01-what is man-第3章
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force a timid and peaceful man to
O。M。 Go to war？ Yespublic opinion can force some men to
do ANYTHING。
Y。M。 ANYTHING？
O。M。 Yesanything。
Y。M。 I don't believe that。 Can it force a right…principled
man to do a wrong thing？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Can it force a kind man to do a cruel thing？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Give an instance。
O。M。 Alexander Hamilton was a conspicuously high…principled
man。 He regarded dueling as wrong； and as opposed to the
teachings of religionbut in deference to PUBLIC OPINION he
fought a duel。 He deeply loved his family； but to buy public
approval he treacherously deserted them and threw his life away；
ungenerously leaving them to lifelong sorrow in order that he
might stand well with a foolish world。 In the then condition of
the public standards of honor he could not have been comfortable
with the stigma upon him of having refused to fight。 The
teachings of religion； his devotion to his family； his kindness
of heart； his high principles； all went for nothing when they
stood in the way of his spiritual comfort。 A man will do
ANYTHING； no matter what it is； TO SECURE HIS SPIRITUAL COMFORT；
and he can neither be forced nor persuaded to any act which has
not that goal for its object。 Hamilton's act was compelled by
the inborn necessity of contenting his own spirit； in this it was
like all the other acts of his life； and like all the acts of all
men's lives。 Do you see where the kernel of the matter lies？ A
man cannot be comfortable without HIS OWN approval。 He will
secure the largest share possible of that； at all costs； all
sacrifices。
Y。M。 A minute ago you said Hamilton fought that duel to get
PUBLIC approval。
O。M。 I did。 By refusing to fight the duel he would have
secured his family's approval and a large share of his own； but
the public approval was more valuable in his eyes than all other
approvals put togetherin the earth or above it； to secure that
would furnish him the MOST comfort of mind； the most SELF…
approval； so he sacrificed all other values to get it。
Y。M。 Some noble souls have refused to fight duels； and have
manfully braved the public contempt。
O。M。 They acted ACCORDING TO THEIR MAKE。 They valued their
principles and the approval of their families ABOVE the public
approval。 They took the thing they valued MOST and let the rest
go。 They took what would give them the LARGEST share of PERSONAL
CONTENTMENT AND APPROVALa man ALWAYS does。 Public opinion
cannot force that kind of men to go to the wars。 When they go it
is for other reasons。 Other spirit…contenting reasons。
Y。M。 Always spirit…contenting reasons？
O。M。 There are no others。
Y。M。 When a man sacrifices his life to save a little child
from a burning building； what do you call that？
O。M。 When he does it； it is the law of HIS make。 HE can't
bear to see the child in that peril （a man of a different make
COULD）； and so he tries to save the child； and loses his life。
But he has got what he was afterHIS OWN APPROVAL。
Y。M。 What do you call Love； Hate； Charity； Revenge；
Humanity； Magnanimity； Forgiveness？
O。M。 Different results of the one Master Impulse： the
necessity of securing one's self approval。 They wear diverse
clothes and are subject to diverse moods； but in whatsoever ways
they masquerade they are the SAME PERSON all the time。 To change
the figure； the COMPULSION that moves a manand there is but the
oneis the necessity of securing the contentment of his own
spirit。 When it stops； the man is dead。
Y。M。 That is foolishness。 Love
O。M。 Why； love is that impulse； that law； in its most
uncompromising form。 It will squander life and everything else
on its object。 Not PRIMARILY for the object's sake； but for ITS
OWN。 When its object is happy IT is happyand that is what it
is unconsciously after。
Y。M。 You do not even except the lofty and gracious passion
of mother…love？
O。M。 No； IT is the absolute slave of that law。 The mother
will go naked to clothe her child； she will starve that it may
have food； suffer torture to save it from pain； die that it may
live。 She takes a living PLEASURE in making these sacrifices。
SHE DOES IT FOR THAT REWARDthat self…approval； that
contentment； that peace； that comfort。 SHE WOULD DO IT FOR YOUR
CHILD IF SHE COULD GET THE SAME PAY。
Y。M。 This is an infernal philosophy of yours。
O。M。 It isn't a philosophy； it is a fact。
Y。M。 Of course you must admit that there are some acts which
O。M。 No。 There is NO act； large or small； fine or mean；
which springs from any motive but the onethe necessity of
appeasing and contenting one's own spirit。
Y。M。 The world's philanthropists
O。M。 I honor them； I uncover my head to themfrom habit
and training； and THEY could not know comfort or happiness or
self…approval if they did not work and spend for the unfortunate。
It makes THEM happy to see others happy； and so with money and
labor they buy what they are afterHAPPINESS； SELF…APPROVAL。
Why don't miners do the same thing？ Because they can get a
thousandfold more happiness by NOT doing it。 There is no
other reason。 They follow the law of their make。
Y。M。 What do you say of duty for duty's sake？
O。M。 That IS DOES NOT EXIST。 Duties are not performed for
