Text B Character Reconsidered

David Brooks

Human decision making has three basic steps.First,we perceive a situation.Second,we use the power of reason to calculate whether taking this or that action is in our long-term interest.Third,we use the power of will to execute our decision.Over the centuries,different theories of character have emerged,and along with them,different ways of instilling character in the young.In the nineteenth century,most character-building models focused on Step 3 of the decision-making process—willpower.Victorian moralists had an almost hydraulic conception of proper behavior.The passions are a wild torrent and upstanding people use the iron force of will to dam it,repress it,and control it.

In the twentieth century,most character-building models focused on Step 2 of the decision-making process—the use of reason to calculate interests.Twentieth-century moralists emphasized consciousness-raising techniques to remind people of the long-term risks of bad behavior.They reminded people that unsafe sex leads to disease,unwanted pregnancy,and other bad outcomes.Smoking can lead to cancer.Adultery destroys families and lying destroys trust.The assumption was that,once you reminded people of the foolishness of their behavior,they would be motivated to stop.

Both reason and will are obviously important in making moral decisions and exercising self-control.But neither of these character models has proven very effective.You can tell people not to eat the French fry.You can give them pamphlets about the risks of obesity.You can deliver sermons urging them to exercise self-control and not eat fries.And in their non-hungry state,most people will vow not to eat it.But when their hungry self rises,their well-intentioned self fades,and they eat the French fry.Most diets fail because the conscious forces of reason and will are simply not powerful enough to consistently subdue unconscious urges.

And if that is true of eating a fry,it is also true of more consequential things.Preachers issue jeremiads against the evils of adultery,but this seems to have no effect on the number of people in the flock who commit the act—or on the number of preachers themselves who do it.Thousands of books have been written about the sin of greed,but every few years greed runs self-destructively rampant.There is near-universal agreement that spending on material things doesn't produce joy and fulfillment,and yet millions of people run up huge credit-card debt.Everyone knows killing is wrong,and yet genocide happens.Terrorists convince themselves it is righteous to murder the innocent.

For decades people have tried to give drug users information about the dangers of addiction;teenagers,information on the risks involved in unprotected sex;students,about the negative consequences of dropping out of school.And yet the research is clear:Information programs alone are not very effective in changing behavior.For example,a 2001 survey of over three hundred sex-education programs found that,in general,these programs had no effect on sexual behavior or contraceptive use.Classroom teaching or seminar-consciousness raising has little direct effect on unconscious impulses.Sermons don't help either.

The evidence suggests reason and will are like muscles,and not particularly powerful muscles.In some cases and in the right circumstances,they can resist temptation and control the impulses.But in many cases they are simply too weak to impose self-discipline by themselves.In many cases self-delusion takes control.

The nineteenth-and twentieth-century character-building models were limited because they shared one assumption:that Step 1 in the decision-making process—the act of perception—is a relatively simple matter of taking in a scene.The real action involved the calculation about what to do and the willpower necessary to actually do it.

But,as should be clear by now,that's wrong.The first step is actually the most important one.Perceiving isn't just a transparent way of taking in.It is a thinking and skillful process.Seeing and evaluating are not two separate processes,they are linked and basically simultaneous.The research of the past thirty years suggests that some people have taught themselves to perceive more skillfully than others.The person with good character has taught herself,or been taught by those around her,to see situations in the right way.When she sees something in the right way,she's rigged the game.She's triggered a whole network of unconscious judgments and responses in her mind,biasing her to act in a certain manner.Once the game has been rigged,then reason and will have a much easier time.They will be up to the task of guiding proper behavior.

For example,some students walk into a classroom with no innate respect for whatever teacher they may find there.When they get angry or frustrated,they'll curse at the teacher,ignore him,humiliate him,or even punch or throw a chair at him.Other students,on the other hand,do walk into the room with an innate respect for the teacher.They know,without thinking about it,that they are supposed to defer to him—that there are certain ways you act in front of a teacher and certain ways you don't.They may get angry or annoyed,but they will express those feelings out of class.It would never occur to them to scream,curse,or throw a chair at a teacher.If someone were to do it in their presence,they'd gasp with shock and horror.

