The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-05-12
The Attack On Security

framing alone winch can explain
the driving urge for security.
The individual comes into the
world with biological heritage
which determines the form of the
body; the color of hair, eyes, and
skin; and with predisposition to
respond to environmental situations
in a certain way. He is also born with
other ancestral traits among which is
driving urge to survive and to
adopt many means of security.
He needs no urging or training
for seeking, in a demanding way,
the elementary survival needs: food,
water, the proper body temperature,
and the absence of extreme pain and
fatigue. Even during its first few
weeks, the normal child will instinct
ingly let it be known when these
basic physical needs for survival
are not supplied in proper quantity.
For thousands of years, it has
been known, though often only
vaguely, that the child's hunger for
security took in far more than the
barest survival needs listed above.
1t was recognized that, in addition
to the physical requirements for con-
tinued life, the child also needed GER
tain social conditions. During the
last hundred years we have gained a
great deal of scientific knowledge of
these social needs which the child
Graves with an appetite which, under
rational conditions, seems, at times,
to be equal to the appetite for food,
shelter, etc.
We know now, without any doubt |
that favorable social conditions are
absolute requirements for the childs'
healthy physical growth, mental de-
and the acquisition of the
personality traits he needs to attain
status, participation, and
he approval of his associates.
Science has amply demonstrated
hat at successive stages of develop
nent, the individual demonstrates
/ craving and a need for being
wanted, for belonging, for being re-
sarded as needed member of the
group. And, of all the social needs,
the earliest and most i'm
)ortant is the sense of security in
being wanted. Child psychologists tell
us the infant has a sense of know
ng whether or not he is wanted even
before he has the power of speech
II reason. Moreover, they tell US
lis success or failure in being ac-
,eptable even at this early stage
an influence his entire life.
To satisfy this hunger for a feel
ng of security within the group,
he child and adult will GO to great
engths in pleasing; even to the
oint of self sacrifice.
The driving urge to attain a :
ceiling of security within the group :
ecomes more evident and dominant :
S the child becomes conscious of =
is place among associates in fact,
nder normal conditions this bid
or acceptance becomes so strong
hat the individual will sacrifice basic
urvival needs-food, shelter, etc.
4 order to do the things that he
opes will improve his standing with
he group.
The security for which the people :
trive is thus far broader than some :
mes assumed. 1t embraces far more :
nan the bare, elementary survival :
eeds - food, water, proper body :
,mperature and the absence of ex- :
'eme pain and fatigue. 1t operates :
/ the entire field of human inter :
relationships which operate to make :
seful citizens. 1t is striving for the :
nysical, the intellectual and the :
,cial.
The hunger for security embrac- :
g so much is not satisfied by :
reich in Jail. 1t is true, of course, :
lat day or a month in the Jail :
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