the foundations of personality-第43章

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〃Do　it　well！〃　The　energy　of　work　and　its　promptness　are　only　valuable　when　controlled　by　an　ideal　of　service　and　thoroughness。　A　great　part　of　the　morals　of　the　world　is　neglected；　part　of　the　responsibility　is　not　felt；　in　that　a　code　of　work　is　yet　to　be　enunciated　in　an　authoritative　way。　I　would　have　it　shown　graphically　that　all　inefficiency　is　a　social　damage　with　a　boomerang　effect　on　the　inefficient　and　careless；　and　in　the　earliest　school；　teaching　the　need　of　thoroughness　would　be　emphasized。　Our　schools　are　tending　in　the　other　direction；　the　curriculum　has　become　so　extensive　that　superficiality　is　encouraged；　the　thorough　are　penalized；　and　〃to　get　away　with　it〃　is　the　motto　of　most　children　as　a　result。　In　an　ideal　community　every　man　and　woman　will　be　evaluated　as　to　intelligence　and　skill；　and　a　place　found　accordingly。　Since　we　live　a　few　centuries　too　soon　to　see　that　community；　since　jobs　are　given　out　on　a　sort　of　catch…as…catch…can　plan；　it　would　be　merely　a　counsel　of　perfection　to　urge　some　such　method。　Nevertheless　ambitious　parents；　whose　means　or　whose　self…sacrifice　enable　them　to　plan　careers　for　their　children；　should　take　into　solemn　account；　not　their　own　ambitions；　but　the　ability　of　the　child。　A　man　is　apt　to　see　in　his　son　his　second　self　and　to　plan　for　him　as　for　a　self　that　was　somehow　to　succeed　where　he　failed。　But　every　tub　in　the　ocean　of　human　life　must　navigate　on　its　own　bottom；　and　a　father's　wishes　will　not　make　a　poet　into　a　banker　or　a　fool　into　a　philosopher。　Nothing　is　so　disastrous　to　character　as　to　be　misplaced　in　work；　and　there　is　as　much　social　inefficiency　in　the　high…grade　man　in　the　low…grade　place　as　when　the　low…grade　man　occupies　a　high…grade　place。　We　have　no　means　of　discovering　originality；　imagination　or　special　ability　in　our　present…day　psychological　tests；　and　we　cannot　measure　intensity　of　purpose；　courage　and　the　quality　of　interest。　Yet　watching　a　child　through　its　childhood　and　its　adolescence　ought　to　tell　us　whether　it　is　brilliant　or　stupid；　whether　it　is　hand…minded　or　word…minded；　whether　it　is　brave；　loyal；　honest；　a　leader　or　a　follower；　etc。　Moreover；　the　child's　inclinations　should　play　a　part　in　the　plans　made。　A　man　who　develops　a　strong　will　where　his　desires　lead　the　way　will　hang　back　and　be　a　slacker　where　dissatisfaction　is　aroused。　To　that　employer　of　labor　who　seeks　more　than　dividends　from　his　〃hands；〃　who　has　in　mind　that　he　is　merely　an　agent　of　the　community；　and　is　not　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　is　〃boss；〃　I　make　bold　to　make　the　following　suggestions：　Any　plan　of　efficiency　must　be　based　on　sympathy　and　human　feeling。　To　avoid　unnecessary　fatigue　is　imperative；　not　only　because　it　increases　production；　but　because　it　increases　happiness。　Fatigue　may　have　its　origin　in　little　matters；in　a　bad　bench；　in　a　poor　work　table；　or　an　inferior　tool。　Chronic　fatigue＇1＇　alters　character；　the　drudge　and　slave　are　not　really　human；　and　if　your　workers　become　drudges；　to　that　degree　have　you　lapsed　from　your　stewardship。　Men　react　to　fatigue　in　different　ways：　one　is　merely　tired；　weak　and　sleepy　a　〃dope；〃　to　use　ordinary　characterizationbut　another　becomes　a　dangerous　rebel；　ready　to　take　fire　at　any　time。　＇1＇　The　Gilbreths　have　written　an　excellent　little　book　on　this　subject。　Doctor　Charles　E。　Myers'　recent　publication；　〃Mind　and　Work；〃　is　less　explicit；　but　worth　reading。

