South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-13
SOCIAL IND OTHER INTERESTS OF WON
SELF CONSCIOUSNESS
BY LAURA KINGSTON.


There are miseries which are com
mon TO al mankind. there are sor-
rows and unhappinesses which are
the lot OF every being who draws
breath. The life Of a man is check
cred with woe ana with merrinent.
with grief and with pleasure, with
sunshine and with shade These
things are inevitable and call for for
titude anj bravery Tor their endur-
, ance.
But there are trouble when are
added 10 these inevitabilities by the
free Will of we humans VINO curious
beings that we are, spend our days in
bewailing the unkindness OF fate,
which denies To US a fower-strewn
path in perpetuity. while at the same
time We pile up little pcrpleXities and
intricacies for our own confusing
You Will not be at loss 10 call TO
mind an increasing company OF these
self-soUght troubles which. small in
themselves, vet complicate the clear
running stream of your life as with "A
bewildeTlng mass OF fiotsam and jet
sam.
There is. for first consideration. the
inability OF many people 10 live their
own lives without consideration of
their ncighbors.
gifts life can hold for them count as
nothing if some still more superb JOY
glitters in the life of another man.
The fruit which savored of delicious
essences in the morning is Dead sea
apples at night. because comparison
has shown that there is fruit in the
world OF a still more delicious lus
ciousness.
Somewhat akin TO this attitude is
the one which sees no excellence in
any achievement which does not eX-
eel all other achievements. For peo-
pie whose minds are Cankered in this
way there is no good in any deed
which does not shine forth in all the
panOply of pOmp and circumstance.
There is no honest satisfaction in a
duty we'll done, in work honestly per
formed, and. as a consequence, there
is no relaxation at the days close. All
effort. all ability, is exhausted in the
unavailing endeaVor to shine as the
chief star in a armament which has
room for the exeellencies of all, and
life. the glorious boon which of itself
should draw songs of praise from
mems Hps-life is frittered away in
unavailing regrets and hopes which
cannot be fulfilled.
Another outstanding trouble Of this
kind which 7 seem to see making hav-
oc of lives, stultifying possibilities. and
achievements might grow. is self-con-
seriousness.
I can imagine the protests which
will rise in greeting of this statement.
the accusations of cruelty, or lack OF
sympathy and of MISUNDERSTANDING.
Yet / repeat that self-cOnsciousness
is largely a self-sought trouble, that II
feeds en- It's own growth. and that it
requires very little encouragement To
make it the DOMINATING factor of a
life
You will tell me. ! daresay. that
self-consciousness is an attribute Of
youth and that in its absence blatant
self-approval would stalk abroad
But in this statement / see the mix
ing of two qualities. and that we may
consider the question clearly and fair
". let me tell YOU that modeSty is one
thing. diftdence is another but this
plaguey self consciousness is a third.
Modesty will compel man to
think twice before he gives didactic
opinion on a certain point. Self-con-
seriousness will put before him a pic
ture of the world waiting open-m outh-
ed for his announcements. and from
contemplation of that picture come
his stutterings and stammerings, his
agonized embarrassments, and the
awkwaTdness which makes itself felt
wherever he may be.
There is one cure. and one cure on
" for this self-infiicted torture and
that is absorption in other people and
the affairs Of other people.
Life. rightly considered. holds
enough of interest. in all conscience,
TO absorb the twistings and comfort
ingS of the most Self-attentive person.
When a personality intTudes itself on
its owner to the exclusion Of all 9TH
ers. the only possible explanation is
that the sense of proportion is some
how awry-that the world is being
viewed through a distorting glass.
DO YOU still deny that self-Con-
sciousuess is a trouble OF mans own
imDOSing2