134 CONSCIOUSNESS 



progress of mankind, there are none that have 

 been stronger, or more beneficial, than the appre- 

 ciation of oneself. Modesty and decency owe their 

 origin to it. Consciously valuing our own person- 

 ality, we come to respect the personality of others, 

 to regard them as, in some measure, our equals, 

 and entitled to our sympathy. Refined by such 

 ideas the instinct of kindness has carried us far 

 beyond the elemental impulses of indiscriminate 

 benevolence : our philanthropy is thoughtful as 

 well as generous, and our charity is dispensed in 

 such fashion as best to save the self-respect of 

 those who receive it. 



Self-consciousness is self-assertive, and under 

 its influence a revolutionary change is taking 

 place in the feelings with which social and 

 political institutions are regarded. In former 

 days they were supported by the social im- 

 pulses of reverence, loyalty, and deference : 

 these do not appeal to self-consciousness : indi- 

 vidualistic (egotistic) impulses come uppermost 

 when we think of ourselves, and in this mental 

 condition loyalty of any kind would be hardly 

 possible could a basis not be found for it in our 

 self-esteem. If a government or an institution is 

 a credit to us we may reasonably adhere to it for 

 the most selfish of motives. In fact, whereas 

 formerly we were patriotic because we desired to 

 be a credit to our country, we are now patriotic 

 in order that our country may be a credit to our- 

 selves. To win our support a social or political 

 institution or ideal must gratify our self-esteem, 

 either by associating us with its activities or by 

 marking us with the distinction of an exclusive 

 peculiarity. To be popular, government must rest 

 upon the votes of the people. Dependent nation- 

 alities such as the Czechs, the Irish, and the Welsh, 

 fortify their self-respect by reviving their racial 



