Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/565

 SOCIAL CONTROL 551

immediate environment. The nature habituated to certain kinds of response may hold out against the social influence ; but the young quickly succumb to the reiterated suggestions of their associates. Herein lies the assimilative power of societies. Besides the infection with speech, dress or manner, there is the more subtile infection of the newcomer with the master likes and dislikes of the group.

While most of the reaction habits acquired are caught up by imitation, there are admirations and abhorrences that are! impressed for a purpose. In other words, society, besides unwittingly or carelessly influencing its members, deliberately^ sets to work to affect their feelings in certain ways with a view to control. This is done by steadily holding up before a man, that which he is to admire and by studiously disparaging that) which he is to scorn and abhor. By thus orienting his feelings society determines what ideals shall rule his endeavor and shape the development of his character. Here, then, we have a method of molding people to the social pattern. It is scarcely neces- sary to add that society will seek to excite admiration for that in deed and in character which is deemed socially fit, and repug- nance for that which is too egoistic, foreign, reactionary, radical or eccentric to suit its purpose.

Recent ethics has glimpsed the sway of ideals over conduct and seen how these in turn depend on one's admirations and detesta- tions. But the significance of it all is hidden by a lame analysis. The socializing ideals that are found actually reigning in the lives of many people are spoken of as "social ideals." Ethics thus implies that, being the ideals guiding the mass of men at a given time, they are communicated by social influence to each new member of the community. If this is the process, we cannot help wondering how the mass of men ever came to follow these ideals that so often lead them aside from the smooth paths of instinct and spontaneity over the rough road of self-denial. Sci- entific explanation of this ethics has nowhere given.

There is, of course, such a thing as a collective or social ideal. So might we speak of the aspirations of crusading Europe, of