Haibts and Will: An Interpretive Essay
“Habits and Will” by John Dewey goes into depth on the topic of habits within human life and how we as the owners of such habits choose to handle them. The key idea of this work is that as humans, knowing the difference between right and wrong, we should be able to identify our bad habits, and if we put forth the work required, we can end those habits through our actions—actions spurred on by willpower.
Dewey’s writing is full of examples and illustrations that aid his argument about habits. He starts by describing his understanding of habits, that they are an action that has a command—a hold—over us and sometimes make us do things of which we are ashamed (Dewey 17). He then describes what a habit requires from us: physical action, but also, our own will. “All habits are demands for certain kinds of activity; and they constitute the self,” he writes, continuing, “In any intelligible sense of the word will, they are will” (18). Obviously, the author feels very strongly that habits, no matter what they are, are our own actions—our own decisions— and that they come from our will.
An illustration that he uses to further prove his belief on actions guided by will is that of a man who has poor posture. Dewey describes to the reader how a person can have poor posture, acknowledge his error, and want to correct his posture by standing up straight. But unless he physically uses his body to correct his stance, his posture will remain poor. “It is reasonable to expect a fire to go out when it is ordered to stop burning as to suppose that a man can stand straight in consequence of a direct action of thought and desire,” Dewey writes (20). Man can hope for correct posture all he wants, but until he commits himself physically to the act of standing up straight, he will remain in poor posture. This example aids Dewey in his argument that we can realize the bad habits in our life and want to rid ourselves of them, but unless we physically change our current situation, we will see no progress.
Dewey also spends a great amount of time discussing the reformation from our habits. For this illustration, he describes how a man who wants to give up drinking will slowly replace his habit of drinking with a different habit—a different action. However, an important element Dewey brings up is that when trying to rid ourselves of a bad habit through the act of taking on a new habit, we shouldn’t constantly think about how we are replacing the old habit with a new habit. Returning to the example mentioned above, Dewey describes how if the man who is attempting to give up drinking by taking on a new habit thinks about trying to not drink, he will constantly be thinking of his drinking habits and will likely revert back to his former ways during a point of weakness: “(He) is doing what he can to initiate the acts which lead to drinking. He is starting with the stimulus to his habit” (23). Dewey suggests that to succeed in replacing a bad habit with a good habit, we should try to replace it with something that wouldn’t remind us constantly that we are trying to rid ourselves of the old habit. “In short,” he writes, “the man’s true aim is to discover some course of action, having nothing to do with the habit of drinking or standing erect, which will take him where he wants to go” (23-24).
Each of the author’s illustrations and analogies point back to his main point—that we control our actions, even our bad habits, and that we have the power to physically stop them through replacing them with new habits. His writing serves to remind us that we are in control of our bodies and that bad habits are not simply a part of who we are, that we can stop them if we are willing to put in the action required. It is easy for us to assume that our habits are simply an element of our character, but Dewey’s argument shines a different light on that idea. Habits can be resolved, but it requires physical and mental work, as well as working to replace the habit with a new habit. While Dewey’s thoughts on bad habits can be difficult to accept, there are many truths from which we can learn. It is easy for us to notice the bad habits in our lives and assume there is nothing to be done about them. But according to “Habits and Will,” we have the power to stop our bad habits once and for all.
Works Cited
Dewey, John. “Habits and Will”. Introduction to Great Books, 1990, pp. 17-25
Dewey’s writing is full of examples and illustrations that aid his argument about habits. He starts by describing his understanding of habits, that they are an action that has a command—a hold—over us and sometimes make us do things of which we are ashamed (Dewey 17). He then describes what a habit requires from us: physical action, but also, our own will. “All habits are demands for certain kinds of activity; and they constitute the self,” he writes, continuing, “In any intelligible sense of the word will, they are will” (18). Obviously, the author feels very strongly that habits, no matter what they are, are our own actions—our own decisions— and that they come from our will.
An illustration that he uses to further prove his belief on actions guided by will is that of a man who has poor posture. Dewey describes to the reader how a person can have poor posture, acknowledge his error, and want to correct his posture by standing up straight. But unless he physically uses his body to correct his stance, his posture will remain poor. “It is reasonable to expect a fire to go out when it is ordered to stop burning as to suppose that a man can stand straight in consequence of a direct action of thought and desire,” Dewey writes (20). Man can hope for correct posture all he wants, but until he commits himself physically to the act of standing up straight, he will remain in poor posture. This example aids Dewey in his argument that we can realize the bad habits in our life and want to rid ourselves of them, but unless we physically change our current situation, we will see no progress.
Dewey also spends a great amount of time discussing the reformation from our habits. For this illustration, he describes how a man who wants to give up drinking will slowly replace his habit of drinking with a different habit—a different action. However, an important element Dewey brings up is that when trying to rid ourselves of a bad habit through the act of taking on a new habit, we shouldn’t constantly think about how we are replacing the old habit with a new habit. Returning to the example mentioned above, Dewey describes how if the man who is attempting to give up drinking by taking on a new habit thinks about trying to not drink, he will constantly be thinking of his drinking habits and will likely revert back to his former ways during a point of weakness: “(He) is doing what he can to initiate the acts which lead to drinking. He is starting with the stimulus to his habit” (23). Dewey suggests that to succeed in replacing a bad habit with a good habit, we should try to replace it with something that wouldn’t remind us constantly that we are trying to rid ourselves of the old habit. “In short,” he writes, “the man’s true aim is to discover some course of action, having nothing to do with the habit of drinking or standing erect, which will take him where he wants to go” (23-24).
Each of the author’s illustrations and analogies point back to his main point—that we control our actions, even our bad habits, and that we have the power to physically stop them through replacing them with new habits. His writing serves to remind us that we are in control of our bodies and that bad habits are not simply a part of who we are, that we can stop them if we are willing to put in the action required. It is easy for us to assume that our habits are simply an element of our character, but Dewey’s argument shines a different light on that idea. Habits can be resolved, but it requires physical and mental work, as well as working to replace the habit with a new habit. While Dewey’s thoughts on bad habits can be difficult to accept, there are many truths from which we can learn. It is easy for us to notice the bad habits in our lives and assume there is nothing to be done about them. But according to “Habits and Will,” we have the power to stop our bad habits once and for all.
Works Cited
Dewey, John. “Habits and Will”. Introduction to Great Books, 1990, pp. 17-25
I really liked this essay. Do you think that habits are truly unbreakable?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel! The author brings up a lot of great points about habits, some that I agree with completely and others I’m not so sure about. In general though, I do believe that we have control over our bodies and can stop bad habits. Of course, I believe that there are exceptions, like habits that our bodies can’t control (such as one that results from a medical condition etc.), but for the most part, I feel that we have the God-given ability to conquer our bad habits. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteAbigail,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your essay! I really enjoyed the example you gave about the man with the bad posture and how it takes physical determination to correct a bad habit.
Do you feel that a person's current situation in life can affect the types of habits we end up allowing to take place?
Thank you, Angela! I agree that circumstance can effect our habits. For example, in the essay I talked about how in a time of stress or desperation, a man who has been struggling with drinking may be likely to revert to his bad habits. Sometimes, bad habits offer us, our minds, and our bodies comfort because they are familiar to us.
DeleteWhat do you think?