Self Help

His whole attitude clearly indicated that he thought pretty well of himself; that he was proud of his deed. We have all seen people, in this day and time, who somewhat resemble Brutus in this respect, but, if we observe closely, we notice that they do not accomplish very much.

Suppose that Mark Antony had mounted the platform in a "strutting" attitude, and had begun his speech in this wise:

"Now let me tell you Romans something about this man Brutus - he is a murderer at heart and - " he would have gone no further, for the mob would have howled him down.

Clever salesman and practical psychologist that he was, Mark Antony so presented his case that it appeared not to be his own idea at all, but that of the Roman mob, itself.

Go back to the lesson on initiative and leadership and read it again, and as you read, compare the psychology of it with that of Mark Antony's speech. Observe how the "you" and not "I" attitude toward others was emphasized.

Observe, if you please, how this same point is emphasized throughout this course, and especially in Lesson Seven, on enthusiasm.

Shakespeare was, by far, the most able psychologist and writer known to civilization; for that reason, all of his writings are based upon unerring knowledge of the human mind.

Throughout this speech, which he placed in the mouth of Mark Antony, you will observe how carefully he assumed the "you" attitude; so carefully that the Roman mob was sure that its decision was of its own making.

I must call your attention, however, to the fact that Mark Antony's appeal to the self-interest of the Roman mob was of the crafty type, and was based upon the stealth with which dishonest men often make use of this principle in appealing to the cupidity and avarice of their victims.

While Mark Antony displayed evidence of great self-control in being able to assume, at the beginning of his speech, an attitude toward Brutus that was not real, at the same time it is obvious that his entire appeal was based upon his knowledge of how to influence the minds of the Roman mob, through flattery.

The two letters reproduced in Lesson Seven, of this course, illustrate, in a very concrete way, the value of the "you" and the fatality of the "I" appeal.