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rdance with the strength and vigor of its social instincts and in accordance with its fear of punishment and desire for reward。 The feelings of duty and the prickings of conscience serve to consolidate a structure already formed。 Here we must discuss a matter of fundamental importance in character analysis。 Men are not born equal in any respect。 This inequality extends to every power； possibility and peculiarity and has its widest range in the mental and character life。 A tall man is perhaps a foot taller than a very short man； a giant is perhaps twice as tall as a dwarf。 A very fleet runner can 〃do〃 a hundred yards in ten seconds； and there are few except the crippled or aged who cannot run the distance in twenty seconds。 Only in the fables has the hero the strength of a dozen men。 But where dexterity or knowledge enters things become different； and one man can do what the most of men cannot even prepare to do。 Where abstract thought or talent or genius is involved the greatest human variability is seen。 There we have Pascals who are mathematicians at five and discoverers at sixteen； there we have Mozarts； composers at three； there we have our inspired boy preachers already consecrated to their great ideal of work； and we have also our Jesse Pomeroys； fiendish murderers before adolescence。 I believe with Carlyle that it is the heroes； the geniuses of the race； to whom we owe its achievements； and the hero and the genius are the men and women of 〃greatest variability〃 in powers。 The first weapon； the starting of fire； the song that became 〃a folk song〃 were created by the prehistoric geniuses and became the social heritage of the group or race。 And 〃common man〃 did little to develop religions or even superstitions； he merely accepted the belief of a leader。 This digression is to emphasize that children and the men and women they grow to be are widely variable in their native social feeling； in their response to praise； blame； reward and punishmept。 One child eagerly responds to all； is moved by praise； loves reward； fears punishment and hates blame。 Another child responds mainly to reward； is but little moved by praise； fears punishment and laughs at blame。 Still another only fears punishment； while there is a type of deeply antisocial nature which goes his own way； seeking his own egoistic purposes； uninfluenced by the opinion of others； accepting reward cynically and fighting against punishment。 More than that； each child shows peculiarities in the types of praise； reward； blame and punishment that move him。 Some children need corporal punishment＇1＇ and others who are made rebels by it are melted into conformity by ostracism。 ＇1＇ It is a wishy…washy ideal of teaching that regards pain as equivalent to cruelty。 On the contrary； it may be real cruelty to spare pain；cruelty to the future of the child。 Pain is a great teacher； whether inflicted by the knife one has been told not to play with； or by the parent when the injunction not to play with the knife has been disregarded。
The distribution of praise and blame constitutes the distribution of public opinion。 Wherever public opinion is free to exercise its power it is a weapon of extraordinary potency before which almost nothing can stand。 One might define a free nation as one where public opinion has no limits；＇1＇ where no one is prevented from the expression of belief about the action of others； and no one is exempted from the pressure of opinion。 Conversely an autocracy is one where there is but little room for the public use of praise and but little power to blame； especially in regard to the rulers。 But in all societies； whether free or otherwise； people are constantly praising； constantly blaming one another； whether over the teacups or the wine glasses； in the sewing circle or the smoking rooms； in the midst of families； in the press； in the great halls of the states and nations。 These are 〃the mallets〃 by which society beats or attempts to beat individuals into the accepted shape。 ＇1＇ In fact； Oliver Wendell Holmes has defined as the great object of human society the free growth and expression of human thought。 How far we are from that ideal！
Men and women and children all strive to be praised； if not by their own group； by some other group or by some generation。 It is； therefore； a high achievement to introduce a new ideal of character and personality to the group。 Menwhose opinion as to desirability and praiseworthiness has been the prepotent opinionlove best of all beauty in woman。 Therefore； the ideal of beauty as an achievement is a leading factor in the character formation of most girls and young women。 The first question girls ask about one another is； 〃Is she pretty？〃 and in their criticism of one another the personal appearance is the first and most； important subject discussed。 A personal beauty ideal has little value to the character； in fact； it tends to exaggerate vanity and triviality and selfishness； it leads away from the higher aspects of reality。 If you ask the majority of women which would they rather be； very beautiful or very intelligent； most will say without question （in their frank moments） that they would rather be very beautiful。 Those who are attempting to introduce the ideal of intelligence as a goal to women need of course to balance it with other ideals； but if successful they will revolutionize the attitude of women toward life and change the trend of their character。 Such ideals as beauty and wealth； however； do not acquire their imperativeness unless at the same time they gratify some deep…seated group of desires or instincts。 Wealth gives too many things to catalogue here； but fundamentally it gives power； and so beauty which may lead to wealth is always a source of power； although this power carries with it danger to the owner。 Mankind has been praising unselfishness for thousands of years； and all men hate to be called selfish； but selfishness still rules in the lives of most of the people of the world。 Chastity and continence receive the praise of the religious of the world； as well as of the ascetic…minded of all types； yet the majority of men； in theory accepting this ideal； reject it in practice。 Selfishness leads to self…gratification and pleasure； chastity imposes a burden on desire； and praise and blame are in this instance not powerful enough to control mankind's acts； though powerful enough to influence them。 Wherever social pressure and education influence men and women to conduct which is contrary to the gratification of fundamental desires； it causes an uneasiness； an unhappiness and discomfort upon which Graham Wallas＇1＇ has laid great stress as the balked desire。 The history of man is made up of the struggle of normal instincts； emotions and purposes against the mistaken inhibitions and prohibitions； against mistaken praise and blame； reward and punishment。 Moral and ethical ideals develop institutions； and these often press too heavily upon the life and activities of those who accept them as authoritative。 ＇1＇ See his book 〃The Great Society〃 for a fine discussion of this important matter。
We have spoken as if praise and blame invariably had the same results。 On the contrary； though in general they tend to bring about uniformity and conformity； people vary remarkably from one another in their reaction and the same person is not uniform in his reactions。 The reaction to praise is on the whole an increased happiness and vigor； but of course it may； when undeserved； demoralize the character and lead to a foolish vanity and to inefficiency。 To those whose conscience is highly developed； undeserved praise is painful in that it leads to a feeling that one is deceiving others。 Speaking broadly； this is a rare reaction。 Most people accept praise as their due； just as they attribute success to their merits。＇1＇ The reaction to blame may be anger； if the blame is felt to be undeserved； and there are people of irritable ego who respond in this way to all blame or even the hint of adverse criticism。 The reaction may be humiliation and lowered self…valuation； greatly deenergizing the character and lowering efficiency。 There； again； though this reaction occurs in some degree to all； others are so constituted that all criticism or bla