique of humor。 Humor likes to explode pretension； pedantry； dignity； pomposity； we get a feeling of joy whenever those who are superior come a cropper； which is increased when we feel that they have no right to their places。 So the humorous technique deals with the get…rich…quick folk； the foolish nobleman； the politician； the priest （especially in the Middle Ages）； etc。 Not only does humor seek to obtain pleasure from an attack on others and thus to feel superior or to compensate for inferiority； but also it reaches its highest form in exposing man himself； including the humorist。 The humorist； seeking his own weaknesses and contradictions； his falsities； strips the disguise from himself in some surprising way。 Bergson points out that to strip away a disguise is naturely humorous unless it reveals too rudely the horrible。 The humorist takes off the mask from himself and others； and in so far as we can detach ourselves from pride and vanity； we laugh。 The one who cannot thus detach himself is 〃hurt〃 by humor； the one who somehow has become a spectator of his own strivings can laugh at himself。 Thus humor； in addition to becoming a compensation and a form of entertainment； is a form of self…revelation and self…understanding carried on by a peculiar technique。 On the whole this technique depends upon a hiding of the real meaning of the story or situation under a disguise of the commonplace。 The humorist phrases his words or develops his situation so as to send the thoughts of the listener flying in several directions。 There is a brief confusion； an incongruity is felt； then suddenly from under a disguise the point becomes clear and the laugh is in part one of triumph； in part one of pleased surprise。 I shall not attempt an analysis of t