More　important　than　physical　fatigue　（or　at　least　as　important）　is　the　fatigue　of　monotony。　If　your　shop　is　organized　on　a　highly　mechanical　basis；　then　the　worker　must　be　allowed　to　interrupt　his　labors　now　and　then；　must　have　time　for　a　chat；　or　to　change　his　position　or　even　to　lie　down　or　walk。　Monotony　disintegrates　mind　and　bodydisintegrates　character　and　personalitybrings　about　a　fierce　desire　for　excitement；　and　the　well…known　fact　that　factory　towns　are　very　immoral　is　no　accident；　but　the　direct　result　of　monotony　and　opportunity。　It's　bad　enough　that　men　and　women　have　to　become　parts　of　the　machine　and　thus　lowered　in　dignity；　worth　and　achievement；　it　is　adding　cruelty　to　this　to　whitewash　windows；　prohibit　any　conversation　and　count　every　movement。　Before　you　may　expect　loyalty　you　must　deserve　it；　and　the　record　of　the　owners　of　industry　warrants　no　great　loyalty　on　the　part　of　their　employees。　Annoying　restrictions　are　more　than　injuries；　they　are　insults　to　the　self…feeling　of　the　worker　and　are　never　forgotten　or　forgiven。　That　a　nation　is　built　on　the　work　of　its　peopletheir　steadiness；　energy；　originality　and　intelligence；　is　trite。　That　anything　is　really　gained　by　huge　imports　and　exports　when　people　live　in　slums　and　have　their　creative　work　impulses　thwarted　is　not　my　idea　of　value。　Factories　are　necessary　to　a　large　production　and　a　large　population；　but　the　idea　of　quantity　seems　somehow　to　have　exercised　a　baleful　magic　on　the　minds　of　men。　England　became　〃great〃　through　its　mills；　and　its　working　people　were　starved　and　stunted；　body　and　soul。　Of　what　avail　are　our　Lawrences　and　Haverhills　when　we　learn　that　in　the　draft　examinations　the　mill　towns　showed　far　more　physical　defects；　tuberculosis　and　poor　nutrition　than　the　non…factory　towns？　Work　is　the　joy　of　life；　because　through　it　we　fulfill　purposes　of　achievement　and　usefulness。　Society　must　have　an　organization　to　fit　the　man　to　his　task　and　his　task　to　the　man；　it　must　organize　its　rewards　on　an　ethical　basis　and　must　find　the　way　to　eliminate　unnecessary　fatigue　and　monotony。　The　machine　which　increases　production　decreases　the　joy　of　work；　we　cannot　help　that；　therefore　society　must　at　least　add　other　rewards　to　the　labor　that　is　robbed　of　its　finest　recompense。　A　counsel　of　perfection！　The　sad　part　is　that　books　galore　are　written　about　the　ways　of　changing；　but　meanwhile　the　law　of　competition　and　〃progress〃　adds　machines　to　the　world；　still　further　enslaving　men　and　women。　We　cannot　do　without　machines；nor　can　we　do　without　free　men　and　women。　The　fact　is　that　competition　is　a　spur　to　production　and　to　industrial　malpractice；　since　the　generous　employer　must　adopt　the　tactics　of　his　competitors　whether　in　a　Southern　mill　town　or　in　Japan。　I　must　confess　to　a　feeling　of　disgust　when　I　read　preachments　on　the　joys　of　work；　on　consecrating　one's　self　to　one's　task。　I　can　do　that；　because　I　do　about　what　I　please　and　when　I　please；　and　so　do　you；　Mister　Preacher；　and　so　do　the　exceptional　and　the　able　and　the　fortunate　here　and　there　and　everywhere。　But　this　is　mathematically　and　socially　impossible　for　the　great　majority；　and　unless　a　plan　of　life　fits　that　majority　it　is　best　to　call　the　plan　what　it　is；an　aristocratic　creed；　meant　for　the　more　able　and　the　more　fortunate。

CHAPTER　XIII。　THE　QUALITIES　OF　THE　LEADER　AND　THE　FOLLOWER　The　social　group；　in　its　descent　from　the　herd；　has　become　an　intensely　competitive；　highly　cooperative　organization。　There　are　two　sets　of　qualities　essential　to　those　phases　of　society　that　concern　us　as　students　of　character。　Out　of　the　mass　there　come　the　leaders；　those　who　direct　and　organize　the　thought　and　action　of　the　group。　The　leader；　in　no　matter　what　sphere　he　operates；　excels　in　some　quality：　strength；　courage；　audacity；　wisdom；　organizing　ability；　eloquence；or　in　pretension　to　that　quality。　The　leader　is　a　high　variable　and　somehow　is　endowed　with　more　of　a　desired　or　desirable　character　than　others。　As　fighter；　thinker　or　preacher　he　has　made　the　history　of　man。　