SELF -C ON F I DENC E 197In the basic fear of old age, humans have two very sound reasons
for their apprehension: the one growing out of distrust of those who
may seize whatever worldly goods we possess, and the other arising
from the terrible pictures of the world to come which were deeply
planted in our minds, through the law of social heredity, long before
any of us came into possession of that mind.
Is it any wonder that so many fear the approach of old age?The Fear of Criticism
Just how humans acquired this basic fear it would be difficult, if not
impossible, to definitely determine. But one thing is certain, we all have
it in well-developed form.
I am inclined to attribute the basic fear of criticism to that part of
our inherited nature that prompts many of us not only to take away
our fellow human's goods and wares but also to justify our actions by
criticism of the character of others.
The fear of criticism takes on many different forms, the majority of
which are petty and trivial in nature, even to the extent of being childish
in the extreme.
The makers of all manner of clothing have not been slow to capi-
talize on this basic fear of criticism with which all humankind is cursed.
Every season, it will be observed, the styles in many articles of apparel
change. Who establishes the styles? Certainly not the purchasers, but
the manufacturers of clothes. Why do they change the styles so often?
Obviously so that they can sell more clothes.
For the same reason the manufacturers of automobiles (with a few
rare and very sensible exceptions) change styles every season.
The manufacturers of clothing know how the human animal fears
to wear a garment that is one season out of step with what "they" are
all wearing now.
Is this not true? Does your own experience not back it up?
Powerful and mighty is the fear of criticism.