the foundations of personality-第52节

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　more　specialized　it　becomes　the　less　each　man　creates　of　the　unit；　machine　or　ornament；　the　less　he　feels　of　achievement。　Go　into　a　cotton　mill　and　watch　the　machines　and　their　less　than　human　attendants　at　their　over…specialized　tasks。　Then　ask　how　such　workers　can　take　any　joy　in　work？　Let　us　say　they　are　paid　barely　enough　to　live　upon。　What　food　does　the　desire　for　achievement　receive？　What　feeds　the　love　of　the　concrete　finished　product　of　which　a　man　can　proudly　say；　〃I　did　it！〃　The　restlessness　of　this　thwarted　desire　is　back　of　much　of　that　social　restlessness　that　puzzles；　annoys　and　angers　the　better…to…do　of　the　world。　As　the　factory　system　develops；　as　〃efficiency〃　removes　more　and　more　of　the　interest　in　the　task；　social　unrest　will　correspondingly　increase。　One　of　the　great　problems　of　society　is　this：　How　are　we　to　maintain　or　increase　production　and　still　maintain　the　love　of　work？　To　solve　this　problem　will　take　more　than　the　efficiency　expert　who　works　in　the　interest　of　production　alone；　it　will　take　the　type　of　expert　who　seeks　to　increase　human　happiness。　Native　industry；　the　love　of　work　are　variables　of　importance。　No　matter　what　social　condition　we　evolve；　there　will　be　some　who　will　be　〃slackers；〃　who　will　regard　work　as　secondary　to　pleasure；　who　will　take　no　joy　or　pride　in　the　finished　product；　who　will　feel　no　loyalty　to　their　organization；　and　vice　versa；　there　will　be　those　working　under　the　most　adverse　conditions　who　will　identify　themselves；　their　wishes　and　purposes　with　〃the　job〃　and　the　product。　Nowhere　are　the　qualities　of　persistent　effort　and　interest　of　such　importance　as　in　industry；　and　nowhere　so　well　rewarded。　In　the　habits　of　efficiency　we　have　a　group　of　mechanically　performed　actions　and　stereotyped　reactions　essential　for　work。　Except　in　certain　high　kinds　of　work；　which　depend　upon　originality　and　initiative；　method；　neatness　and　exactness　are　essential。　〃Time　is　money〃　in　most　of　the　business　of　the　world；　in　fact　time　is　the　great　value；　since　in　it　life　operates。　The　unmethodical　and　untidy　waste　time　as　well　as　offend　the　esthetic　tastes；　as　well　as　directly　lose　material　and　information。　The　habits　in　this　sense　are　the　tools　of　industry；　though　exactness　may　be　defined　as　more　than　a　tool；　since　it　is　also　part　of　the　final　result。　He　whose　work…conscience　permits　him　to　be　inexact；　permits　himself　to　do　less　than　his　best　and　in　that　respect　cheats　and　steals。　The　work…conscience　is　as　variably　developed　as　any　other　type　of　conscience。　There　are　those　who　are　rogues　in　all　else　but　not　in　their　work。　They　will　not　turn　out　a　bad　piece　of　work　for　they　have　identified　the　best　in　them　with　their　work。　Contrariwise；　there　are　others　who　are　punctilious　in　all　other　phases　of　morality　who　are　slackers　of　an　easy　standard　in　their　work　efforts。　This　is　as　truly　a　double　standard　of　morals　as　anything　in　the　sex　sphere；and　as　disastrous。　There　is　on　every　second　wall　in　America　the　motto　typical　of　our　country；　〃Do　it　now！〃　To　it　could　be　added　a　much　better　one；　〃Do　it　well！〃　The　energy　of　work　and　its　promptness　are　only　valuable　when　controlled　by　an　ideal　of　service　and　thoroughness。　A　great　part　of　the　morals　of　the　world　is　neglected；　part　of　the　responsibility　is　not　felt；　in　that　a　code　of　work　is　yet　to　be　enunciated　in　an　authoritative　way。　I　would　have　it　shown　graphically　that　all　inefficiency　is　a　social　damage　with　a　boomerang　effect　on　the　inefficient　and　careless；　and　in　the　earliest　school；　teaching　the　need　of　thoroughness　would　be　emphasized。　Our　schools　are　tending　in　the　other　direction；　the　curriculum　has　become　so　extensive　that　superficiality　is　encouraged；　the　thorough　are　penalized；　and　〃to　get　away　with　it〃　is　the　motto　of　most　children　as　a　result。　In　an　ideal　community　every　man　and　woman　will　be　evaluated　as　to　intelligence　and　skill；　and　a　place　found　accordingly。　Since　we　live　a　few　centuries　too　soon　to　see　that　community；　since　jobs　are　given　out　on　a　sort　of　catch…as…catch…can　plan；　it　would　be　merely　a　counsel　of　perfection　to　urge　some　such　method。　Nevertheless　ambitious　parents；　whose　means　or　whose　self…sacrifice　enable　them　to　plan　careers　for　their　children；　should　take　into　solemn　account；　not　their　own　ambitions；　but　the　ability　of　the　child。　A　man　is　apt　to　see　in　his　son　his　second　self　and　to　plan　for　him　as　for　a　self　that　was　somehow　to　succeed　where　he　failed。　But　every　tub　in　the　ocean　of　human　life　must　navigate　on　its　own　bottom；　and　a　father's　wishes　will　not　make　a　poet　into　a　banker　or　a　fool　into　a　philosopher。　