198 SOCIAL EVOLUTION 



clearly and explicitly to consciousness." The actions of 

 these people are " largely determined by blind instinctive 

 impulses on the one hand, and on the other, by simple 

 acquiescence in, and imitation of, the kinds of activity 

 they see going on about them. " Although many women 

 spend much time and energy in keeping their houses tidy 

 and in order, they fail to recognize the end of this activ- 

 ity, namely, domestic comfort and happiness. Dress, 

 obviously a means to the end of keeping in bodily health 

 and comfort, has often become an end in itself, for men 

 and women array themselves in fantastic garments which 

 ignore both health and comfort. 



In collective thought and action the tendency to con- 

 vert means into ends is marked. A member of a group 

 is not likely to raise any question regarding an activity 

 which he finds faithfully observed by all his fellows, al- 

 though he may criticize an activity practised by only a 

 few of his companions. Usually, "the mere fact that his 

 fellows observe the practice is sufficient to put it beyond 

 criticism" and to lead the individual to regard it as an 

 end in itself. This is one of the most important prin- 

 ciples of the formation of custom. The ends or pur- 

 poses of many customs are lost in the mists of antiquity. 

 For whatever purpose it was originally instituted, a cus- 

 tom when once established becomes in some degree an 

 end in itself. It is followed out of mere habit. Men are 

 often prepared to maintain it at great cost of effort and 

 discomfort, long after it ceases to serve any useful end. 

 For this reason we find that meaningless rites continue 

 to surround almost all ancient institutions. 51 



By means of imitation, practices tend to survive long 



oMcDougall, op. cit., p. 349. Ibid., p. 350. 



