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Understanding Human Nature

by Parker · 162 things on NewTwos

The value of all knowledge is relative to its usefulness to humanity
”The destiny of man lies in his soul” - Herodotus
Since we do not find sufficiennt contact with our fellow men, we become their enemies. Our behavior towards them is often mistaken, and our judgements frequently false, simply because we do not adequately understand human nature
We approach each other as strangers, not only in society, but also in the very narrow circle of the family
Our whole attitude toward our fellow man is dependent upon our understanding of him; an implicit necessity for understanding him therefore is a fundamental of the social relationship
The most important determinants of the structure of the soul life are generated in the earliest days of childhood
Very few individuals have ever been able to change the behavior pattern of their childhood, though in adult life they have found themselves in entirely different situations
We must identify ourselves with every manifestation of the soul life, Live through other human beings through their joys and their sorrows
any experience may have many interpretations
no two people will draw the same conclusion from a similar experience
the hardest thing for human beings to do is to know themselves and to change themselves
Human beings would doubtless get along with each other better, and would approach each other more closely, we’re they able to understand one another bettwr
An individual who has lifted himself above the difficulties of life, extricated himself from the swamp of living, found power to profit by bad experiences and elevate himself as a result of them, understands the food and the bad sides of life
We attribute a soul only to moving, living organisms. The soul stands in innate relationship to free motion
psychic life responds according to the situation and whose final purpose is to guarantee the continued existence on this earth
It is entirely a relative matter whether a power or an organ shall be interpreted as asset or liability
movements are directed towards a goal
the psychic life of man is determined by his goal
the ever present objective is determined by the dynamics of life
human will becomes bound as soon as it entangled itself or binds itself to s certain goal
a movement in the psychic life must arise of necessity only when an appropriate goal has been positioned
it is quite possible to deduce what the goal of an individual must be from his present activities
so few people know exactly what their goal is
the immediate goal frequently becomes the evasion of all greater difficulties
we must assume the child’s point of view if we want to know why he acts as he does
Mans soul cannot act as a free agent because the necessity of solving the problems which constantly arise, determines the line of its activity
the community is the best guarantee of the continued existence of human beings
Every voluntary act begins with a feeling of inadequacy, whose resolution proceeds toward a condition of satisfaction, of repose, and totality
we can judge a character as good or bad only from the standpoint of society
A child’s goal of their life is to attain a point at which their feeling of inferiority and their sense of handicap is entirely removed by perfect freedom of motion
Each of us values only that which is appropriate to his goal
A real understanding of the behavior of any human being is impossible without a clear comprehension of the secret goal which he is pursuing
No two human beings react in quite the same way to the identical picture
The individuality and uniqueness of a human being consists in what he perceives and how he perceives it
Perceltion is a psychic function from which we may draw the most far going conclusions concerning the inner life
Imagination is the reproduction of a perception without the presence of the object itself which gave rise to it
The soul life can develop only when a certain goal has been set
In our civilization our goal is social recognition and significance
An individual never remains long at any neutral goal, for the communal life of mankind is accompanied by constant self-measurement which gives rise to the desire for superiority, and the hope of success in competition
Fantasy may be misused as a condemnation of reality
The character of a human being may easily be read from his dreams
The soul has the faculty not only of perceiving what actually exists in reality, but also of feeling, of guessing, what will occur in the future. This is an important contribution to the function of pre-vision since mobile organisms are constantly faced with the problem of making adjustments. We call this faculty empathy
If we are forced to pre-view, to pre-judge, to presume how we should act if a certain situation were to occur, we must learn how to gain a sound judgement of a situation which has not yet occurred, through correlation of our thinking, feeling, and perception
Empathy occurs in the moment one human being speaks with another. It is impossible to understand another individual of it is impossible at the same time to identify oneself with him
Our whole communal life were impossible unless one individual could influence another
