3 6 TH E M I N D O F TH E B UY E R
waves ; w e lie o n th e groun d ab so rbe d i n the
cl oud s th a t floa t a c ross ou r vi si on ; w e sit b e
fore a n op en fire fascin ate d by th e ever- da rt
i ng flames, alm os t to th e p oin t o f hypno tiza
tion.
How explai n thi s fa scina tion? P rob ably
l a rgely i n te rms of inh eri ta nc e, a s w e did o u r
a ffini ty fo r int ensi ty an d exten sity. In th e
dis ta n t days wh en m an’s p rogenit or stalke d
i n th e j ungl e s, o ne o f th e m ost i mp orta nt
fa c t ors in life w as m ovement. Th e ligh te st
fl ut te r o f a leaf migh t indic a te th e p resenc e
o f a hi dde n enemy ; t h e flicke r o f a twig migh t
signi fy l urking dea th. As a result our ance sto r
wa s oblige d to give close a tte ntion to any
thin g th a t m ove d. If h e h a d fail e d h e w oul d
h ave fall en vic tim on e day to th e dest ruc tive
fo rc e s su rrounding him. As a resul t th e o ff
spri n g of pri mi tive m an manifeste d in ten se
in tere st i n m oving th ings. Th e trait, bei ng
useful i n p re serving life, b eca m e ingrain e d
wi thi n th e m embe rs o f th e sp ecie s an d pe r
si sts to thi s day.
The re is anoth e r way of a cc ounti ng fo r th e
influe nc e of m ovemen t. I t fi t s in to th e ve ry
nat ure of m ent ali ty. Th e min d is like a
st ream , c onstan tly i n m oti on. A m ovi ng o h
j ce t, th en, h as a ready ch ance o f sec u ring a
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