Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/400

 384 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

ing serious efforts in adjustment thereto are, according to Groos, only those in which the somatic well-being of itself or its young is at stake those relating to the obtaining of food and shelter; and in the human species clothing becomes a necessity. Most of an individual's activities in respect to these necessities will be performed in the spirit of work, while all he does over and above what is required for such adjustment will be play. The activities of courtship, for instance, are not compulsory, as are those which are involved in securing food ; so they come under the head of games and plays. In human life all that one does in his intercourse with his fellows for the purpose of obtain- ing their approbation or good-will or admiration cannot be regarded as work, for he is perfectly free to change his course whenever he elects so to do. Approbation, good-will, admiration are not deep, vital needs like nutrition, and the individual does not feel that he must co-ordinate all his powers in attaining them. If he has time and energy left after attending to serious business, he may amuse himself with these other things; but it is optional with him to do or not to do.

Now, it appears to me that Groos does not attach sufficient importance to the serious character of social situations, in human life at any rate. He fails to allow enough for the necessity of one's adapting himself to the customs and institutions of the society in which he is placed, no matter how little he may thereby gratify any physiological need. It seems that the activities in courtship, for instance, spring out of a necessity quite as profound, whether regarded from the standpoint of the individual or of the race, as that relating to nutrition or to defense against enemies. Looking at this phenomenon as we see it in animal life, we find that the bird, for example, puts forth as much energy, perhaps, in winning its mate as it does in get- ting its food ; it co-ordinates its powers toward the attainment of an end as fully in the one case as in the other. In both cases there is a need, the gratification of which yields pleasure, and in the attainment of which the powers are co-ordinated. It seems probable that the young man goes awooing with something of the same seriousness with which he goes to his desk or his shop,