The Washington herald., 1919-03-26
THE VICE OF SELF-PITY
Bv DOROTHY DIX
THE WORLDS HIGHEST PAID WOMAN WRITER

The greatest fault of American par
ents is that they are too soft with
their children. They bring their
youngsters up to be pampered darlings
and mammals pets IL they can, and II
they can't they fill their children full
Of morbid self-pity because they were
not born millionaires.
This Is the more strange because
the great majority Of prosperous men
and women in this country have
fought their own way up from poverty
to riches. and they know by actual
experience that there is nothing their
money has bought them that has
given them the fierce joyousness they
had in their battle against the fate to
which they were born.
They know the exhilaration that
foods your very being when you feel
within yourself the ability to stand
alone and carve out your own for
tune with your good right hand.
They know that the real sport of
kings Is when you pit your wits
against the wits Of the cleverest in
your line of endeavor. and when
your whole life depends upon your
skill and judgment or some one quick
decision.
They know that no rest is so sweet
which comes after exhausting labor;
that no food has the flavor as that
which IS earned by the sweat of your
brow; that no money has the pur-
chasing power of that which one
earns oneself; that there is no other
thrill like the thrill of the success
that we make for ourselves by our
own talents and abilities.
The most powerful man in the world
the greatest multi-millionaire can
give his children nothing that COM
pares with the things they win for
themselves, and this being true, 1t is
curious that parents are so anxious
to keep their sons and daughters
from undertaking the great adven-
ture which, indeed. tries mems souls,
but alone satisfies mems souls.
But they do. Parents deny them
selves everything and slave so that
their children may be able to be-
gin where they leave off. They
want to give their children a for
tune to start with instead of let
ting them have the fun of making
1t themselves, and when they can
not do this they beat upon their
breasts, and bemoan themselves
that they cannot give their sons
and daughters the advantages"
that rich people give theirs.
They forget that the greatest ad-
vantage that the young can have is
necessity, for it Is only the excep-
tional man or woman who has the
strength and energy to contend
against luxury.
American fathers and mothers
think that they show their affection
for their children by trying to save
them from everything that is diff
cult and unpleasant to endure, and
by weeping over them when they
can't, and telling them how terrible
1t is that life, isn't bed of roses
for them.
In reality, malice could do a child
no greater harm than to teach it
to be sorry for itself and to cry
over Its hurts instead of taking
hard knocks with a smile. For the
vice of self pity is just as deadly
thing to inculcate in the young as
is the morphine habit.
1t drugs courage. It deadens initia-
tive and kills energy. and superin-
duces lethargic state which the
poor victim sits down and sheds
maudlin tears on his folded hands,
and succumbs to fate without strik-
ing blow.
Thus do parents raise up slackers
and cutters, for nobody will have
dealings with the poor creatures who
are always bemoaning their misfor-
tunes. A wilmer is foredoomed fall
ure- You never saw a successful man
who was always complaining about
having to work SO hard, or pitying
himself because he had to bear this
Or that burden. Successful people are
invariably cheerful people; people
who have had the courage to take
punishment without batting an eye,
and who have enjoyed in fighting
against every odd
This Is matter of common knowl-
edge. yet in spite of that you will see
mothers deliberately turn their chill
dren into cry babies. who haven't the