the foundations of personality-第35章

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This　impulse　to　activity　is　an　unrest；　and　its　satisfaction　lies　in　movement；　in　other　words　there　is　a　pleasure　or　a　relief　in　mere　activity。　The　need　of　discharging　energy；　the　desire　to　do　so；　the　pleasure　and　satisfaction　in　so　doing　constitute　a　cornerstone　of　the　foundation　of　life　and　character。　This　desire　for　activity；　as　we　shall　call　it　henceforth；　is　behind　work　and　play；　it　fluctuates　with　health　and　disease；　with　youth　and　old　age；　it　becomes　harnessed　to　purpose；　it　is　called　into　being　by　motives　or　inhibited　by　conflict　and　indecision　and　its　organization　is　the　task　of　society。　Men　differ　in　regard　to　the　desire　for　activity；　with　a　range　from　the　inert　whose　energy　is　low　to　the　dynamic　types　that　are　ever　busy　and　ever　seeking　more　to　do。　The　child's　first　movements　are　aimless；　but　soon　the　impressions　it　receives　by　striking　hands　and　feet　against　soft　and　hard　things　bring　about　a　dim　knowledge　of　the　boundaries　of　itself；　and　the　kinesthetic　impulses　from　joints　and　muscles　help　this　knowledge。　The　outside　world　commences　to　separate　itself　from　the　〃me；〃　though　both　are　vague　and　shadowy。　Soon　it　learns　that　one　part　of　the　outside　world　is　able　to　satisfy　its　hunger；　to　supply　a　need；　and　it　commences　to　recognize　the　existence　of　benevolent　outside　agencies；　and　it　also　learns　little　by　little　that　its　instinctive　cries　bring　these　agencies　to　it。　I　do　not　mean　that　the　baby　has　any　internal　language　corresponding　to　the　idea　of　outside　agency；　benevolence；　etc。；　but　it　gets　to　know　that　its　cries　are　potent；　that　a　breast　brings　relief　and　satisfaction。　At　first　it　cries；　the　breast　comes；　there　is　relief　and　satisfaction；　and　it　makes　no　connection　or　no　connection　is　made　between　these　events　of　outer　and　inner　origin。　But　the　connection　is　finally　made；desire　becomes　definitely　articulate　in　the　cry　of　the　baby；　which　thus　becomes　a　plea　and　a　summons。　Anticipation　of　good　to　come　appears　and　with　it　the　germ　of　hope　and　forward　looking；　and　there　is　realization　or　disappointment；　joy　or　anger　or　sorrow。　Thus　desire　is　linked　up　with　satisfaction　in　a　definite　way；　ideas　and　feelings　of　demand　and　supply　begin　to　appear　and　perhaps　power　itself；　in　the　vague　notion；　〃I　can　get　milk；〃　commences　to　be　felt。　Social　life　starts　when　the　child　associates　the　mother　with　the　milk；　with　the　desire　and　the　satisfaction。　In　the　relationship　established　between　mother　and　baby　is　the　first　great　social　contact；　love；　friendship；　discipline；　teaching　and　belief　have　their　origin　when；　at　the　mother's　breast；　the　child　separates　its　mother　from　the　rest　of　the　things　of　the　world。　And　not　only　in　the　relief　of　hunger　is　the　mother　active；　but　she　gets　to　be　associated　with　the　relief　from　wet　and　irritating　clothes；　the　pleasant　bath；　and　the　pleasure　of　the　change　of　position　that　babies　cry　for。　Her　bosom　and　her　arms　become　sources　of　pleasure；　and　the　race　has　immortalized　them　as　symbolic　of　motherhood；　in　song；　in　story　and　in　myth。　Not　only　does　he　associate　the　mother　with　the　milk　but　her　very　presence　brings　him　comfort；　even　when　he　is　not　hungry。　It　is　within　the　first　few　months　of　life　that　the　child　shows　that　he　is　a　gregarious＇1＇　animal；gregarious　in　the　sense　that　he　is　unhappy　away　from　others。　To　be　alone　is　thus　felt　to　be　essentially　an　evil；　to　be　with　others　is　in　itself　a　good。　This　gregarious　feeling　is　the　sine　qua　non　of　social　life：　when　we　punish　any　one　we　draw　away　from　him；　when　we　reward　we　get　closer　to　him。　All　his　life　the　child　is　to　find　pleasure　in　being　with　people　and　unhappiness　when　away　from　them；　unless　he　be　one　of　those　in　whom　the　gregarious　instinct　is　lacking。　