Where did that innate respect come from?How did it come to be that the mere act of seeing the teacher triggered certain parameters in their minds?The answers are lost in Gloomy Prospect.The answers are lost in the midnight river of the unconscious.But somehow,over the course of their lives,they have had certain experiences.Maybe they came to respect the authority of their parents and now extend that mental frame to authority figures in general.Maybe they have absorbed certain stories in which they observed people treating teachers in a certain way.Maybe they have absorbed certain small habits and norms about classroom behavior that put a leash on the sort of behavior they consider unacceptable there.Out of these myriad influences,a certain pattern of perception has emerged,a certain way of seeing.Having learned to see a teacher in a certain way,they would never even consider punching one in the face,except in the realm of faraway fantasy,which they know they will never enact.

Similarly,upright people learn to see other people's property in a way that reduces the temptation to steal.They learn to see a gun in a way that reduces their temptation to misuse it.They learn to see young girls in a way that reduces the temptation to abuse them.They learn to see the truth in a way that reduces the temptation to lie.

This learning-to-see model emphasizes that it is not one crucial moment that shapes a character.Character emerges gradually out of the mysterious interplay of a million little good influences.This model emphasizes the power of community to shape character.It's very hard to build self-control alone(and if you're in a community of obese people,it's very hard to stay thin alone).It also emphasizes the power of small and repetitive action to rewire the fundamental mechanisms of the brain.Small habits and proper etiquette reinforce certain positive ways of seeing the world.Good behavior strengthens certain networks.Aristotle was right when he observed,"We acquire virtues by first having put them into action".The folks at Alcoholics Anonymous put the sentiment more practically,with their slogan"Fake it until you make it".Timothy Wilson of the University of Virginia puts it more scientifically:"One of the most enduring lessons of social psychology is that behavior change often precedes changes in attitude and feelings."

Notes to the Text

1.Victorian

（1）adj.of living in or made during the rule of Queen Victoria（1837—1901）维与利亚女王时代的

（2）adj.of or relating to the attitudes and values of this period，regarded as characterized esp by a stifling and prudish moral earnestness 与维多利亚女王时代态度和价值观有关的（尤指因循守旧、故作正经）

My mother's attitude to sex was rather Victorian—she thought it was dirty and refused to talk about it.

（3）n.a person living during the rule of Queen Victoria（1837—1901）维多利亚女王时代的人

2.Alcoholics Anonymous[uncountable](abbr.AA)

It is an international organization,begun in Chicago in 1935,for alcoholics(people who find it difficult to stop drinking too much alcohol)who are trying to stop drinking.They have regular meetings at which people help each other by talking about their problem.

戒酒互助协会（1935年成立于芝加哥的国际组织，成员不用全名）

Words and Expressions

adultery[əˈdʌltərɪ]n.　sex that takes place between a married person and someone who is not their husband or wife 通奸

authority[ɔːˈθɒrətɪ]n.　power to influence or persuade resulting from knowledge or experience权威，威信

calculate[ˈkælkjʊleɪt]v.　to guess sth or form an opinion by using all the information available预测；推测

consequential[ˌkɒnsɪˈkwenʃəl]adj.　important；that will have important results有重要性的；将产生重大结果的

dam[dæm]v.　to stop sth from being expressed or continuing 阻拦；阻挡

defer[dɪˈfɜː（r）]v.　to agree to the opinion，wishes，or decision of another person through respect or in recognition of his or her authority，knowledge，or judgment 遵从；听从；顺从

enact[ɪˈnækt]v.　to act（something）out，as on a stage 演出；展现

enduring[ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ]adj.　lasting for a long time 持久的；耐久的

execute[ˈeksɪkjuːt]v.　（fml.）to do a piece of work，perform a duty，put a plan into action，etc.实行；执行；实施

hydraulic[haɪˈdrɔːlɪk]adj.　（of water，oil，etc.）moved through pipes，etc.under pressure（水、油等）通过管道等液压驱动的

instill[ɪnˈstɪl]v.　to gradually make sb feel，think or behave in a particular way over a period of time 逐步灌输，逐步培养（思想、感受或行为）

