the foundations of personality-第13节

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with　mental　pain；　men　seek　relief　or　pleasure　or　both　by　alcohol；　drugs；　sensual　pleasures　of　all　kinds；　and　that　the　secret　explanation　of　all　such　habits　is　that　they　offer　compensation　for　some　pain　and　are　turned　to　at　such　times。　What　one　man　seeks　in　work；　another　man　seeks　in　religion；　another　finds　in　self…flagellation；　and　still　others　seek　in　alcohol；　morphine；　sexual　excesses；　etc。　With　the　increasing　excitement　and　tension　of　our　times　there　is　a　constant　search　for　relief；　and　here　is　the　origin　of　much　of　the　smoking。　Most　men　find　in　the　deliberate　puff；　in　the　slow　inhalation　and　in　the　prolonged　exhalation　with　the　formation　of　the　white　cloud　of　smoke；　a　shifting　of　consciousness　from　the　major　businesses　of　their　mind；　from　a　constant　tension　to　a　minor　business　not　requiring　concentration　and　thereby　breaking　up　in　a　pleasurable；　rhythmic　fashion　the　sense　of　effort。　When　one　is　alone　the　fatigue　and　even　the　pain　of　one's　thinking　is　relieved　by　shifting　the　attention　to　the　smoking。　Keeping　one's　attention　at　a　high　and　constant　pitch　is　apt　to　produce　a　restless　fatigue　and　this　is　often　offset　to　the　smoker　by　his　habit。　Excessive　smoking　may　cause　〃nervousness〃　but　as　a　matter　of　fact　it　is　more　often　a　means　by　which　the　excessively　nervous　try　to　relieve　themselves。　Of　course　it　is　not　good　therapeutics　under　such　conditions；　but　I　believe　that　in　moderation　smoking　does　no　harm　and　is　an　innocent　pleasure。　Some　of　the　pathological　motor　habits；　such　as　the　tics；　often　have　a　curious　background。　The　most　common　tics　are　snuffing；　blinking；　shaking　of　the　head；　facial　contortions　of　one　kind　or　another。　These　arise　usually　under　exciting　conditions　or　in　the　excitable；　sometimes　in　the　acutely　self…conscious。　Frequently　they　represent　a　motor　outlet　for　this　excitement；　they　are　the　motor　analogues　of　crying；　shouting；　laughing；　etc。　（Indeed；　a　common　habit　is　the　one　so　frequently　heard；a　little　laugh　when　there　is　no　feeling　of　merriment　and　no　occasion　for　it。）　Motor　activity　discharges　tension　and　is　pleasurable　and　these　tics　furnish　a　momentary　pleasure；　they　relieve　a　feeling　that　some　of　the　victims　compare　to　an　itch　and　the　habit　thus　is　based　on　a　seeking　of　relief；　even　though　that　relief　is　obtained　in　a　way　that　distresses　the　more　settled　purposes　of　the　individual。　In　the　establishment　of　good　habits；　those　desirable　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　important　issues　of　life；　training　is　of　course　essential。　But　in　the　training　of　children；　certain　things　must　be　kept　in　mind：　the　usefulness；　the　practical　value　must　be　presented　to　the　child's　mind　in　a　way　he　can　understand；　or　else　various　ways　of　energizing　him　to　help　in　the　formation　of　the　habit　must　be　usedpraise　and　blame；　reward　and　punishment。　Further；　these　habits　are　not　to　be　held　holy；　cleanliness　and　method　are　desirable　acquisitions　but　not　so　desirable　as　a　feeling　of　freedom　to　play　and　experiment　with　life　and　things。　If　the　child　is　constantly　worried　lest　he　get　too　dirty；　or　fears　to　play　in　his　room　because　he　may　disorder　it；　he　is　forming　the　good　habits　of　cleanliness　and　method　but　also　the　worse　one　of　worry。　In　the　breaking　of　a　bad　habit；　its　root　in　desire　and　difficulty　must　be　discovered。　Often　enough　a　man　does　not　face　the　source　of　his　trouble；　preferring　not　to。　I　am　not　at　all　sure　that　it　is　best　in　all　cases　for　a　man　to　know　his　own　weakness；　in　fact；　I　feel　convinced　to　the　contrary　in　some　cases。　But　in　the　majority　of　difficulties；　self…revelation　is　salutary　and　makes　an　intelligent　coping　with　the　situation　possible。　Here　is　the　value　of　the　good　friend；　the　respected　pastor；　the　wise　doctor。　The　human　being　will　always　need　a　confessor　and　a　confidante；　and　he　who　is　struggling　with　a　habit　is　in　utmost　need　of　such　help。　Shall　the　struggler　with　a　bad　habit　break　it　with　its　thralldom？　Shall　he　say　to　his　chains；　〃From　this　time；　nevermore！〃　To　some　men　it　is　given　to　win　the　victory　this　way；　to　rise　to　the　heights　of　a　stubborn　resolution　and　to　be　free。　But　not　to　many　is　this　possible。　To　others　there　is　a　long　history　of　repeated　effort　and　repeated　failures　and　thenone　day　there　comes　a　feeling　of　power；　perhaps　through　a　great　love；　a　great　cause；　a　sermon　heard；　a　chance　sentence；　or　a　bitter　experience；　and　then；　like　a　religious　conversion；　the　tracks　of　the　old　habit　are　obliterated；　never　to　be　used　again。　I　have　in　mind　two　men；　both　heavy　drinkers　but　differing　in　everything　else。　