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"There are two things that make for success and happiness in life", said Dr. Richard C. Cabot '89 in his talk at the last Monday night meeting for Freshmen yesterday evening in Smith Halls Common Room. "First, and of prime importance, is the habit of opening our minds freely and unhesitatingly to the stream of events in the world outside us. Second only to that must be placed the ability, as necessary as it is rare, of knowing out own minds."
In regard to the first of these principles Dr. Cabot emphasized the importance of friendship. He drew an analogy between people we dislike and people we don't know, asserting that too many of our prejudices against those about us are due to ignorance of their character. "It is normal to like people", he said, "and if we conceive an instinctive prejudice against every stranger it is a sure sigh of an abnormal or diseased mentality."
"Learning to know oneself" was the substance of Dr. Cabot's second argument. "Most people", he declared, "have no conception of what they really want in life. Too many of us are painfully indecisive, letting ourselves, our aims and ideals be influenced in a large degree by the actions of others".
In conclusion Dr. Cabot stressed again the two points essential to "Mental Hygiene". "Open your mind to all the good in the world. Know yourself. To find these two things is to be well, happy, effective."
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