Libertarian_Guard
12th May 2010, 04:06 PM
http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=462262&pageno=23
There are two kinds of men, the kind that lives in the herd and the
kind that has strong individuality that needs room to grow. The herd
man exists in infinitely greater numbers than the individual man.
We cannot imagine Lincoln, Bismarck, Webster, Clay, Edison or Burbank
living in the herd, or spending their time in the boulevard cafes.
The man who lives in a herd, who is ever present where the lights are
bright, where gaiety abounds, where excitement reigns, where feasting
is present, soon gets himself into the habit of cultivating this
excitement. He is never happy when alone.
The brain never sleeps and something must occupy it. The herd man fills
his brain with frivolous things, he seeks constant excitement. He is
like the plant always in the sun, he burns himself out.
The great man with the individuality is great because he has always
spent plenty of tune by himself, sizing up things in solitude. Sizing
up things makes the brain grow and makes it stronger.
The universities of this country tend in a great measure to produce the
herd man. The students dress alike. All have the same mannerisms, all
have the same tilt to their hats, and all the same turned up trousers.
They feed at certain restaurants and crowd in flocks. Very few college
men learn the benefits of sizing up things in solitude until in after
years.
On the other hand the student in the school of practical experience
does not copy his fellow students. That is why in this great practical
experience school we find Lincolns, Edisons, Jim Hills and Carnegies.
Those men have to wrestle with the problems for themselves. They had to
size up things in solitude instead of reading the sizing up from text
books, as is done in the regular university.
Every man before retiring at night, or even during the day, should take
a few minutes to himself and carefully analyze the doings of the day.
He should weigh the positive and negative acts, the good and the bad,
the wise and the foolish, the right and the wrong impulses, the gain
and loss in achievement. He should strike a balance, and if he sees
that the bad, deterrent and backward things in the lead he should
resolve to get a move on himself.
The man who goes along without this sizing up things in solitude is
like the merchant who keeps no record, who pays his bills from the cash
drawer and takes what is left for profit. He will still be running a
little shop in twenty years, while his competitor who sized things up
each day will be in the wholesale business or will have retired with a
competency.
There is a string to every proposition, and it behooves you to look out
for the string before acceding to the requests that are made of you.
When a stranger comes and offers to do things for you, to let you in on
the ground floor, or assures you that he is working for your interest,
you may be sure there is a string to his proposition, and the string is
that, as a matter of fact, it is himself instead of you he is looking
out for.
Don't bite at the chance that is offered you to get something for
nothing. The biggest kind of a string is always in such a proposition.
Remember this, that people are selfish. Each man looks out for his own
interest, and even if he is protecting your interest, it is because his
own interest will be better conserved by looking out for yours.
Don't decide on important matters too quickly. Don't get tied up in big
contracts with strangers until you have found every strand of the
string.
Don't be too suspicious but hunt for the string. It pays to be very
conservative on all matters in which others are interested.
Sometimes the string in the proposition is legitimate and the other
fellow may be more interested than you are, but it certainly behooves
you to see what this string is and to understand exactly where the end
of the string is tied.
Don't draw up in your shell and look upon every man with a proposition
as trying to take advantage of you, but put down this as a truth--There
is a string to every proposition, and you must find that string before
you close the deal.
Health
There is no misfortune, no real hard luck except sickness and poor
health.
If you find your health is becoming impaired, change your methods and
vocation. Change before it is too late. A stitch in time saves nine
times nine in matters of health.
Get plenty of exercise, good air, good water, sleep with your windows
open in winter as well as summer, walk over two miles every day. Avoid
worry. Do good deeds. Help others. Eliminate evil thoughts and
deterrent influences.
If your health is impaired, forsake dollars if necessary and make
health your first concern.
Dollars are worth having, but sense is infinitely better to be
possessed of.
If your health will not permit you to get dollars and cents, then make
it your object to get health and sense.
Rockefeller would give his millions if he could have the health of
nearly any of the thousand of employes who work for him. A good stomach
is rather to be chosen than great riches.
