character, or in other words, the danger of an attack of the emotional
pest on decent living. I assure you again that I don't want to interfere,
but I feel that it is proper to tell this: I had many encounters with the
emotional pest during the past 30 years. My experience taught me that
the only way to get through in this terrible fight is to stand up fully for
one's own way of life, no matter what public opinion thinks about it.
My experience tells me further that you endanger yourself when you
appear uncertain and that you gain a great following and admiration
just when, in a simple and frank manner, you proclaim that which you
think right and true. When I was still working among the suppressed
masses in Germany, I had the typical experience that the police never
touch the one who was walking calmly among them and who would
face them in a simple natural way. You can beat the pest to its death if
you show up the falsehood and if you stand up for the inner laws of
decent human behavior as against the outer compulsory laws. That is
all I can say.
- I •
Forest Hills, New York
November 8, 1 944
My dear Neill:
I liked your article very much, although I cannot agree with
everything you say in it. It goes to print, of course.
I still wonder why the opinions of the various biologists are so
important to you. Is that not an expression of your own insecurity in the
matter? The Orgone work is being acknowledged here more and more.
I hope you were able to clear the situation in your school. It is
sometimes very bad to permit co-workers to mingle into private affairs.
It is none of their business.
As to the question of fasting: I have nothing to say, because I am
lacking experience in this field. But I can imagine that it could do some
good.
When you write the next time to Herbert Read, it would be wise to
tell him to drop the expression "anarchism" which means to the feeling
of the average man the absence of any kind of law and order.
As to the heavy way of saying things: I do not believe that this is my
fault or that of the translator. There are definite scientific matters which
cannot be described the way you describe a football game. And why