The degree of readiness to be influenced is dependent upon the degree to which the rights of the one on whom the influence is exerted are considered by that one who exercises influence
The intensive striving for power is inversely proportional to the degree to which one can be educated
We are constantly under the influence of innumerable impressions arising in the outer world
There are two types of human beings which we must bear in mind. One type always overvalued the other fellows opinion and therefore values it’s own opionions only lightly, whether they are right or wrong. A second type considers every stimulus or suggestion as an insult. Here are the individuals who consider that only their own opinion is right, and are really not concerned as to its actual correctness, or incorrectness
Children do not express their striving for power openly, but hide it under the guise of charity and tenderness, and carry out their work behind a veil
If a child’s inferiority is intensified to the degree that the child fears he will never be able to compensate for his weakness, he will demand an over-compensation
Where we are dealing with a pathological power-drive we find individuals who seek to secure their position in life with extraordinary efforts, with greater haste and impatience, with more violent impulses, and without consideration of anyone else. These are the children whose actions become more noticeable because of their exaggerated movements towards their exaggerated goal of dominance; their attack’s in the lives of others necessitate that they defend their own lives. They are against the world, and the world is against them
We must admit a persons right to be indignant to the last limits, and we must be conscious that we bear a part of the common blame for his situation. The blame belongs to us because we too have taken part in the inadequate precautions against the social misery which has produced it
The manner in which a child approach is a game, his choice, and the importance which he plays a part in it, indicate his attitude in relationship to his environment and how is related to his fellow men
In observing a child in his play, we can see his whole attitude toward life
Attention is one of the characteristics of the soul which is in the very forefront of human accomplishments
As soon as we wish to be attentive to any one thing we desire to exclude all other disturbances
The most important factor in the awakening of attention is a really deep rooted interest in the world
If we have interest, then it is self understood that we should also pay attention
It becomes a simple instrument with which one conquers a field of knowledge for a definite purpose
No one has ever developed without making mistakes in the process
Although we can consciously force our attention to a certain degree, the stimulus to that attention lies not in consciousness, but in our interests, and these, again, lie for the most part in the sphere of the unconscious
Human beings may be differentiated into two types; those who know more concerning their unconscious life than the average, and those who know less
We often discover that an individual knows nothing of his capabilities of living, because he undervalues himself
It really does not matter what you think of yourself, or what other people think of you. The important thing is the general attitude toward human society, since this determines every wish and every interest and every activity of each individual
He was well aware of his ambition and believed that his father, who had constantly stimulated him to greater and greater activity so that he might achieve a high position in life, had produced this trait in him
To achieve such a goal one has certain instruments such as concentration, industry and the like, at hand. These were not enough for him. He attempted to exclude everything which seemed unnecessary, out of his life
He took the unessential element of his alleged ugliness and utilized it for the attainment of his purpose. The elevation of this insignificant fact acquired value in his scheme of things in that it justified him inn doing what in reality he wanted to do
There are certain ideas which one cannot hold too openly, both for the sake of others and for the sake of oneself
It is a universal and human phenomenon that everyone seizes upon those thoughts which justify him in his attitude and rejects every idea which might prevent him from going on. Human beings dare only those things which in their interpretation of the world are valuable to them. That which is helpful we are conscious of; whatever can disturb our arguments we push into the unnconnscious
One can guess the character and essence of a human being better from his dreams than from his actions and words
We experience only those things which set our brain into unrest, which demonstrate to us that there is more wisdom hidden between heaven and earth than we allow ourselves to dream of
The main meaning of a similar or comparison is that it affords is access to a situation in which we are anxious to find outselves
A dream shows not only that the dreamer is occupied in the solution of one of his life’s problems, but also how he approaches these problems