There are two kinds of men, the kind that lives in the herd and the
kind that has strong individuality that needs room to grow. The herd
man exists in infinitely greater numbers than the individual man.
We cannot imagine Lincoln, Bismarck, Webster, Clay, Edison or Burbank
living in the herd, or spending their time in the boulevard cafes.
The man who lives in a herd, who is ever present where the lights are
bright, where gaiety abounds, where excitement reigns, where feasting
is present, soon gets himself into the habit of cultivating this
excitement. He is never happy when alone.
The brain never sleeps and something must occupy it. The herd man fills
his brain with frivolous things, he seeks constant excitement. He is
like the plant always in the sun, he burns himself out.
The great man with the individuality is great because he has always
spent plenty of tune by himself, sizing up things in solitude. Sizing
up things makes the brain grow and makes it stronger.
The universities of this country tend in a great measure to produce the
herd man. The students dress alike. All have the same mannerisms, all
have the same tilt to their hats, and all the same turned up trousers.
They feed at certain restaurants and crowd in flocks. Very few college
men learn the benefits of sizing up things in solitude until in after
years.
On the other hand the student in the school of practical experience
does not copy his fellow students. That is why in this great practical
experience school we find Lincolns, Edisons, Jim Hills and Carnegies.
Those men have to wrestle with the problems for themselves. They had to
size up things in solitude instead of reading the sizing up from text
books, as is done in the regular university.
Every man before retiring at night, or even during the day, should take
a few minutes to himself and carefully analyze the doings of the day.
He should weigh the positive and negative acts, the good and the bad,
the wise and the foolish, the right and the wrong impulses, the gain
and loss in achievement. He should strike a balance, and if he sees
that the bad, deterrent and backward things in the lead he should
resolve to get a move on himself.
The man who goes along without this sizing up things in solitude is
like the merchant who keeps no record, who pays his bills from the cash
drawer and takes what is left for profit. He will still be running a
little shop in twenty years, while his competitor who sized things up
each day will be in the wholesale business or will have retired with a
competency.
There is a string to every proposition, and it behooves you to look out
for the string before acceding to the requests that are made of you.
When a stranger comes and offers to do things for you, to let you in on
the ground floor, or assures you that he is working for your interest,
you may be sure there is a string to his proposition, and the string is
that, as a matter of fact, it is himself instead of you he is looking
out for.
Don't bite at the chance that is offered you to get something for
nothing. The biggest kind of a string is always in such a proposition.
Remember this, that people are selfish. Each man looks out for his own
interest, and even if he is protecting your interest, it is because his
own interest will be better conserved by looking out for yours.
Don't decide on important matters too quickly. Don't get tied up in big
contracts with strangers until you have found every strand of the
string.
Don't be too suspicious but hunt for the string. It pays to be very
conservative on all matters in which others are interested.
Sometimes the string in the proposition is legitimate and the other
fellow may be more interested than you are, but it certainly behooves
you to see what this string is and to understand exactly where the end
of the string is tied.
Don't draw up in your shell and look upon every man with a proposition
as trying to take advantage of you, but put down this as a truth--There
is a string to every proposition, and you must find that string before
you close the deal.
Health
There is no misfortune, no real hard luck except sickness and poor
health.
If you find your health is becoming impaired, change your methods and
vocation. Change before it is too late. A stitch in time saves nine
times nine in matters of health.
Get plenty of exercise, good air, good water, sleep with your windows
open in winter as well as summer, walk over two miles every day. Avoid
worry. Do good deeds. Help others. Eliminate evil thoughts and
deterrent influences.
If your health is impaired, forsake dollars if necessary and make
health your first concern.
Dollars are worth having, but sense is infinitely better to be
possessed of.
If your health will not permit you to get dollars and cents, then make
it your object to get health and sense.
Rockefeller would give his millions if he could have the health of
nearly any of the thousand of employes who work for him. A good stomach
is rather to be chosen than great riches.