Time and Consequence 117 



these must vary as often as conditions vary. This does not 

 mean that any action will be necessarily good because it 

 succeeds in its prime purpose. Far from that, such con- 

 duct as selfishness, by provoking opposition, or by alienating 

 friendships, may cause losses far exceeding the gains and 

 thus giving net results by which the conduct is quickly 

 known to be bad. In this test of fitness, its consideration 

 for a conventional code may apply, and make conduct fit or 

 unfit, even when that code is imperfect or in error; for pro- 

 vided the law therein stated is effectivly enforced, it is evi- 

 dent that such a code is one of the things to be counted with 

 along with the other elements of environment. The fitness 

 or goodness or justifiability which any certain action might 

 have, if codes did not exist, is a hypothetical quality. Truly 

 fit conduct takes account of all circumstances, and will adjust 

 itself to the effective value of a disputed law or custom, 

 much as it would govern itself in contact with the opposi- 

 tion of nature. If the code is clearly wrong then principle 

 and conscience may under some circumstances demand oppo- 

 sition, but opposition is not right conduct if not productive. 

 It is not a duty to resist when that course is impotent and 

 self -destructive; the opposition called for even against error 

 is effective opposition, which perhaps can only be accom- 

 plished by deference for a time to superior force. Then on 

 the other hand there is always the possibility that the chal- 

 lenged code is in the main right, or that being wrong, it is 

 still less wrong and more acceptable than the alternative 

 offered in opposition; or it may be that the conservative 

 habit of the majority maintaining the code, has a right to 

 delay even a reform which would be equally right. 