One　was　a　philosopher　who　saw　the　world　in　that　dreadful；　clear　white　light　of　which　Jack　London＇1＇　spoke；　that　light　which　leaves　no　cozy；　pleasant　obscurities；　in　which　Truth；　the　naked；　is　horrible　to　look　at；　when　life　seems　too　unreal；　when　purposes　seem　most　futile。　At　such　times　he　would　get　drunk　and　be　happy　for　the　time　being；　and　afterwards　find　himself　bitterly　repentant；　though　even　that　was　a　pleasure　compared　to　the　hollow　world　in　which　his　sober　self　dwelt。　Then　one　day；　when　all　his　friends　had　given　him　up　as　hopeless；　as　destined　for　disaster；　he　read　a　book。　〃The　Varieties　of　Religious　Experience；〃　by　William　James；　came　to　him　as　a　clear　light　comes　to　a　man　lost　in　the　darkness；　he　saw　himself　as　a　〃sick　soul；〃　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　saw　life　relentlessly　and　clearly。　There　came　to　him　the　conviction　that　he　had　been　arrogant；　a　conceited　ass；　bent　on　ruin；　〃a　sickly　soul；〃　he　said。　Out　of　that　realization　grew　resolutions　that　needed　no　vowing　or　pledging；　for　as　simply　as　a　man　turns　from　one　road　to　another　he　turned　from　his　habit　into　healthy…minded　work。　＇1＇　Jack　London's　〃John　Barleycorn。〃

The　other　was　an　essentially　healthy…minded　man　but　he　loved　joviality；　freedom　and　good　fellowship。　Without　ever　knowing　how　he　came　to　it；　he　found　himself　a　confirmed　drinker；　holding　an　inferior　place；　passed　by　men　of　lesser　caliber。　He　struggled　fitfully　but　always　slipped　when　the　next　〃good　fellow〃　slapped　him　on　the　back　and　invited　him　to　have　a　drink。　One　day　he　stepped　out　of　a　barroom　with　a　group　of　his　cronies；　and　though　he　walked　straight　there　was　a　reckless；　happy　feeling　in　him　that　pushed　him　on　to　his　folly。　A　young　lady　standing　on　a　street　corner　waiting　for　a　car　caught　his　eye。　Signaling　to　his　companions；　he　walked　up　to　her；　put　his　arms　around　her　and　kissed　her。　The　girl　stood　as　if　petrified；　then　she　pushed　him　off　and　looked　him　up　and　down　deliberately　with　cold　scorn　in　her　eyes。　Then　she　took　off　her　glove　and　slapped　him　across　the　face　with　it；　as　if　disdaining　to　use　her　hand。　With　that　she　walked　away。　The　man　was　a　gentleman；　and　he　stood　there　stricken。　The　laugh　of　his　companions　aroused　him。　He　saw　them　as　if　they　were　himself；　with　a　horror　and　disgust　that　made　him　suddenly　run　away　from　them。　〃From　that　moment　I　never　again　had　the　slightest　desire　for　drink。　The　slap　sobered　me　for　good。〃　While　these　conversions　occur　now　and　then　there　are　certain　practical　points　in　the　breaking　of　a　habit　that　need　attention　in　each　case。　In　the　first　place　it　is　best　in　the　majority　of　instances　to　avoid　the　particular　stimuli　and　associations　that　set　off　the　habit。　The　stimulus　is　a　kind　of　trigger；　pull　it　and　the　habit　can　hardly　be　checked。　Whatever　the　situation　is　that　acts　as　the　temptation；　avoid　it。　Not　for　nothing　do　men　pray；　〃Lead　us　not　into　temptation。〃　The　will　needs　no　such　exercise　and　rarely　stands　up　well　against　such　strain。　This　may　mean　a　removal　for　the　time　being　from　the　source　of　temptation；　a　flying　away　to　gain　strength。　Further；　a　substitution　of　habit；　of　purpose；　is　necessary。　Some　line　of　activities　must　be　selected　to　fill　in　the　vacuum。　A　hobby　is　needed；　a　devotion　to　some　larger　purpose；　whether　it　be　in　work　or　social　activity。　〃Nature　abhors　a　vacuum〃；　boredom　must　be　avoided；　for　that　is　a　pain；　awakening　desire。　The　gymnasium；　golf；　sports　of　all　kinds　are　substitute　pleasures　of　great　value。　Third；　harness　a　friend；　a　superior　or　a　respected　equal　to　the　yoke　with　you。　Pull　double　harness；　let　him　lend　his　strength　to　yours。　Throw　away　pride；　confess　and　receive　new　energy　from　his　sympathy　and　wisdom。　If　you　are　lucky　enough　to　have　such　a　friend；　or　some　wise　counselor；　thank　God　for　him。　For　here　is　where　the　true　friend　finds　his　highest　value。　In　the　analysis　of　any　character　the　question　of　the　kind　of　habits　formed　demands　attention。　Since　almost　all　traits　become　matters　of　habit；　such　an　inquiry　would　sooner　or　later　lead　to　a　catalogue　of　qualities。　What　is　here　pertinent　is　this；that　one　might　inquire　into　the　kind　of　habits　that　are　easily　formed　by　the　individual　and　the　kind　that　are　not。　Habits　fall　into　groups　such　as　these：　1。　Relating　to　care　of　the　body：　cleanliness；　diet；　exercise；　bowel　function；　sleep。　Here　we　learn　about　personal　tidiness　or　the　reverse；　foppery；　dandyism；　gluttony；　asceticism；　etc。　2。　Relating　to　method；　efficiency；　neatness　in　work：　some　people　find　it　almost　impossible　to　become　methodical　or　neat；　others　become　obsessed　by　these　qualities　to　the　exclusion　of　mobility。　3。　Relating　to　the　pursuit　of　pleasure：　type　of　pleasure　sought；　time　given　to　it；　hobbies。　4。　Relating　to　special　habits：　alcohol；　tobacco；　drugs；　sex　perversions。　5。　Relating　to　study　and　advancement：　l