Emotion—the Prime Dictator

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 175, 27 July 1935, Page 3

Emotio n—the Prime Dictator

NEED OP RATIONALISING HUMANITY. “There is no study which is so interesting to ourselves as the study of ourselves —really the study of our neighbours as compared with ourselves and, of course, to our own advantage.” The foregoing was Mr L. Ashcroft Edwards' introduction to his address to the Citizens' Lunch Club yesterday. In support of his contention Mr Edwards, who is from Wellington, went on to say that Bernard Shaw took advantage of this trait in character when he referred to ‘‘the fools in the stalls.” The fools laughed heartily at tlio thrust, but they were not laughing at themselves but at each other. Thus what would otherwise bo an insult if advanced to an individual, collectively applied became a welcome witticism. It was a curious fact, he continued, that what disconcerted our neighbours caused us much satisfaction and amusement. He then proceeded to prove that this was so, suggesting that the reason for the satisfaction over another's misfortune was firstly because of a feeling of relief that that misfortune has not happened to us and secondly because everyone was jealous of success. Continuining, Mr Edwards said: “How much man owes to cither his heredity or environment is a question psychologists have not yet agreed upon. They have agreed, however, that emotion plays a more prominent part iir his conduct that reason. We must therefore expect his conduct to be irrational.

“Emotion being the prime dictator of our actious we find that under emotional stress wo cut some queer antics. Most of us can recall lho emotional stress of the Great War and a review of our conduct during that period provides food for serious consideration. There is no doubt but that our reason becarno subservient to our emotion, in fact, wo became mentally unbalanced.

What is the price society’ pays for this dominant factor of emotionalism? Gan we even begin to count the cost? “This irrational conduct; this biassed attitude has been given a label by psychologists and is called rationalising. It is defined as an accounting to ourselves of our thoughts and actions. It is tho self, exemption which is brought into action ’when w r e feel that we or our group have been accused of error. Let anyone challenge our belifs or belittle our possessions and we rise up in arms in defence, and yet how r many of us have arrived at our beliefs by cold calm logical thinking. We consider it a moral defeat to admit we are wrong whereas it may well be a great moral victory. “This rationalising or emotional bias has been the subject of considerable scientific investigation of late and an eminent Italian scientist has stated that in his opinion all history is more or less rationalising and Professor Harvey Robinson, of Canada, has stated that this opinion ranks as one of the greatest thoughts of tho last hundred years. It is a reiteration of the biblical statement that, “the truth is uot in us.” Wc are daily discovering that history as written and taught is biassed and not, therefore, in accordance with tho facts, and many of our cherished historical stories have been proved fables. This gives rise to a terrible conclusion that wo are forced to regard with suspicion everything wo read and hear. No better illustrations of this insidious process can be found than in tho propaganda issued to prepare a nation for war, and during that war to ensure the forthcoming of those vital factors, men and money. Bead tho histories of the different nations involved in such war, their conduct and the final results. They vary vastly and they cannot all be right. If histories of great national events vary in the fundamental facts which one can be taken as the official, or accepted history? “We can assign basic reasons for our irrational conduct. Take our training in childhood. Do we ever stop to think how our conduct as parents strikes our children? Tho impressions of young children are lasting impressions because that is the period of the the brain's greatest growth. There are real, solid reasons why at seven years of ago Dad looms as a God; at twenty the old man's a bit of a goat; and at forty ho becomes an oracle. Children's education engenders .irrationalities. They soon perceive that there arc subjects they must reason out and some they must not. This leads to conscious hypocrisy but more frequently to mental muddlemeut. Feeling is easier and more intimate than logic and sentiment wins tho day. History provides us with many examples how, under stress of some groat emotional excitement, individuals lose all power of reasoning and all sense of justice, and there is nothing which will inllamc peoplo’s emotions as the threat of war. All reason and justice arc thrown to the winds and yet no greater catastrophe can face a nation. Modern warfare has taught us one great lesson —that it due* not" pay, yet Italy, still staggering under tho cruel shock of battle, again has her battle flag waving, giving tonguo to the same old jingoistic speeches. It is time wo woko up to tho fact that excessive emotionalism is an enemy of the first magnitude,” said Mr Edwards in conclusion, ‘‘and that if wo wore to lose some of our vaunted humancss it rvould be so much the better, because wo could each do our share to usher in the reign of rational humanity—a humauity founded on true justieo and practical morality.” Mr J. A. Golquhoan, who presided, proposed tho vote of thanks to the speaker.