按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e reservation in her praise； and a successful business man admires the self…sacrificing scientist； albeit there is a little complacency in his approval。 He is truly generous…hearted who can admire his competitor。 I do not mean lip…admiration； through the fear of being held jealous。 Many a man joins in the praise of one who has outstripped him； with envy gnawing at his heart； and waits for the first note of criticism to get out the hammer。 〃He is very finebut〃 is the formula； and either through innuendo； insinuation or direct attack； the 〃subordinate〃 statement becomes the most sincere and significant。 But there are those who can admire their conqueror； not only through the masochism that lurks in all of us； but because they have lifted their ideal of achievement and character higher than their own possibilities and seek in others the perfection they cannot hope to have in themselves。 In other words； where competition is hopeless； in the presence of the greatly superior； a feeling of humility which is really admiration to the point of worship comes over us； and we can glory in the quality we love。 To admire is to recede the ego…feeling； is to feel oneself in an ecstasy that becomes mystical； and in that sense the contradiction arises that we feel ourselves larger in a unification with the admired one。 Each age； each country； each group and each family set up the objects and qualities for admiration； in a word； the ideals。 Out of these the individual selects his specialties in admiration； according to his nature and training。 All the world admires vigor； strength； courage and endurance；and these in their physical aspects。 The hero of all times has had these qualities： he is energetic； capable of feats beyond the power of others； is fearless and bears his ills with equanimity。 Beauty； especially in the woman； but also in man； has received an over…great share of homage； but here 〃tastes differ。〃 We have no difficulty in agreement on what constitutes strength； and we have objective tests for its measurement； but who can agree on beauty？ What one race prizes as its fairest is scorned by another race。 We laugh at the ideal of beauty of the Hottentot； and the physical peculiarity they praise most either disgusts or amuses us。 But what is there about a white skin more lovely than a black one； and why thrill over blue eyes and neglect the brown ones？ What is the rationale for the admiration of slimness as against stoutness？ Indeed； there are races who would turn with scorn from our slender debutante＇1＇ and worship their more buxom heavy…busted and wide…hipped beauties。 The only 〃rational〃 beauty in face and figure is that which stands as the outer mask of health； vigor； intelligence and normal procreative function。 The standards set up in each age and place usually arise from local pride； from the familiar type。 The Mongolian who finds beauty in his slanting…eyed； wide…cheek boned； yellow mate has as valid a sanction as the Anglo…Saxon who worships at the shrine of his wide…eyed； straight…nosed blonde。 ＇1＇ The peasant type； greatly admired by the agricultural folk of Central Europe； is stout and ruddy。 This is a better ideal of beauty than the lily…white； slender and dainty maid of the cultured； who very often can neither work nor bear and nurse children。
When we leave the physical qualities and pass to the mental we again find a lack of agreement as to the admirable。 All agree that intelligence is to be admired； but how shall that intelligence be manifested？ In practice； the major part of the world admires the intelligence that is financially and socially successful； and the rich and powerful have the greatest share of the world's praise。 Power； strength； and superiority command admiration； even from the unwilling； and the philosopher who stands aloof from the world and is without real strength finds himself admiring a crude； bustling fellow ordering men about。 True； we admire such acknowledged great intelligences as Plato； Galileo； Newton； Pascal； Darwin； etc。； but in reality only a fragment of the men and women of any country know anything at all about these men； and the admiration of most is an acceptance of the authority of others as to what it is proper to admire。 Genuine admiration is in proportion to the intelligence and idealism of the admirer。 And there are in this country a thousand intense admirers of Babe Ruth and his mighty baseball club to one who pours out his soul before the image of Pasteur。 You may know a man （or woman） not by his lip…homage； but by what he genuinely admires； by that which evokes his real enthusiasm and praise。 Judge by that and then note that the most constant admiration of the women of our country goes out to actresses； actors； professional beauties； with popular authors and lecturers a bad second； and that of the men is evoked by prize fighters； ball players and the rich。 No wonder the problems of the world find no solution； for it is only by fits and starts that men and women admire real intelligence and real ability。 The orator has more admirers than the thinker； and this is the curse of politics； the executive has more admirers than the research worker； and this is the bane of industry； the entertainer is more admired than the educator； and that is why Charlie Chaplin makes a million a year and President Eliot received only a few thousand。 The race and the nation has its generous enthusiasms and its bursts of admiration for the noble； but its real admiration it gives to those whom it best understands。 Fortunately the leaders of the race have more of generosity and fine admiration than have the mass they lead。 Left to itself； the mass of the race limits its hero…worship to the lesser； unworthy race of heroes。 The school histories； which should emphasize the admirable as well as point out the reverse； have played a poor role in education。 The hero they depict is the warrior； and they fire the hearts of the child with admiration and desire for emulation。 They say almost nothing of the great inventors； scientists and philanthropists。 The teaching of history should； above all； set up heroes for the child to study； admire and emulate。 〃When the half…gods go the gods arrive。〃 The stage of history as taught is cluttered with the tin…plate shedders of blood to the exclusion of the greater men。＇1＇ ＇1＇ Plutarch's Lives are an example of the praise and place given to the soldier and orator； and many a child； reading them； has burned to be an Alexander or a Caesar。 Wells' History； with all its defects； pushes the 〃conquerors〃 to their real place as enemies of the race。
When the object that confronts us is so superior； so vast； that we sink into insignificance； then admiration takes on a tinge of fear in the state or feeling of awe。 All men feel awe in the presence of strength and mystery； so that the concept of God is that most wrapped up with this emotion； and the ceremonies with which kings and institutions have been surrounded strike awe by their magnificence and mystery into the hearts of the governed。 We contemplate natural objects； such as mountains； mighty rivers and the oceans； with awe because we feel so little and puny in comparison； and we do not 〃enjoy〃 contemplating them because we hate to feel little。 Or else we grow familiar with them； and the awe disappears。 The popular and the familiar are never awe…full； and even death loses in dignity when one has dissected a few bodies。 So objects viewed by night or in gloom inspire awe； though seen by day they are stripped of mystery and interest。 To the adolescent boy； woman is a creature to be regarded with awe；beautiful； strangely powerful and mysterious。 To the grown…up man； enriched and disillusioned by a few experiences； woman； though still loved； is no longer worshiped。 Though the reverent spirit is admirable and poetic； it is not by itself socially valuable。 It has been played upon by every false prophet； every enslaving institution。 It prevents free inquiry； it says to science； 〃Do not inquire here。 They who believe do not investigate。 This is too holy a place for you。〃 We who believe in science deny that anything can be so holy that it can be cheapened by light； and we believe that face to face with the essential mysteries of life itself even the