For　instincts　may　be　absent；　just　as　eye　pigment　is；　there　are　mental　albinos；　lacking　the　color　of　ordinary　human　feeling。　Or　else　some　experience　may　make　others　hateful　to　him；　or　he　may　have　so　intellectualized　his　life　that　this　instinct　has　atrophied。　This　gregarious　feeling　will　heighten　his　emotions；　he　will　gather　strength　from　the　feeling　that　〃others　are　with　him；〃　he　will　join　societies；　clubs；　organizations　in　response　to　the　same　feeling　that　makes　sheep　graze　on　a　hillside　in　a　group；　that　makes　the　monkeys　in　a　cage　squat　together；　rubbing　sides　and　elbows。　The　home　in　which　our　child　finds　himself；　though　a　social　institution；　is　not　gregarious；　it　gives　him　only　a　limited　contact；　and　as　soon　as　he　is　able　and　self…reliant　he　seeks　out　a　little　herd；　and　on　the　streets；　in　the　schoolroom　and　playground；　he　really　becomes　a　happy　little　herd　animal。　＇1＇　One　of　my　children　would　stop　crying　if　some　one　merely　entered　his　room　when　he　was　three　weeks　old。　He　was；　and　is；　an　intensely　gregarious　boy。

Let　us　turn　back　to　the　desire　for　activity。　As　the　power　to　direct　the　eyes　develops；　as　hands　become　a　little　more　sure；　because　certain　pathways　in　brain　and　cord　〃myelinize；〃＇1＇　become　functional；　the　outside　world　attracts　in　a　definite　manner　and　movements　become　organized　by　desires；　by　purpose。　It's　a　red…letter　day　in　the　calendar　of　a　human　being　when　he　first　successfully　〃reaches〃　something；　then　and　there　is　the　birth　of　power　and　of　successful　effort。　All　our　ideas　of　cause　and　effect　originate　when　we　cause　changes　in　the　world；　when　we　move　a　thing　from　thither　to　yon。　No　philosopher；　though　he　becomes　so　intellectualized　that　he　cannot　understand　how　one　thing　or　event　causes　another；　ever　escapes　from　the　feeling　that　HE　causes　effects。　Purpose；　resistance；　success；　failure；　cause；　effect；　these　become　inextricably　wound　up　with　our　thoughts　and　beliefs　from　the　early　days　when；　looking　at　a　dangling　string；　we　reached　for　it　once；　twice；　a　dozen　times　and　brought　it　in　triumph　to　our　mouth。　And　our　idea　that　there　were　forbidden　things　came　when　the　watchful　mother　took　it　out　of　our　mouth；　saying；　〃No；　no；　baby　mustn't！〃　＇1＇　At　birth；　though　most　of　the　great　nervous　pathways　are　laid　down；　they　are　non…functional　largely　because　the　fibers　that　compose　them　are　unclothed；　non…myelinated。　The　various　kinds　of　tracts　have　different　times　for　becoming　〃myelinated〃　as　was　the　discovery　of　the　great　analogist；　Flechsig。

At　any　rate；　the　organization　of　activity　for　definite　purposes　starts。　The　little　investigator　is　apparently　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　everything　it　can　reach；　including　its　fingers　and　toes；　are　good　to　eat；　for　everything　reached　is　at　once　brought　to　the　mouth；　the　primitive　curiosity　thus　being　gustatory。　In　this　research　the　baby　finds　that　some　few　things　are　pleasant；　many　indifferent　and　quite　a　few　disgusting　and　even　painful；　which　may　remain　as　a　result　not　far　different　from　that　obtained　by　investigation　in　later　years。　The　desire　for　pleasant　things　commences　to　guide　its　activities。　Every　new　thing　is　at　once　an　object　for　investigation；　perhaps　because　its　possibilities　for　pleasure　are　unknown。　That　curiosity　may　have　some　such　origin　is　at　least　a　plausible　statement。　At　any　rate；　desire　of　a　definite　type　steps　in　to　organize　the　mere　desire　for　activity；　and　impulse　is　controlled　by　purpose。　The　child　learns　to　creep；　and　the　delight　in　progression　lies　in　the　fact　that　far　more　things　are　accessible　for　investigation；　for　rearrangement；　for　tasting。　It　is　no　accident　that　we　speak　of　our　〃tastes〃　that　we　say；　〃I　want　to　taste　of　experience。〃　That　is　exactly　what　the　child　creeping　on　the　floor　seeks；to　taste　of　experience　and　to　anticipate；　to　realize；　to　learn。　