the foundations of personality-第47章

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crude　kind　is　very　variable　both　in　force；　time　of　appearance　and　reaction　to　discipline　and　unquestionably　arises　from　the　changes　in　the　sex　organs。　Both　to　enhance　and　repress　it　are　aims　of　the　culture　and　custom　of　each　group；　and　the　lower　groups　have　given　actual　sexual　intercourse　a　mystical　supernatural　value　that　has　at　times　and　in　various　places　raised　it　into　the　basis　of　cults　and　religions。　Repressed；　hampered；　canalized；　forbidden；　the　sex　impulses　have　profoundly　modified　clothes；　art；　religion；　morals　and　philosophy。　The　sex　customs　of　any　nation　demonstrate　the　extreme　plasticity　of　human　desires　and　the　various　twists；　turns　and　customs　that　tradition　declares　holy。　There　have　been　whole　groups　of　people　that　have　deemed　any　sexual　pleasure　unholy；　and　the　great　religions　still　deem　it　necessary　for　their　leaders　to　be　continent。　And　the　absurdities　of　modesty；　a　modified　sex　impulse；　have　made　it　immoral　for　a　woman　to　show　her　leg　above　the　calf　while　in　her　street　clothes；＇1＇　though　she　may　wear　a　bathing　suit　without　reproach。　＇1＇　This　is；　of　course；　not　quite　so　true　in　1921　as　in　1910。

Whatever　a　desire　is　basically；　it　tends　quickly　to　organize　itself　in　character。　It　gathers　to　itself　emotions；　sentiments；　intelligence；　it　plans　and　it　wills；　it　battles　against　other　desires。　I　say　IT；　as　if　the　desire　were　an　entity；　a　personality；　but　what　I　mean　is　that　the　somatic　and　cerebral　activities　of　a　desire　become　so　organized　as　to　operate　as　a　unit。　A　permanent　excitability　of　these　nervous　centers　as　a　unit　is　engendered；　and　these　are　easily　aroused　either　by　a　stimulus　from　the　body　or　from　without。　Thus　the　sex　impulse　arises　directly　from　tensions　within　the　sex　organs　but　is　built　up　and　elaborated　by　approval　of　and　admiration　for　beauty；　strength　and　intelligence；　by　the　desire　for　possession　and　mastery；　by　competitive　feeling；　until　it　may　become　drawn　out　into　the　elaborate　purpose　of　marriage　or　the　family。　What　is　the　ego　that　desires　and　plans？　I　do　not　know；　but　if　it　is　in　any　part　a　metaphysical　entity　of　permanent　nature　in　so　far　it　does　not　become　the　subject　matter　of　this　book。　For　as　a　metaphysical　entity　it　is　uncontrollable；　and　the　object　of　science　is　to　discover　and　utilize　the　controllable　elements　of　the　world。　I　may　point　out　that　even　those　philosophers　and　theologians　to　whom　the　ego　is　an　entity　of　supernatural　origin　deny　their　own　standpoint　every　time　they　seek　to　convince；　persuade　or　force　the　ego　of　some　one　to　a　new　belief　or　new　line　of　action；　deny　it　every　time　they　say；　〃I　am　tired　and　I　shall　rest；　then　I　shall　think　better　and　can　plan　better。〃　Such　a　philosopher　says　in　essence；　〃I　have　an　entity　within　me　totally　and　incommensurably　different　from　my　body；〃　and　then　he　goes　on　to　prove　that　this　entity　operates　better　when　the　body　is　rested　and　fed　than　otherwise！　For　us　the　ego　is　a　built…up　structure　and　has　its　evolution　from　the　diffuse　state　of　early　infancy　to　the　intense；　well…defined　state　of　maturity；　it　is　elaborated　by　a　process　that　is　in　part　due　to　the　environment；　in　part　to　the　inherent　structure　of　man。　We　may　postulate　a　continuous　excitement　of　nerve　centers　as　its　basis；　and　this　excitement　cognizes　other　excitement　in　some　mysterious　manner；　but　no　more　mysterious　than　life；　instinct　or　intelligence　are。　These　excitements　struggle　for　the　possession　of　an　outlet　in　action；　and　this　is　what　we　call　competing　desires；　struggle　against　temptation；　etc。　Sometimes　one　desire　is　identified　with　the　ego　as　part　of　itself；　sometimes　the　desire　is　contrasted　with　the　ego　and　we　say；　〃I　struggled　with　the　desire　but　it　overcame　me。〃　Common　language　plainly　shows　the　plurality　of　the　personality；　even　though　the　man　on　the　street　thinks　of　himself　as　a　united　〃I；〃　even　an　invisible　〃I。〃　One　of　the　fundamental　desires；　nay　the　fundamental　desire；　is　the　expansion　of　the　self；　i。　e。；　increased　self…esteem。　When　the　infant　sprawls　in　his　basket　after　his　arrival　in　this　world；　it　is　doubtful　if　he　has　a　〃me〃　which　he　separates　from　the　〃non…me。〃　Yet　that　same　infant；　a　few　years　later；　and　through　the　rest　of　his　life；　believes　that　in　his　personality　resides　something　immortal；　and　has　as　his　prime　pleasure　the　feeling　of　worth　and　growth　of　that　personality；　and　as　his　worst　hurt　the　feeling　of　decay　and　inferiority　of　that　personality。　Let　us　watch　that　infant　as　it　sprawls　in　its　little　bed；　the　darling　of　a　pair　of　worshiping　parents。　In　that　relationship　the　child　is　no　solitary　individual；　society　is　there　already；　watching　him；　nourishing　and　teaching　him。　Already　he　is　in　the；　hands　of　his　group　who；　though　seeking　his　happiness；　are　nevertheless　determined　that　he　shall　obtain　it　their　way。　And　from　then　to　the　end　of　his　life　that　group　will　in　large　measure　offer　him　the　criteria　of　values；　and　his　self…esteem　will；　in　the　majority　of　cases；　rest　upon　his　idea　of　their　esteem　of　him。　In　the　brooding　mother；　in　the　tender　father　lie　dormant　all　the　judgments　of　the　time　on　the　conduct　and　guiding　motives　of　the　little　one。　The　baby　throws　his　arms　about；　kicks　his　legs；　rolls　his　eyes。　In　these　movements　arising　from　internal　activities　which；　we　can　only　state；　relate　to　vascular　distribution；　neuronic　relations；　visceral　and　endocrinic　activities；　is　the　germ　of　the　impulse　to　activity　which　it　is　the　function　of　society　and　the　individual　himself　to　shape　into　organized　useful　work。　Thus　is　manifested　a　native；　inherent；　potentiality；　which　we　may　call　the　energy　of　the　baby；　the　energy　of　man；　a　something　which　the　environment　shapes；　but　which　is　created　in　the　laboratory　of　the　individual。　The　father　and　mother　are　delighted　with　the　fine　vigorous　movements　of　the　child；　and　there　is　in　that　delight　the　approval　that　society　always　gives　or　tends　to　give　to　manifestations　of　power。　We　tend　involuntarily　to　admire　strength；　even　though　misdirected。　The　strong　man　always　has　followers　though　he　be　a　villain；　and　in　fact　the　history　of　man　is　to　a　large　extent　based　on　the　fact　that　the　strong　man　evokes　enthusiasm　and　obedience。　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　feeli