The social feeling, and the individual striving for power and domination, influence every human activity and color the attitude of every individual in his striving for security, in his fulfillment of the three great challenges of life: love, work, and society
Division of labor is a factor in the maintenance of human society which must not be overlooked. Everyone at some time, or at some place, must contribute his quota
Any mans value is determined by his attitude toward his fellow men, and by the degree in which he partakes of the division of labor which communal life demands. His affirmation of this communal life makes him important to other human beings, makes him a kink in the great chain which binds society, the chain which we cannot in any way disturb without also disturbing human society. A mans capabilities determine his place in the total production of human society
Individuals have disturbed this division of labor by refusing to adopt themselves to the place that they must fill
Difficulties have arisen out of the false ambition and power wishes of individuals who have blocked communal life and the communal work for their own egoistic interests
In the course of human development this divisjon of labor has so configured itself that women has taken over a certain part of the worlds work (which might otherwise occupy a man too), in return for which man is in the position to use his powers to greater effect
Masculine dominance is not a natural thing. There is evidence to prove that it occurred chiefly as a result of constant battles between primitive peoples, during the course of which man assumed the more prominent role as warrior, and finally used his newly won superiority in order to retain the leadership for himself and for his own ends
There are children for whom the father is so much a standard that they believe that everything he says be holy; they attest to the tightness of their views simply by saying that their father once said so
That most important question which all women should ask their prospective husbands before marriage: “What is your attitude toward masculine domination, particularly in family life?”
The domination of the male also appears to him in the institution of female servants about the house who are used for menial tasks, and finally he is reinforced in his sentiments by the fact that the women in his environment are not at all convinced of their equality with men
The preference for manliness makes all these phenomena understandable when we understand how the striving for superiority is more concerned with the symbols of things than with the activities of life
A girl comes into the world with s predjudice sounding in her ears which is designed only to rob her of her belief in her ears which is designed only to rob her of her belief in her own value, to shatter her self confidence and destroy her hope of ever doing anything worth while
As the youngest, he experiences solicitous treatment. He is the smallest, and by consequence, the most in need of help
No child likes to be the smallest, the one whom one does not trust, the one in whom one has no confidence. Such knowledge stimulates a child to prove he can do everything. His striving for power becomes markedly accentuated and we find the youngest very usually a man who has developed a desire to overcome all others, satisfied only with the very best
Being first, or the best, is unimportant
We are really tired of having nothing but the first and the best people. History as well as experience demonstrates that happiness does not consist in being the first or best. To teach a child such a principle makes him one-sided; above all it robs him of his chance of being a good fellow-man
The first consequence of such doctrines is that a child thinks only of himself and occupies himself in wondering whether someone will overtake him. This develops envy and date of his fellows and anxiety for his own position
The oldest child is usually conservation as their role is to take over the family farm, to take care of their parents
The second born may place his goal so high that he suffers from it his whole life, annihilates his inner harmony in following, not the veritable facts of life, but an evanescent fiction and the valueless semblance of things
The only child becomes dependent to a high degree, waits constantly for someone to show him the way, and searches for support at all times. Pampered throughout his life, he is accustomed to no difficulties, because one has always removed difficulties from his way. Being constantly the center of attention he very easily acquired the feeling that he really counts for something of great value
Let’s us be very modest in our judgement of our fellows, and above all, let us never allow ourselves to make any moral judgements, judgements concerning the moral worth of a human being. We must approach such a mistaken and misled human being sympathetically, because we are in a position to have a much better idea of what is going on within him the he is himself
The very recognition of the source of error puts a great many influential instruments for betterment into our hands. By analyzing the psychic structure and development of any human being we understand not only his past, but may reduce further what his future probably will be
