Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-01-12
The World and ALI
THE URGE TO EXCEL
by Charles Il. Driscvu

Every human being has = desire to excel II IL
weren't Tor this desire, deeply planted in the human
soul. this interesting race Of hipeds would net be wcrth
joining. As it stands, however. ! believe this ono dai-
yerssl human Characteristic makes the human family
) kind q exclusive aud highly desirable lodge.
Some dogs and some horses arc possessed Of this
same urge ~ 90 4 little better or look q little better
than other dogs and horses. This il due to the assoc
citation 81 these intelligent animals with human beings,
and the exchange or sympathy between tho humans and
the dogs and horses.
Hogs and bears and gir4ffes have no individual ae-
sires 70 do better than others Of their kind They are
sctHstcd altogether BY natural urges 70 remain alive
and perpctuatc their kind. Life among the humans, /
think. Il much more exciting.
Possibly the easiest manner or cxcelling Others W.
ny acquiring things. Therefore the commonest or all
activities in the game 81 excelling Is the gathering y
things. objects. possessions. and the money which rep
resonts power 10 purchase things. Millions who ary
unable - think ar any other way or excclling thci-
fellows, almost instinetivcly rush about. gathering ob-
iects and coins and houses and LANDS. 80 that their fell
low men may stare Al them with establishment and q
claim: How very rich he is!'
Another Inspiration comrs 20 many whose qualifi
cations fer cNeclling arc perhaps q bit limited. II n
the inspiration 70 90 something that in itself n insir.
~nificant or trivial, but 10 Az Il cftcner. louder. longer.
~ IN some manner more bOistcrous or attcntion-com-
tcling way than Inc same trivial thing n dcne 81
others.
Thus &c have f~laEpole sitters. Sitting upon lhc
top Ok . fisgPolc IL such a tremendously unimportart
action that fe~ people care to indulge in *. ~ Tile
field - open. and competition is strictly limited. pco
pie Who could not learn. il the course OF ! long life
time. to excel in neAtncss, speed, good manners. a. %.
Grating an addressing machine. can easily sit On ten II
> ~tiagpolc for days and nights on end. thereby attract
ing much attention, which they mistake for envy and
admiration.
In New York i was easy to get a marathon talking
contest started UnimportAnt persons who had been
disappointed In efforts 10 excel In acquiring things and
money rushed into a large building and mounted ros
trums. They talked and sang and read aloud and
twznged meaningless instruments for hours upon
weary hours. and amused spectators laughed and said.
whats 1t al about-"
rostrums a. r. humans vhc. not bang gifted In ans
Way, nevertheless lad always desired IN opportunity to
now of IN public and indulge in sslf-eApression. Here
was an opportunity. 4 nobody might excel IN d con.
test amcng ~ncbcdics. doing something OF no Importance
whatever, and thus acquire . certain netoriesy ard :
consciousness Of being excellent in s~omsshing-
Such people arc net very inspiring. and such cen
tests are not very helpful, except a. they rsnind u
that the desire to excel j. In everybody. and 80 mrxs
try hard. indeed. if ws arc to sxcsl In any ucrthwhils
sndsasog, for thsrs ID plenty or competition.