A　dozen　million　common　men　did　not　invent　the　wheel；　it　was　one　aboriginal　genius　who　played　with　power　and　saw　that　the　rolling　log　might　transport　his　goods。　The　shadow　may　have　interested　in　a　mild　way　every　contemporary　and　ancestor　of　the　one　who　discovered　that　it　moved　regularly　with　the　sun。　And　when　a　group　is　confronted　by　an　unknown　danger；　it　is　not　the　half…courage　of　the　crowd　that　adds　up　to　bravery　and　fearless　fighting　spirit；　it　is　the　one　man　who　responds　to　the　challenge　with　courage　and　sagacity　who　inspires　the　rest　with　a　similar　feeling。　The　leaders　of　the　world　stand　on　each　other's　shoulders；　and　not　on　the　shoulders　of　the　common　man。　Democracy　does　not　lie　in　an　equal　estimate　of　men's　abilities　and　worth；　it　is　in　the　recognition　that　the　true　aristocrat　or　leader　may　arise　anywhere；　that　he　must　be　allowed　to　develop；　no　matter　who　his　ancestors　and　what　his　sex　or　color　may　be；　and　that　he　has　no　privileges　but　those　of　service　and　leadership。　The　leadership　qualities　will　always　be　determined　by　the　character　of　the　group　that　is　to　be　led　and　the　task　to　be　performed。　Obviously　he　who　is　to　lead　a　warrior　group　of　small　numbers　in　a　fray　needs　be　agile；　quick　of　mind；　strong　and　fearless；　whereas　a　general　who　sits　in　a　chair　at　a　desk　ten　miles　from　the　fighting　front　and　controls　a　million　men　fighting　with　airships；　guns　and　bayonets　must　be　a　technical　engineer　of　executive　ability　and　experience。　The　leader　whose　task　is　to　exhort　a　group　into　some　plan　of　actionthe　politician；　the　popular　speakerneeds　mainly　to　appeal　to　the　sympathies　and　stir　the　emotions　of　his　group；　his　desire　to　please　must　be　efficiently　yoked　with　qualities　that　please　his　group；　and　those　qualities　will　not　be　the　same　for　a　group　of　East　Side　immigrants　as　for　a　select　Fifth　Avenue　assemblage。　In　the　one　instance　an　uncouth；　unrestrained　passion；　fiercely　emphasized；　and　a　bold　declaration　of　ideals　of　an　altruistic　type　will　be　necessary；　in　the　second　all　that　will　be　ridiculous；　but　passion　hinted　at　with　suave　polished　speech　and　a　careful　outline　of　practical　plans　are　essential。　The　labor　leader；　the　leader　of　a　capitalist　group；　will　be　different　in　many　qualities；　but　they　will　be　alike　in　their　vigor　and　energy　of　purpose；　in　their　aggressive　fighting　spirit；　their　proneness　to　anger　at　opposition　but　controlled　when　necessary　by　tact　and　diplomacy。　They　will　impress　the　group　they　lead　as　being　sincere；　honest；　able；　knowing　how　to　plan；　choose　and　fight。　These　last　three　qualities　are　those　which　the　members　of　the　group　demand；　the　leader　must　know　how　to　plan；　choose　and　fight　for　them。　Nor；　if　he　is　to　succeed　easily；　must　he　be　too　idealistic；　he　must　not　seek　too　distant　purposes；　the　group　must　understand　him；　and　though　he　must　keep　them　in　some　awe　and　fear　of　him；　yet　must　they　feel　that　he　represents　an　understandable　ideal。　The　leader　who　preaches　things　out　of　comprehension　arouses　the　kind　of　opposition　which　finally　crucifies　him。　The　leader　must　feel　superiority　to　his　group；　and　whether　he　proclaims　it　or　not；　he　usually　does。　Now　and　then　he　is　a　cold；　careful　planner；　an　actor　of　emotions　he　does　not　feel；　a　cynic　playing　on　passions　and　ideals　he　does　not　share。　Usually　he　is　deeply　emotional；　sometimes　deeply　intellectual；　but　not　often；　generally　he　has　his　ears　to　the　ground　and　listens　for　the　stir　that　tells　the　way　men　wish　to　be　led。　Then　he　mounts　his　horse；　literally　or　figuratively；　brandishes　his　sword　and　shouts　his　commands。　A　leader　springs　up　in　every　group；　under　almost　all　kinds　of　circumstances。　Let　ten　men　start　out　for　a　walk；　and　in　ten　minutes　one　of　them；　for　some　reason　or　another；　is　giving　the　orders；　is　choosing　and　commanding。　Often　enough　the　leadership　falls　to　social　rank　and　standing　rather　than　to　leadership　qualities。