Out　of　the　desire　for　activity　grows　a　desire　for　experience　born　of　the　pleasure　of　excitement　that　we　spoke　of　previously。　This　desire　for　experience　becomes　built　up　into　strange　forms　under　teaching　and　through　the　results　of　experience。　It　is　very　strong　in　some　who　become　explorers；　roues；　vagabonds；　scientists　as　a　result；　and　it　is　very　weak　in　others　who　stay　at　home　and　seek　only　the　safe　and　limited　experience。　You　see　two　children　in　one　room；and　one　sits　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　perhaps　playing　with　a　toy　or　looking　around；　and　the　other　has　investigated　the　stove　and　found　it　hotter　than　he　supposed；　has　been　under　the　table　and　bumped　his　head；　has　found　an　unusually　sweet　white　lump　which　in　later　life　he　will　call　sugar。　The　good　child　is　often　without　sufficient　curiosity　to　be　bad；　whereas　the　bad　child　may　be　an　overzealous　seeker　of　experience。　So　our　child　reaching　out　for　things　develops　ideas　of　cause；　effect　and　power；　commences　to　have　an　idea　of　himself　as　a　cause　and　likes　the　feeling　of　power。　As　he　learns　to　walk；　the　world　widens；　his　sense　of　power　grows；　and　his　feeling　of　personality　increases。　Meanwhile　another　side　of　his　nature　has　been　developing　and　one　fully　as　important。　The　persons　in　his　world　have　become　quite　individual；　mother　is　now　not　alone；　for　father　is　recognized　with　pleasure　as　one　who　likewise　is　desirable。　He　carries　one　on　his　shoulder　so　that　a　pleasurable　excitement　results；　he　plays　with　one；　holds　out　strings　and　toys　and　other　instruments　for　the　obtaining　of　experience。　Usually　both　of　these　great　personages　are　friendly；　their　faces　wear　a　smile　or　a　tender　look；　and　our　little　one　is　so　organized　that　smiles　and　tender　looks　awaken　comfortable　feelings　and　he　smiles　in　return。　The　smile　is　perhaps　the　first　great　message　one　human　being　sends　to　another；　it　says；　〃See；　I　am　friendly；　I　wish　you　well。〃　Later　on　in　the　history　of　the　child；　he　will　learn　much　about　smiles　of　other　kinds；　but　at　this　stage　they　are　all　pleasant。　Though　his　parents　are　usually　friendly　and　give；　now　and　then　they　deprive；　and　they　look　different；　they　say；　〃No；　no！〃　This　〃no；　no〃　is　social　inhibition；　it　is　backed　up　by　the　power　of　deprivation；　punishment；　disapproval；　it　has　its　power　in　a　something　in　our　nature　that　gives　society　its　power　over　us。　From　now　there　steps　in　a　factor　in　the　development　of　character　of　which　we　have　already　spoken；　a　group　of　desires　that　have　their　source　in　the　emotional　response　of　the　child　to　the　parent；　in　the　emotional　response　of　an　individual　to　his　group。　Out　of　the　social　pressure　arises　the　desire　to　please；　to　win　approval；　to　get　justification；　and　these　struggle　in　the　mind　of　the　child　with　other　desires。　We　said　the　child　seeks　experience；but　not　only　on　his　own　initiative。　The　father　stands　against　the　wall；　perhaps　with　one　foot　crossing　the　other。　Soon　he　feels　a　pressure　and　looks　down；　there　is　the　little　one　standing　in　his　imitation　of　the　same　position。　Imitation；　in　my　belief；　is　secondary　to　a　desire　for　experience。　The　child　does　not　imitate　everything；　he　is　equipped　to　notice　only　simple　things；　and　these　he　imitates。　Why？　The　desire　to　experience　what　others　are　experiencing　is　a　basic　desire；　it　expresses　both　a　feeling　of　fellowship　and　a　competitive　feeling。　We　do　not　feel　a　strong　tendency　to　imitate　those　we　dislike　or　despise；　or　do　not　respect；　we　tend　to　imitate　those　we　love　and　respect；　those　for　whom　we　have　a　fellow　feeling。　Part　of　the　fellow　feeling　is　an　impulse　to　imitate　and　to　receive　in　a　positive　way　the　suggestion　offered　by　their　conduct　and　manners。　Analogous　to　imitation；　and　part　of　the　social　instinct；　is　a　credulity；　a　willingness　to　accept　as　if　personally　experienced　things　stated。　Part　of　the　seeking　of　experience　is　the　asking　of　questions；　because　the