Character is a psychic attitude, it is the quality and nature of an individual’s approach to the environment in which he moves
The goal of superiority, of power, of the conquest of others, is the goal which directs the activity of most human beings
An individual’s life, his actions, his behavior, his standpoint in the world, are all closely connected with his goals. We cannot think anything, nor set anything into motion, without having some distinct purpose in mind
Every child is faced with so many obstacles in life that no child ever grows up without striving for some form of significance
Sleep is an excellent standard for measuring the development of a human being, for sleep disturbances are an index of greater cautiousness in the face of a feeling of insecurity
People of the aggressive type elevate courage into foolhardiness in order to vehemently attest their capabilities to the world, thus betraying the deep feeling of insecurity which rules them
The super fluidity of their movements not only cause disharmony in their relation to the world but also betrays their whole character, an artificial superstructure based upon an insecure shifting foundation
Lofe becomes a chain of battles for them and when they suffer the defeats which are inevitable, their whole line of triumph and victory comes to an abrupt end
The assailed individual is constantly on the defense. They compensate for their feeling of insecurity by means of anxiety, precaution, and cowardice
The defendant type is quickly appalled by unfortunate experiences. From these they deduce such annihilating consequences that they are easily thrown into flight. Occasionally they succeed in disguising their defection by acting as though a useful piece of work lay along the line of retreat
Some of them when they have not entirely lost their initiative may actually accomplish something which may not by without general usefulness for society. Many artists belong to this type. They have withdrawn themselves from reality and built themselves a second world in the realm of fantasy and ideals, which there are no barriers. These artists are the exceptions to the rule. Individuals of this type usually capitulate to difficulties and suffer defeat after defeat
They fear everything and everybody
They set themselves up as judges of humanity without ever doing anything useful themselves for those with whom they live
It is well known that those who do not trust themselves never trust others
The isolation in which such doubters live usually signifies their disinclination to prepare pleasures for others, or to join in the happiness of their fellows
The character of a human being is never the basis of a moral judgement, but is an index of the attitude of this human being toward his environment, and of his relationship to the society in which he lives
The powers which are most hostile to the social feeling are the tendencies and strivings toward personal power and superiority
As soon as the striving for recognition assumes the upper hand, it evokes a condition of greater tension in the psychic life
An individual loses his sense of reality because he loses his connection with life, being always occupied with the question of what other people think about him, and being concerned chiefly with the impression that he makes. The freedom of his action is inhibited to an extraordinary degree through this style of life, and his most obvious character trait becomes vanity
Vanity leads an individual to all kinds of useless work and effort which is more concerned with the semblance of things than with their essence, and beside the fact that it causes him to think constantly of himself, or at the most only of other people’s opinion of him, it’s greatest danger is that it leads him soon or later to lose contact with reality
So long as this energy proves itself of use for society we can admit it’s value, but it is usually the rule that all these terms industry, activity, energy, and gogetting are expressions to cloak an unusual degree of vanity
In life it makes little difference who is right and who is wrong, since the only thing which counts is the accomplishment of one’s purpose, and the contribution to the lives of others
Great accomplishments can occur only under the stimulus of a social feeling. A work of genius becomes valuable only through its social connotation
In an age like ours which demands so much cooperation, there is no longer place for the strivings of personal vanity
Every address and word is valued from the standpoint of his own victory or defeat. It is a condtibuous battle which eventually drives an individual who has made vanity, ambition, false hopes, his behavior pattern in life, into new difficulties and robs him of all true happiness in life
Happiness is to be had only when conditions of life are affirmed
It is quite a different thing when the reputation of a man is justified by his services to others. His honor then comes to him of itself, and if it is opposed by others, their opposition has little weight. He can remain quietly in the possession of his honor because he has not staked everything upon vanity
The vain role is always that of expectation and acquisition
”What can I give?”
