Seeing ourselves in the light of modern psychology / by Bernard Hollander.

  • Bernard Hollander
Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Seeing ourselves in the light of modern psychology / by Bernard Hollander. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ence, that it is he who is making war, and that therefore no blame attaches to those who defend themselves and treat him as a villain deserves. If the fighting passion is jaded or exhausted, men are difficult to whip into war. An offence by the enemy in such case will attract little attention. But if the passions are fresh, and have not been provoked for some time, that same offence will suffice to set all civilization in a blaze. Let us look at another instance. It is sometimes alleged that if kings and aristocracies were abolished men would cease to be snobbish. This opinion is due to the same fallacy, which supposes that the external cause creates the feeling, instead of merely mobilizing that feeling in those in whom it exists. Snobbishness is not due to kings and aristocracies. It would be nearer the mark to say that kings and aristocracies are due to snobbishness; for snobbishness is a strong innate feeling, and all strong feelings encourage the growth of external institutions which incite and stimulate them. The unconscious instincts and feelings are the basis of our character, and condition conduct to a far greater extent than the views of life that we express, and by which we believe we are actuated. Thus, people who fondly imagine that they are moved by nothing but a sense of duty are often surprised to discover that the real motive of their conduct is the grati¬ fication of some latent desire. For example, the man with large love of approbation may think he goes to parties because he loves company, when actually it is his desire to shine which urges him to go out. Another may consider himself very sociable, and may appear so, though all the time it is merely his acquisitiveness which drives him out, in the hope of finding people who may be useful to him in his business or profession. The three principal emotions which dominate man are love, anger, and fear. Love is an expanding emotion, for it causes^ the subject to extend his affection to others; some¬ times it includes a love for the whole of humanity. On the Other hand, anger is a narrowing emotion. If habitually indulged in, it may give rise to quick temper. It is generally due to faulty education, the person never having learnt self- control. Such people are often by nature very amiable, so long as they have their own way; but when thwarted in their desires they behave like little children, giving way to spontaneous fits of frenzy, with all the cries and movements characteristic of anger. Many a man attributes his ill humour to those who surround him. He does not realize that if the conduct of others has
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