Unit X
(Chapters 32-36)
The basic purpose in this
closing unit is to show that behavioral science is unfinished business. Despite his success with Walden Two, Frazier
wants to continue, to create a complete science of human behavior, a science as
powerful as that of the atom.
Summary
The next morning Castle and
Burris pack their bags in preparation for their return to the university. Castle is in a good mood, feeling superior to
Frazier, who probably was an academic failure, he decides. Burris realizes that Castle has a marked
capacity for self-deception. When the
strain of the debate became too great, he simply called Frazier a fascist.
The entire group meets for
breakfast, which is uneventful.
Afterwards, Frazier invites Burris to join him for his one hour of
physical labor. He seems to want to
talk privately with Burris, and for lack of an excuse, Burris goes with him to
the machine shop, which Frazier is assigned to clean. Frazier enjoys the task, making order out of chaos, despite his
untidy personal life.
Burris feels increasingly at
ease when he realizes that Frazier is not going to broach the subject of
Walden Two. Eventually, he brings it up
himself.
He explains that he envies
Frazier and perceives him as a genius.
Frazier soundly denies his genius, saying that he has no exceptional
ability. He was simply persistent,
stubborn. He created Walden Two to have
things his way.
Burris asks what he will do
now that the job is finished, and Frazier becomes angry, pointing out that
science is never finished.
"That’s nonsense,
herepliestoBurris."Canyouciteasingleinstanceinthehistoryofscience to bear
you out? When has a scientific discovery
ever made things easy.? It may clarify some former
obscurity or simplify a former difficulty,
but it always opens up problems which are more obscure and more difficult-and
more interesting! Use your imagination,
man! Look what remains to be
done!"
Frazier is not satisfied
with a static culture. He wants to move
forward, to build his science of behavior to the point where it can design
personalities, control temperament, make a child more mathematical, and improve
communal efforts, rather than leaving these outcomes entirely to chance and
heredity. The present efficiency of
society, he says, is but a fraction of one percent. (Chapter 32)
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With the completion of his hour's work, Frazier
leaves the machine shop with a sense of purpose. He leads Burris through a wooded area to a remote spot in the
underbrush, at the edge of
a cliff. He explains that the spot is called the
"Throne," and it overlooks almost all of Walden TWO.
For a few minutes Frazier
observes the community through a small telescope. Then he lies back and assumes the position of crucifixion, his
ankles lightly crossed, arms stretched out , and head resting limply to one
side.
This scene upsets Burris,
and he expresses the hope that Frazier does not think he is God. Frazier replies: "There's a curious
similarity."
The two begin to discuss
predestination and free will. Frazier
asserts that the behavior of all members of Walden Two is determined, yet they
feel free. There is a plan, but they
seem to make their own choices and determine the outcomes-
On this basis, Burris
accuses Frazier of being a dictator, and Frazier replies that he is less of a
dictator than God. In fact, he has
improved upon Genesis because he has not had to send a great flood or reveal his
plan to people.
Burris resists this
comparison, accusing Frazier of a God complex.
"Of course I'm not indifferent to power!" replies
Frazier. "And I like to play
God!"
He takes out his telescope
and peers through it for several minutes.
"These are my children, Burris." Then he whispers, "I
love them."
This statement embarrasses
him. "What is love," he
shrugs, preparing to leave, "except another name for the use of positive
reinforcement?" (Chapter 33)
As Frazier and Burris near the
lawn, they hear a disturbance. A sheep
has escaped from the portable fold.
Even with sheep, Frazier points out, punishment is ineffective in the
long term. The string would not be
highly successful without the additional presence of the Bishop. Then he compares the control of the dog and
the sheep. The former is rewarded, the
latter punished, and they behave accordingly.
Human society should take note of this difference. Watching the escaped sheep, Castle is amused
in a rather forced way. He points out
that behavioral engineering is not yet perfect. Frazier glances at Burris, shrugs his shoulders, and walks away.
(Chapter 34)
Frazier accepts no
expression of thanks as the group prepares to leave, beginning the homeward
journey in the community truck.
Instead, he reminds everyone of the labor-credits. Mary and Steve, of course, stay at Walden
Two.
After a subsequent bus trip,
Castle and Burris wait together in the train station, for Barbara and Rodge
plan to take another train. Each man is
trying to collect his thoughts about Walden Two. Castle maintains a monologue about how someone will stop Frazier
before much longer. "It may be the
government, it may be rival religious or economic forces, or perhaps just some
envious individual inside or outside the community. But someone will get to him, you can be sure of that." He
concludes by reciting the demise of several leaders of utopian-type
communities. "Look at history,
man!"
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Lost in his own meditations,
Burris is amused by what he thinks would be Frazier's reply. Walden Two has almost nothing in common
with those early communities. No
comparison can be drawn. They were
usually founded on revealed truth; Walden Two is based on scientific principles.
Burris continues his
meditations, comparing Frazier and Thoreau.
Both agree that there is no purpose in fighting the government. Why that.
It is best to let it alone. But
Frazier, unlike Thoreau, pays his taxes and compromises when necessary. He has found a route to a better life
without trying to alter the world of others.
