Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-05-26
VANITY DISCUSSED AT
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEETING

The present organization of human
relationship is defective because Of the
defects in human character; and one
of the most detrimental)is vanity.
| Vanity is an exaggerated, immoder-
ate. or extravagant estimate of ones
personal appearance or attractiveness.
or of ones mental, moral, or spiritual
powers. qualifications, attainments, or
potentialities, generally implying de-
probation of similar abilities and quail
tiles in others. coupled very often with
an utter disregard for the rights, feel
ings, and well-being of the people at
large.
The victim of vanity is a victim of
the sophistry and delusipns of his or
her own creation and may be led to
any extreme of conduct, so long as it
does not surpass his or her own over
estimation of his or her Importance,
and the license, latitude, and privilege
it bestows to ride rough-shod over the
non-complying persons with his or her
arbitraryswilful commands and imper-
ious wilfulness.
If you once get a good square look
at this monster, you can see how it has
operated to obscure knowledge, perpet-
rate innumerable vices, yea, the most
Idiabolic crimes, cruelties, and sanguin-
ary slaughter, Gust thing Of the late
world war) and then parade under the
assumed mantle of divine authority as
czar, priest, or prophet.
Those in whom it is highly develop
ed probably will resent the statement
that superficial guesswork and ignor-
ance> are the source of vanity. 1t is
true, nevertheless.
If vanity is so essentially bad, so
vitality dangerous and altogether de-
structive. how shall we discover its pre-
sence and determine if it has a foot
hold in our own character? How is it
indicated2
1t is encouraging to know that it
can be discovered. Keen and thought
full self-analysis can seek it out. 1t is
a monster and a tyrannous master, but
it is powerless to hide in the recesses
of character so that its presence and
menace remain unknown to him who
is determined to find and overcome it.
By its fruits you can know it, by its
universal and unquestionable signs.
Some of these indications are undue
personal adornment, affectation, afti-
ficiality, seIf-aggrandizement, ego-cen-
iteredness, self-conceit, seif-delusion,
, self-exaltation, self-glory, self-opinion-
edness, self-righteousness, self-suffi-
cheney, self-will, self-worship. in short,
aIl-around selfishness, which the die
tionary describes as the exclusive re-
gard of person to his own interest or
, happiness; or that supreme self-love
or self-preference which leads a per-
son in his actions to direct his pur-
poses to the advancement OF his own
interest. power or happiness, without
regard for the interests of others. Self
ishness in its worst or unqualified sense
is the very essense of human depravity
and stands in direct opposition to BEN
evidence, which is the essence of the
divine character. For love is good.
One of the most prominent signs OF
vanity is dogmatism. Dogmatism is
the strong point Of the teacher of re-
ligion which demands the. acceptance
of creed without scientific evidence,
reason, and understanding.
The salesman is another natural dog
matist, insofar as his own line of goods
and his declaration of its heretofore
unheard-of excellence is concerned.
With keen mind and utterly selfish,
their theory is that salesman must
be hard, aggressive, and absolutely in
considerate of the interests of their
prospective buyer, to see nothing but
the order, and to go after it with all
the might and schemes OF an mtellect
practiced in dominating an interview
completely.
GoVernmentalism, the ministry, and
schools of theology. as we'll as the
schools of salesmanship, are fine mills
, for the production of vain men.
No sane man who has read even a
little of the teachings of sound ethics
or who heeds the promptlngs of his
! better nature. can fail to see how mis-
chievous a folly vanity is
When once the individual under
stands and realizes the purpose anc
meaning of life, and works persistent
! ly along the lines of constructive ef-
, fort. and is guided by a firm reliance
upon the integrity of nature, all doubI
.