duty's SAKE； but because their NEGLECT would make the man
UNCOMFORTABLE。 A man performs but ONE dutythe duty of
contenting his spirit； the duty of making himself agreeable to
himself。 If he can most satisfyingly perform this sole and only
duty by HELPING his neighbor； he will do it； if he can most
satisfyingly perform it by SWINDLING his neighbor； he will do it。
But he always looks out for Number OneFIRST； the effects upon
others are a SECONDARY matter。 Men pretend to self…sacrifices；
but this is a thing which； in the ordinary value of the phrase；
DOES NOT EXIST AND HAS NOT EXISTED。 A man often honestly THINKS
he is sacrificing himself merely and solely for some one else；
but he is deceived； his bottom impulse is to content a
requirement of his nature and training； and thus acquire peace
for his soul。
Y。M。 Apparently； then； all men； both good and bad ones；
devote their lives to contenting their consciences。
O。M。 Yes。 That is a good enough name for it： Conscience
that independent Sovereign； that insolent absolute Monarch inside
of a man who is the man's Master。 There are all kinds of
consciences； because there are all kinds of men。 You satisfy an
assassin's conscience in one way； a philanthropist's in another；
a miser's in another； a burglar's in still another。 As a GUIDE
or INCENTIVE to any authoritatively prescribed line of morals or
conduct （leaving TRAINING out of the account）； a man's conscience
is totally valueless。 I know a kind…hearted Kentuckian whose
self…approval was lackingwhose conscience was troubling him； to
phrase it with exactnessBECAUSE HE HAD NEGLECTED TO KILL A
CERTAIN MANa man whom he had never seen。 The stranger had
killed this man's friend in a fight； this man's Kentucky training
made it a duty to kill the stranger for it。 He neglected his
dutykept dodging it； shirking it； putting it off； and his
unrelenting conscience kept persecuting him for this conduct。 At
last； to get ease of mind； comfort； self…approval； he hunted up
the stranger and took his life。 It was an immense act of SELF…
SACRIFICE （as per the usual definition）； for he did not want to
do it； and he never would have done it if he could have bought a
contented spirit and an unworried mind at smaller cost。 But we
are so made that we will pay ANYTHING for that contentmenteven
another man's life。
Y。M。 You spoke a moment ago of TRAINED consciences。 You mean
that we are not BORN with consciences competent to guide us aright？
O。M。 If we were； children and savages would know right from wrong；
and not have to be taught it。
Y。M。 But consciences can be TRAINED？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 Of course by parents； teachers； the pulpit； and books。
O。M。 Yesthey do their share； they do what they can。
Y。M。 And the rest is done by
O。M。 Oh； a million unnoticed influencesfor good or bad：
influences which work without rest during every waking moment of
a man's life； from cradle to grave。
Y。M。 You have tabulated these？
O。M。 Many of themyes。
Y。M。 Will you read me the result？
O。M。 Another time； yes。 It would take an hour。
Y。M。 A conscience can be trained to shun evil and prefer good？
O。M。 Yes。
Y。M。 But will it for spirit…contenting reasons only？
O。M。 It CAN'T be trained to do a thing for any OTHER reason。
The thing is impossible。
Y。M。 There MUST be a genuinely and utterly self…sacrificing
act recorded in human history somewhere。
O。M。 You are young。 You have many years before you。
Search one out。
Y。M。 It does seem to me that when a man sees a fellow…being
struggling in the water and jumps in at the risk of his life to
save him
O。M。 Wait。 Describe the MAN。 Describe the FELLOW…BEING。
State if there is an AUDIENCE present； or if they are ALONE。
Y。M。 What have these things to do with the splendid act？
O。M。 Very much。 Shall we suppose； as a beginning； that the
two are alone； in a solitary place； at midnight？
Y。M。 If you choose。
O。M。 And that the fellow…being is the man's daughter？
Y。M。 Well； n…nomake it someone else。
O。M。 A filthy； drunken ruffian； then？
Y。M。 I see。 Circumstances alter cases。 I suppose that if there
was no audience to observe the act； the man wouldn't perform it。
O。M。 But there is here and there a man who WOULD。 People；
for instance； like the man who lost his life trying to save the
child from the fire； and the man who gave the needy old woman his
twenty…five cents and walked home in the stormthere are here
and there men like that who would do it。 And why？ Because they
couldn't BEAR to see a fellow…being struggling in the water and
not jump in and help。 It would give THEM pain。 They would save
the fellow…being on that account。 THEY WOULDN'T DO IT OTHERWISE。
They strictly obey the law which I have been insisting upon。 You
must remember and always distinguish the people who CAN'T BEAR
things from people who CAN。 It will throw light upon a number of
apparently 〃self…sacrificing〃 cases。
Y。M。 Oh； dear； it's all so disgusting。
O。M。 Yes。 And so true。
Y。M。 Cometake the good boy who does things he doesn't
want to do； in order to gratify his mother。
O。M。 He does seven…tenths of the act because it gratifies
HIM to gratify his mother。 Throw the bulk of advantage the other
way and the good boy would not do the act。 He MUST obey the iron
law。 None can escape it。
Y。M。 Well； take the case of a bad boy who
O。M。