jeremiad[ˌdʒerɪˈmaɪæd]n.　very long sad complaint or list of complaints 哀诉，悲哀的故事

leash[liːʃ]n.　control or restraint 约束；控制

mechanism[ˈmekənɪzəm]n.　the fundamental processes involved in or responsible for an action，reaction，or other natural phenomenon 机制

moralist[ˈmɒrəlɪst]n.　（often disapproving）a person who has strong ideas about moral principles，especially the one who tries to tell other people how they should behave 道德说教者，卫道士

motivate[ˈməʊtɪveɪt]v.　to make sb want to do sth，especially sth that involves hard work and effort 激励；激发；推动……甘愿苦干

myriad[ˈmɪrɪəd]n.　（literary）an extremely large number of sth无数；大量

occur[əˈkɜː（r）]v.　（of an idea or a thought）to come into sb's mind（观念、想法等）出现在头脑中

parameter[pəˈræmɪtə（r）]n.　（usually pl.）something that decides or limits the way in which sth can be done 参数，变数；参词；参项

perceive[pəˈsiːv]v.　to notice or become aware of sth 注意到；意识到；察觉到

practically[ˈpræktɪklɪ]adv.　almost，very nearly 差不多；几乎；简直

precede[prɪˈsiːd]v.　to happen before sth or come before sth/sb in order领先于，居先于，在……之先

rampant[ˈræmpənt]adj.　（of sth bad）existing or spreading everywhere in a way that cannot be controlled（坏事）泛滥的；猖獗的

realm[relm]n.　an area of activity，interest，or knowledge 领域，区域，范围

reinforce[ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs]v.　to make a feeling，an idea，etc.stronger 加强；充实；使更强烈

repress[rɪˈpres]v.　to try not to have or show an emotion，a feeling，etc.克制；压抑；抑制

rewire[ˌriːˈwaɪə（r）]v.　to determine or establish genetic information once again重新确定……基因信息

rig[rɪɡ]v.　to arrange or influence sth before it happens in a dishonest way in order to get the result that you want（以不正当的手段）操纵，控制

self-delusion[ˌselfdɪˈluːʒən]n.　self-deception 自欺

sentiment[ˈsentɪmənt]n.　a feeling or an opinion，especially one based on emotions情绪；感情；观点

shape[ʃeɪp]v.　to influence the way that a person，idea，or situation develops 塑造

simultaneous[ˌsɪmlˈteɪnɪəs]adj.　happening or done at the same time as sth else 同时发生的

subdue[səbˈdjuː]v.　to bring under control especially by an exertion of the will镇压，压制（情欲）；克制（怒气等）

torrent[ˈtɒrənt]n.　a large amount of water moving very quickly 激流；洪流

trigger[ˈtrɪɡə（r）]v.　to make something happen 引发；触发；激起

well-intentioned[ˈwelɪnˈtenʃənd]adj.　intending to be helpful or useful but not always succeeding very well出于好心的；好心好意的；善意的

power of will also called willpower，the ability to control your thoughts and actions in order to achieve what you want to do 意志力

in the interest of sb　符合某人的利益

French fries　（usually pl.）deep-fried potato strips 炸薯条

take in　to take notice of sth with your eyes 理会，了解

be supposed to do sth　应当做某事

in sb's presence　当着某人的面

mental frame　心理框架

Exercises

Read the text carefully and answer the following questions.

1.According to the author,which of the three steps is the most important in decision making?

2.Do you agree with the assumption that once somebody is reminded of the consequences of his or her behavior,he or she will automatically stop it?Give reasons for your answer.

3.It is widely known that spending on material things does not produce job and happiness,but still many people are crazy about buying things they do not need.Why?

4.On what grounds does the author say that the 19th and the 20th century character-building models were limited?

5.What can you infer about the classroom practice in the author's country from the example given?

6.Where does a person's innate respect come from?

7.What does the learning-to-see model emphasize?

8.How should we understand the sentence"Small habits and proper etiquette reinforce certain positive ways of seeing the world"?