How to be happy though human / by W. Béran Wolfe.
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has chosen the particular character traits he evinces, in order to attain his end. As a matter of fact there are “ good ” and “ bad ” characters and personalities. We must assume some norm of character, and if we remember that the need of social living is the paramount expression of our desire for self- preservation, it must follow of necessity that all character traits that make communal living easier must be “ good ” character traits, and all character traits that tend to disrupt our social life must be called “ bad ” character traits. In our evaluation of character and personality we take the commonweal as our measuring rod, but we must never forget that all character traits, dispositions, personalities, and types of human behaviour are “ good ”, that is effective, from the standpoint of the individual goal. The importance of this knowledge becomes apparent as soon as we enter the field of self-education or psycho¬ logical treatment. Most “ bad ” character traits sooner or later lead their possessors into conflict with society and with nature. If we wish to rid ourselves of “ bad ” character traits, that is, socially undesirable, unco¬ operative, disruptive, isolating, futile character traits, we can achieve a “ good ” character by developing our social horizons and our inner creative interests so that we become more human. Bad and good are questions of degree in human nature. Self-preservation remains the first law of nature, and social life and adjustment is man’s best means of preserving himself. It follows, therefore, that all character traits which we term “ bad ”, that is, all anti-social traits are, in the last analysis, not only socially destructive but also self-destructive. They lead to immediate conflict with the group and with nature, and consequently unhappiness is bound to follow in the wake of a “ bad ” character. Let us analyse some of the good character traits which mark the individual who is living out his humanity to the fullest extent. All good character traits have a common denominator of social courage and social