Nothing　is　so　disastrous　to　character　as　to　be　misplaced　in　work；　and　there　is　as　much　social　inefficiency　in　the　high…grade　man　in　the　low…grade　place　as　when　the　low…grade　man　occupies　a　high…grade　place。　We　have　no　means　of　discovering　originality；　imagination　or　special　ability　in　our　present…day　psychological　tests；　and　we　cannot　measure　intensity　of　purpose；　courage　and　the　quality　of　interest。　Yet　watching　a　child　through　its　childhood　and　its　adolescence　ought　to　tell　us　whether　it　is　brilliant　or　stupid；　whether　it　is　hand…minded　or　word…minded；　whether　it　is　brave；　loyal；　honest；　a　leader　or　a　follower；　etc。　Moreover；　the　child's　inclinations　should　play　a　part　in　the　plans　made。　A　man　who　develops　a　strong　will　where　his　desires　lead　the　way　will　hang　back　and　be　a　slacker　where　dissatisfaction　is　aroused。　To　that　employer　of　labor　who　seeks　more　than　dividends　from　his　〃hands；〃　who　has　in　mind　that　he　is　merely　an　agent　of　the　community；　and　is　not　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　is　〃boss；〃　I　make　bold　to　make　the　following　suggestions：　Any　plan　of　efficiency　must　be　based　on　sympathy　and　human　feeling。　To　avoid　unnecessary　fatigue　is　imperative；　not　only　because　it　increases　production；　but　because　it　increases　happiness。　Fatigue　may　have　its　origin　in　little　matters；in　a　bad　bench；　in　a　poor　work　table；　or　an　inferior　tool。　Chronic　fatigue＇1＇　alters　character；　the　drudge　and　slave　are　not　really　human；　and　if　your　workers　become　drudges；　to　that　degree　have　you　lapsed　from　your　stewardship。　Men　react　to　fatigue　in　different　ways：　one　is　merely　tired；　weak　and　sleepy　a　〃dope；〃　to　use　ordinary　characterizationbut　another　becomes　a　dangerous　rebel；　ready　to　take　fire　at　any　time。　＇1＇　The　Gilbreths　have　written　an　excellent　little　book　on　this　subject。　Doctor　Charles　E。　Myers'　recent　publication；　〃Mind　and　Work；〃　is　less　explicit；　but　worth　reading。

More　important　than　physical　fatigue　（or　at　least　as　important）　is　the　fatigue　of　monotony。　If　your　shop　is　organized　on　a　highly　mechanical　basis；　then　the　worker　must　be　allowed　to　interrupt　his　labors　now　and　then；　must　have　time　for　a　chat；　or　to　change　his　position　or　even　to　lie　down　or　walk。　Monotony　disintegrates　mind　and　bodydisintegrates　character　and　personalitybrings　about　a　fierce　desire　for　excitement；　and　the　well…known　fact　that　factory　towns　are　very　immoral　is　no　accident；　but　the　direct　result　of　monotony　and　opportunity。　It's　bad　enough　that　men　and　women　have　to　become　parts　of　the　machine　and　thus　lowered　in　dignity；　worth　and　achievement；　it　is　adding　cruelty　to　this　to　whitewash　windows；　prohibit　any　conversation　and　count　every　movement。　Before　you　may　expect　loyalty　you　must　deserve　it；　and　the　record　of　the　owners　of　industry　warrants　no　great　loyalty　on　the　part　of　their　employees。　Annoying　restrictions　are　more　than　injuries；　they　are　insults　to　the　self…feeling　of　the　worker　and　are　never　forgotten　or　forgiven。　That　a　nation　is　built　on　the　work　of　its　peopletheir　steadiness；　energy；　originality　and　intelligence；　is　trite。　That　anything　is　really　gained　by　huge　imports　and　exports　when　people　live　in　slums　and　have　their　creative　work　impulses　thwarted　is　not　my　idea　of　value。　Factories　are　necessary　to　a　large　production　and　a　large　population；　but　the　idea　of　quantity　seems　somehow　to　have　exercised　a　baleful　magic　on　the　minds　of　men。　England　became　〃great〃　through　its　mills；　and　its　working　people　were　starved　and　stunted；　body　and　soul。　Of　what　avail　are　our　Lawrences　and　Haverhills　when　we　learn　that　in　the　draft　examinations　the　mill　towns　showed　far　more　physical　defects；　tuberculosis　and　poor　nutrition　than　the　non…factory　towns？　Work　is　the　joy　of　life；　because　through　it　we　fulfill　purposes　of　achievement　and　usefulness。　Society　must　have　an　organization　to　fit　the　man　to　his　task　and　his　task　to　the　man；　it　must　organize　its　rewards　on　an　ethical　basis　and　must　find　the　way　to　eliminate　unnecessary　fatigue　and　monotony。　The　machine　which　increases　production　decreases　the　joy　of　work；　we　cannot　help　that；　therefore　society　must　at　least　add　other　rewards　to　the　labor　that　is　robbed　of　its　finest　recompense。　A　counsel　of　perfection！　The　sad　part　is　that　books　galore　are　written　about　the　ways　of　changing；　but　meanwhile　the　law　of　competition　and　〃progress〃　adds　machines　to　the　world；　still　further　enslaving　men　and　women。　We　cannot　do　without　machines；nor　can　we　do　without　free　men　and　women。　The　fact　is　that　competition　is　a　spur　to　production　and　to　industrial　malpractice；　since　the　generous　employer　must　adopt　the　tactics　of　his　competitors　whether　in　a　Southern　mill　town　or　in　Japan。　I　must　confess　to　a　feeling　of　disgust