Evening star., 1937-08-01

tives usually have been dominant IN
most fields Of human notwithstanding
as necessary barrier against de-
partures on wild tangents, but often
making fools of themselves in the light
of future developments.
The psychology of this resistance of
the status quo is subjected to profound
analysis by Dr.. Bernhard j. Stern of
Columbia University in the recent re-
port Of chronological trends issued by
the National Resources Committee.
1t gives new view of the age-old
balance between conservative and radi-
cal in one wide field of human affairs
that of arts and crafts. from writing
to radio. The radical" 1t must be
understood, refers to the man or wom-
an who really has new idea about
something. 1t may be right or wrong,
but it is new. 1t doesn't refer to the
pseudo-radical who hardly differs from
the ultra a-conservative-the one ac-
cepting blindly everything that is new
just as the other accepts blindly every
tNing that is old.
Two Emotional Extremes.
The extreme standpatter has an
emotional revulsion against what is
outside the established pattern OF
things, without regard to its essential
soundness. His opposite has an emo
tlonal revulSion against everything
within the accepted pattern of the
majority of mankind, equally without
regard to its soundness
The majority of mankind probably
fall somewhere between the extremes.
And in the delusions of the con-
servatlve, making allowances for his
premises, his conflicts and his COM
plexes, DR. Stern finds a sort Of logic.
The fellow is not utterly irrational
Various neurologlsts, 1t is pointed
out, have tried in the past to get at
the madness of conservatism from an
organic basis.
The ordinary explanation offered is
habit" But that's just another word
and leaves US precisely where We were
before
One neurologist thinks it is a matter
| of the elasticity Of the membranes
HilANAI ii4I4GSt Vic lltI NOliS SNSU1lll.
This elasticity varies with the chem
cal composition of these membranes.
They reach the point where they will
| not stretch any more.
Nerve Gaps Seen as Factor,
Another thinks 1t is due to the
relative permea bllIty of the synapses.
| These synapses are the gaps between
| nerve endings. A nerve impulse goes
| from the sense organs to the brain and
| back again TO a gland or muscle. 1t
must Jump varying number Of these
| synpses, or get through them some
| how
| Still another thinks that thinking
| sets up blo-electrlcal currents which
| stimulate the growth of nerve fbers.
| the aXonS and dendrites. in certain
| directions and thus establish perma-
| nent connections IN the nervous sys-
tenn. which form the basis Of lnfiexlble
! patterns of thought.
The first two theories are quite en-
couragine. for they hold forth at least
the possibility of medical treatment
| of conservatism with shots in the arm,
or something of the sort. Or one
might give Du Pont pink pill and
he would vote for Norman Thomas.
| But none of these theories, DR..
Stern believes. is at all conclusive or
satisfactory. The trouble is that a
fellow with very agile mind may
be afflicted with the disease. while
the widest radical may be absolutely
formularlstic in his thought patterns
| Some of the most hide-bound con-
servatlves living are redder than Lenln
| The true explanation must be found.
Dr. Stern believes, on the symbolic
rather than the neuro- physiological
level of behavior.
Habits Conserve Energy.
In the first place, a human being
has limited amount of energy. He
can't do everything. He can't afford
to be continuously expending his en-
ergies and going through emotional
crises in making decisions. Conse-
quently one must "channeIize' be-
havlor. A large part of 1t must be
quasi-automatlc. involving little judg-
ment or dellberation. Eventually this
| channel takes on a homelike atmos-
phere One is Ill at ease outside of
it. One feels much the same sort of
pleasure at getting back into it as from
getting home out of a storm. Says
Dr. Stern:
This behavior, oft-repeated, becomes
suffused with emotional tones OF
pleasure. particularly when it involves
skilful movements. Ones personality
becomes relatively at ease when it
has attained an element of equi-
librium with the persons and objects
with whom he comes in contact.
Personality becomes bound up with
environment by sentiments of in
timacy. The strengths of these at
tachnents vary, depending on the
degree of stability of the culture in
which one lives.
Where social forms are more
dynamic and transient the extent
of permanency in adjustment is less
than in a relatively static society
There is an emotional and esthetie
feeling of happiness derived from
Identification with the customary
forms when these forms provide a
minimum of qualification of human
wants Escape mechanisms facilitate
specious sense of adjustment ano
fantasy creates world of unreality
which obscures actual discomfort
particularly when the economics of {
society offer no certainty of employ
ment and subsistence to its masses
and these live within the threatening
shadow Of uncertainty.
Innovations Require Decisions.
"An innovation, especially one which
affects ones economic status, as ir
the case of technologies, rudely shat
ters whatever equilibrium person has
attained 1t demands not only motor
reconditioning but reorganization OF
personality to meet the needs of the
new situation. Poise gives way to al
least temporary uncertainty. Ones
place in the new configuration is un'
certain. New decisions are demanded