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The Egotist Considers
Whateverworthwhilecomestoyou,won’tbethroughthechannelsyouweresearchinglastyear."
"Whatcouldbemoreunprofitablethanmypresentlackofpep?"
"Perhapsinitself...butyou’redeveloping.Thishasgivenyoutimetothinkandyou’recastingoffalotofyouroldluggageaboutsuccessandthesupermanandall.Peoplelikeuscan’tadoptwholetheories,asyoudid.Ifwecandothenextthing,andhaveanhouradaytothinkin,wecanaccomplishmarvels,butasfarasanyhigh-handedschemeofblinddominanceisconcerned—we’djustmakeassesofourselves."
"But,Monsignor,Ican’tdothenextthing."
"Amory,betweenyouandme,Ihaveonlyjustlearnedtodoitmyself.Icandotheonehundredthingsbeyondthenextthing,butIstubmytoeonthat,justasyoustubbedyourtoeonmathematicsthisfall."
"Whydowehavetodothenextthing?ItneverseemsthesortofthingIshoulddo."
"Wehavetodoitbecausewe’renotpersonalities,butpersonages."
"That’sagoodline—whatdoyoumean?"
"Apersonalityiswhatyouthoughtyouwere,whatthisKerryandSloaneyoutellmeofevidentlyare.Personalityisaphysicalmatteralmostentirely;itlowersthepeopleitactson—I’veseenitvanishinalongsickness.Butwhileapersonalityisactive,itoverrides’thenextthing.’Nowapersonage,ontheotherhand,gathers.Heisneverthoughtofapartfromwhathe’sdone.
