How to be happy though human / by W. Béran Wolfe.

pervading all neurotic conduct. Ignorance of the meaning of life causes the neurotic to exaggerate the difficulty of the problems he must solve, and isolation from the normal contacts of life robs him of a true perspective of his own value and ability. The neurotic acts as if every problem were insuperable. He compares himself constantly with other fellow human beings whom he cannot understand because he has never taken the time to identify himself with their problems. Their seeming poise and security deceive him into believing that every other man and woman is a superman, and that he, by comparison, is an impotent and insignificant derelict. The average neurotic believes he is a misunderstood god, and acts as if he were a discouraged worm. This attitude reinforces his sense of worthlessness and makes him afraid to test his real powers in any objective problem. The specific problem that a neurotic fears may be determined by asking him what he would do if he were immediately cured of his neurosis. “ If I did not have these terrific headaches when I go into a social gathering, I would get married immediately ” the neurotic will answer, thus betraying his unconscious fear of sexual responsibilities. “ If I could rid myself of this gnawing doubt and indecision I would open a bookshop ” answers another who thereby betrays his fear of independent work. The third commandment in the neurotic decalogue is : Safety first; Never risk an open test of your ability when you can be secure behind the smoke-screen of a neurosis. 4. The fourth cardinal criterion of the neuroses is the establishment of a subjective sense of power and security, or the elaboration of a make-believe superiority. The neurotic's code insists that he shall maintain his precious ego on its pedestal, but the same code forbids any attempt toward the actual conquest of life's problems (which would normally produce a sense of poise and superiority). The neurotic solves this woeful dilemma neatly and effectively by the unconscious utilization of the side-show technique described in a previous chapter. By constricting the arena of his activity the neurotic