The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-11-07
The Psychology of Success.

"They applaud must have said some
thing foolish" There are few, who
like this talented orator, scorn public
Judgment. But is this disdain sincere
Except in some rare cases Of misanth-
ropic or pathological nature, do not be-
lieve it. II is either posing or snobbish-
ness which makes any superior mind in
clude under the humiliating name
"Philistines" all the unknown and in
dividual parts Of humanity, which, I'M
tied, constitute the collective being
known as the majority. In reality this
"Philistine" is respected and praised,
because it is he alone who gives the palm
OF victory. To act in such manner that
the world will talk of you, or discuss
your opinions, is not only the vulgar
ideal of vain mediocrity, but also the
great and legitimate ideal OF the strongest
and most modest of thinkers. The diff
ference between the two classes is found
in the means taken to obtain this praise.
Whether we desire it or not, 1t is the
public which judges OF our work from
first to last but its way OF judging differs
and its judgment is more or less exact
according as it is rendered collectively
and simultaneously, or alone and in
longer or shorter space of time. A book
is never judged in the same way as an
grafton. The book is read by isolated
persons, who, in the peaceful solitude OF
their rooms, are able to give 5pontan-
eous and sincere opinion. The Grafton
is heard by assembled spectators, who
unconsciousy consult and advise each
other, and together formG monster with
a thousand heads, which seems to say to
the poor speaker: Entertain me or l
will devour you"
These two conditions being evidently
different, which is the best? Have you
ever submitted to the analysis Of psyche
logical chemistry the irrepressible ex-
pressions of enthusiasm, which, in hall
or a theater, form vey tempest Of ap.
plause at the close of dramatic scene or
the final words OF an eloquent discourse ?
At the moment the public thinks itself
sincere, because it really feels the emo
ton which is manifested. But is this
frerzied appreciation always due to the
worth OF the drama or the Grafton, or is
it not, ON the contrary, some chance in
gredient which has contributed to this
effervescence of enthusiasm
No one is ignorant OF this psychology
cal law and indisputable truth, that the
intensity OF an emotion increases in
direct proportion to the number OF per-
sons feeling that emotion in the same
time and place. Alfred Espinas, in his
fine work, "Des Societies Animales," has
given a mathematical demonstration OF
this phenomenon Suppose that the
emotion felt by the orator is represented
by the number 10, and that, at his first
words, at the first sound OF his eloquence,
lie communicates at least the half OF it to
each OF his hearers, say 800. Each OF
these reacts on the other by his applause
Or by redoubling his attention: and this
produces what the reports call sensa-
ton. But this is felt by all present at
the same time, for the hearing OF the
auditors is not less susceptible than that
of the speaker; his imagination is sud-
denly excited by the spectacle Of these
300 persons filled with emotion, a specta-
Gle which does not fail to produce in
him, according to the law just named, a
real emotion. Admit that he feels only
the half of this emotion, and what is the
result? His excitement will no longer
be represented by but by the half OF 8
multiplied by 800, which is 750." Now,
il do not mistake, these words are sufii-
cient to show that judgments rendered
by crowd are enormously exaggerated,
because the opinion of each individual
is raised to the ninth power by the sim
gle fact that there are other persons
present. In this case the number is the
first and most important condition OF
success, which is certainly not created
by the speaker, but is developed by him
in proportions which seems almost i'm
probable.
The writer OF book neither sees nor
hears the isolated expressions OF enthu-
siasm; he does not know the scattered
public which admires 1t, and If he does
not hear the single voice, neither does
he hear the collective and grander voice.
To act on scattered and on an assemb-
led public being two different things,
which, repeat, is the betterP Subject
lively cannot say. The answer must
depend on individual temperament.
Some love the acclamations OF the crowd;
others are contented to know indirectly
what the public thinks Of them. Object
lively, there is no doubt that the judg-
ment Of the isolated public is most GER
tain and correct. The judgment of the
crowd being always exaggerated by
numbers, it must necessarily oft n be err
roneous. Collective minds are rarely
guided by logic or good sense. A cry,
gesture OF one often constrains other to
repeat the same. Conse quently the re-
sulting opinion, which We believe to be
that Of all. may be only the opinion OF
one, who, by the phenomenon OF sug-
cestion, becomes, at enc stroke, the in
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