1 result for (book:wth AND heading:"part one chapter 2 februari 7 1984" AND stemmed:approv)
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nail
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[... 7 paragraphs ...]
Book dictation. (Long pause, then quite slowly:) All creatures are also born, then, with a keen sense of self-approval.
Each creature is born proud of itself, and loving itself. That same self-approval is also experienced in varying ways not only by creatures as you think of them, but also by atoms and molecules, and by all orders of matter.
Ruburt once wrote a poem about a nail on a window sill. He endowed the nail with consciousness and self-awareness. Now every nail is indeed in its own way responsive to stimuli. It acts and reacts. A nail may not choose to jump down from a window still and dance about the room, but a nail is indeed aware of the room, of the window sill, and aware of the temperature on both sides of the window. The atoms and molecules that compose the nail possess their own lively consciousnesses. Their motion is directed by electrons, so that within itself the nail actually experiences constant motion. Indeed, a dance is executed of great symmetry and rhythm. The nail, then, is indeed filled with its own sense of self-approval.
I am mentioning this only to stress the fact that self-delight and self-approval (long pause) are natural characteristics — characteristics that actually make your entire physical world, and world of experience, possible.
It is very unfortunate, therefore, when adults inadvertently undermine a child’s sense of self-approval. A small boy might be caught in a lie, for example, and therefore labeled by an adult in the angriest of terms as a liar. Instead, a distinction should be made: the child made an error — he lied — but he himself is not the error or the lie. He can then determine to change his behavior while still saving his self-respect.
(Long pause at 4:16.) All creatures are basically of good intent; even when they commit the most dubious of acts, these are usually caused by a misdirected good intent. Actually, many criminals are motivated by distorted versions of righteousness. We will have more to say about this later in the book, but for now I want to stress the importance of self-approval in connection with exuberance, health, and well-being.
[... 6 paragraphs ...]
