The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-17

Another primal motive IN human
nature Is submissiveness. Protest as
we may that human nature is proud,
arrogant, asSertive, it still remains
true that it is also compliant, yield
ing, docile. Man finds profound sat-
isfaction not alone in exercising
mastery over others but in being
mastered by others in following a
leader.
If a Hitler exhibits self-asser-
tiveness, millions of his followers,
committing mind, conscience, and
life itself to his charge, exhibit sub
missiveness.
Vandamme said Of Napoleon,
THAT devil of a man exercises on
me a fascination that I cannot ex-
plain to myself, and in such a de-
gree that, though fear neither
God nor devil, he could make me
go through the eye Of needle to
throw myself into the fire"
Social chaos, demanding Gen.
tralized strength to achieve order
and security, makes millions ready
to listen to vigorous, self confident
voices and to follow them. The
complex nature Of the worlds
problems, beyond the competence
of common men even to grasp,
makes a leader seem a godsend, and
devotion to him a privilege.
By attaching ourselves as de-
voices to powerful persons or groups,
we gain backing, security, an sense
Of Importance; by our docility we
absolve ourselves from trying to
think through difficult pdoblems;
and we escape from ourselves into
the satisfying consciousness of shar-
ing larger life to which by our 10y
atty we are joined.
We love to be mastered, to sit
spell bound by great oratory or
great music, to be subdued by
magnificent scenery, to feel awe
in the presence Of commanding
personality, to fall in love until w
become humble suppliants for the
favors of the adored. From the
brushes" of adolescence on, we
are natural-born -worshipers
and fans" adherents, disciples.
lovers, and credulous believers of
what we are told.
In milder forms submissiveness
becomes an escape mechanism.
BY being shy. timid, yielding,
complaint, some try to adjust
themselves to life in such fashion
as to avoid conflict and tension.
Finding it difficult to handle per-
sonal relations, it may be in child
hood, either by normal good will
or by aggressive self-assertion,
they retreat to another technique
compliance, obsequiousness, SER
Witty. That explains Uriah Heep.
Here is powerful emotional drive
in human nature, whose misusers
are personally and socially tragic,
and yet whose elimination Is alike
impossible and undesirable. The
same propensity that gives Nap
oleon of a Hitler millions of devo-
tees can give millions Of devotees to
a true prophet or saint. The ability
to follow leadership is basic in all
hopes of q better world, and the
direction of this capacity into social
" redeeming courses Is close to the
center Of mankind's problem. Man
has within him the capacity to be-
long to someone. He may insist that
he wishes to be free, but II he in
terprets that desire as meaning an
isolated individualism, he denies
one OF the strongest factors In him,
the need of belonging.
Once, after an inspired rehearsal
when the whole orchestra rose.
again and again cheering Tos-
canini, the surprised and embar-
raised conductor exclaimed, "You
see, gentlemen, 1t isn't me 80. It's
Beethovenl" Do not the meek"
in this sense, inherit the earth?
| Toscanini's significance lies not