”It is more blessed to give than to receive”
It is the mood of giving, or serving, of helping, which brings with itself s certain compensation and psychic harmony, like the gift of the gods which takes root in him who gives it away
On the other hand the acquisitive people are usually discontented, being occupied solely with the thought of what they must still achieve and still possess, in order to be happy. The acquisitive man, whose look is never directed toward the necessities and needs of others, and to whom the misfortune of others is a joy, has no place in his system for reconciliation and peace with life. He demand the unbending submission of others to laws which his egoism has dictated
When the ideal attitude of a human being goes beyond a certain degree, when hid philanthropy and humanity assume conspicuous proportions, we may well be distrustful
The Bible is a wonderful work which one can constantly read and reread with astonishment at its perspicacity, after one’s judgement has matured. But let us not teach it to children, at least without a commentary, to the end that a child may learn to be content in this life, without assuming all manner of magical powers, and demanding that everyone be his slave, ostensibly because he was created in the image of god
Many people believe that you can do anything with money that you may wish. It is not strange therefore that their ambition and vanity occupies itself with the question of money and property alone
Jealousy, sister of ambition, a character trait which may last a life time, arises from the feeling of being neglected and the sense of being discriminated against
If an older sister assumes the mother attitude to younger children, then she has regained a position of power where she can act and behave as she will; the trick enables her to create a valuable ssset our of a dangerous position
Jealousy is an especially well market form of striving for power
The gulf between an individual and his supernaturally high goal expresses himself in the form of an inferiority complex
His own low evaluation of himself, and his constant dissatisfaction with life are unfailing indicators thereof
He behind to spend his time in measuring the success of others, in occupying himself with what others think of him, or of what others have accomplished. He is always a victim of a sense of neglect, and he feels that discrimination has been exercised against him
We human beings stand today in the beginning of our civilization. Although our ethics and our religion forbid feelings of envy, we have not yet psychologically matured enough to do without them
An individual should not parade any temporary superiority over his fellows. He may too easily injure someone by the useless exhibition of his power
No one can life himself above society, demonstrate his power over his fellows, without simultaneously arousing the opposition of others who want to prevent his success
Anyone who has been envious all his life is useless for communal life. He will be interested solely in taking something away from another, in depriving him in some fashion, and in disturbing him
Envy may go so far as to lead a man to feel pleasure in the pain of his neighbor
It is better to adjust our lives so that we would rather give, than save
The degree to which anyone is capable of hating and nagging is a good index of his personality
Anxiety keeps us from all human contacts, destroys our hope of building up a peaceful life, and of making fruitful contributions to the world
Individuals avoid all tests because their ambition prevents them from submitting to an examination which would disclose their real worth
What he lacked in contact in human beings, he compensated by pleasures of every kind
The imperious, superiority crazed individual will never choose a weak individual as his love partner, but will seek one who must be conquered and reconquered, so that each conquest appears as a new victory
Education is nothing more than the removal of errors
Society has no place for deserters. A certain adaptability and subordination are necessary to play the game, to be helpful, not to sssumr leadpership simply for the purpose of ruling
The talent for bringing pleasure to others makes a man more interesting
Happy people approach is more easily and we judge them emotionally as being more sympathetic
“One can recognize a persons character much better by his laughter than by a boring psychological examination” - Dostoyevsky
Being unlucky is one way of being important
Emotions express themselves as a sudden discharge (under the pressure of some conscious or unconscious necessity) and like character traits, they have a definite goal and direction
They occur wherever they are appropriate to the given style of life and the predetermined behavior pattern of the individual. Their purpose is to modify the situation of the individual in whom they occur, to his benefit
An angry individual is one who is striving for superiority by the strenuous application of all his powers
The action of alcohol deadens or removes the civilized inhibitions
Contemporary education in the family aids and abets the striving for power and the development of vanity, to an extraordinary degree
Parents are neither good psychologists nor good teacher
Every child grows greedy for domination, becomes ambitious for power, and inordinately vain. Now every child desires to reach the pinnacles, every child wants to be respected, and sooner or later demands the same obedience and submission of others he has seen placed at the feet of the most powerful individual in his environment. A belligerent attitude to his parents and the rest of the world is the inevitable result of his false assumptions
Everyone fashions the picture of his beloved one out of his relationships with his mother - Nietzsche

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