Castle's words again
interrupt Burris' thoughts. "If
you really had a technology which could manipulate human behavior," he
says, "you could raise some puzzling questions. But isn't that wishful thinking?”"
Burris feels otherwise. The techniques of controlling human
behavior, he decides, are obvious enough-but possessed by the wrong
people. Frazier seems to have evaluated
the situation correctly and taken appropriate action. His educational practices, still
experimental, are well on the way toward the crucial tests.
Once more, Castle's voice
disrupts Burris' private world.
"The man's unread," he says, speaking of Frazier. "These things take on a different light
when one has read Plato, Rousseau, John Stuart Mill. Frazier needs a good course in the humanities."
Burris, in his own mind,
defends Frazier, for nothing arouses him more than the suggestion to abandon
science when dealing with human problems.
Much of social science, he declares to himself, is unworthy, but it seems preferable to recognize it as
nonsense "than to wander around in the all-embracing fog of social
philosophy." He is critical of much academic work: "Historical research
can take the place of scientific inquiry
and give one time out for an honorable snooze, while pretending to carry
on."
Castle excuses himself for a
moment, and suddenly Burris makes a decision.
He checks his bag, dashes out of the train station, and comes to rest on
a park bench. He notices a newspaper
containing a synopsis of a speech by the president of his university. The president has suggested worthwhile
educational goals, but Burris realizes that he has no idea how to achieve them. At almost the same time, he suddenly realizes
that he will go back to Walden Two.
Burris travels unencumbered
returning to Walden Two, with a few essentials in his knapsack, taken from his
bag, and a newly purchased copy of Walden in his pocket. He begins his walk disappointed that it is
not raining or night, which would better fit his heroic mood. Instead, he walks along the sidewalks on a
warm day. (Chapter 35)
Finally arriving at Walden
Two, Burris is met by Steve Jamnik, who is not surprised to see him. "Mr.
Frazier told me you were coming back," he says.
The astonished Burris
glances fearfully up at the Throne. He
is gratified to find that Frazier is not there. (Chapter 36)
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Key Concepts
Write a definition for each of these terms. When in doubt, reread the indicated pages in
Walden
Two and consult the glossary in
this guidebook.
science
of human behavior, 274
noncompetitive
intelligence, 280
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Illustrations
The concepts in Walden Two are often illustrated in daily
life. Below are students' illustrations
of three concepts in this unit. Supply additional examples yourself of these
or other key concepts in this unit.
Noncompetitive intelligence (280).
"In my high school, which was a private school, individual
competition was avoided, insofar as possible.
"In the classroom,
there were no grades in the traditional sense and whenever our work was evaluated,
it was a mutual effort between teacher and student, and then the teacher wrote
a paragraph or page which summarized the discussion. If the student felt differently about the outcome, he or she
wrote another statement which was included with the report.
"Out on the playing
fields, all the activities were non-zero sum games, meaning that the scores
made by one person or one team were not counted as points against the other
side. Both 'teams' could score points
at the same time. The 'for' and 'against'
scores did not add up to zero. Usually
we played 'catch' or ran as a group or tried to keep a large ball bouncing into
the air as long as possible. Sometimes,
we all ran in the rain, trying not to get wet.
In winter, we slid or made designs in the snow. Naturally, the frisbee was always a popular
item.
"After I left, the
school closed. I guess parents did not
want to send their kids, probably because they really did not know what it was
all about. Many of my friends from that
school are actively involved in disarmament and are trying to encourage a
noncompetitive approach to the work environment. They have jobs of this sort, and of course they serve as models
for their own children. The basic
principle of non-competition seems to be a permanent part of their lives.
"Those of us in college
do not seem to have any problems-or any more than students from competitive
schools-probably because competition is such a fundamental part of American
life.
"In any case, I think
that my school has improved the world in a small way. What we need are more such schools-not less-for world survival
depends on the way people are trained to look at life, especially at other
people, as companions or rivals."
Threat of pain (283). "In high school I
hated living with my parents. I was
'permanently grounded' after dinner, except on Friday and Saturday nights. I couldn't go out unless I showed them, in
full detail, that I had done all my homework.
After solitary confinement with the books, and a successful plea, I was
paroled until ten o'clock. It really
made me mad. My parents were wardens,
the house a prison. I wasn't physically
restrained, but the threat of force and pain was constantly there.
"My friend Aniko worked
no less on her homework but felt very different about it. She lived with her uncle, a laid-back man
who trusted himself and Aniko as well.
He simply told her to go out and enjoy herself as soon as she finished
her studies. During that year our
evenings out and efforts at homework were about the same. In fact, we often went out together.
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"But we had very
different feelings about what had happened.
Homework for me was a means of escaping a bad situation. My parents' approach simply made me do the
work. It didn't develop in me any
interest in studying. Now in college,
where they're not around, I don't do any studying at all."
Thoreauvian (289). "Martin lives in
another world. No bank account, no car,
no driver's license, no credit cards-of course. He carries what money he earns in his pocket and always seems to
have enough for his tastes-bread, wine, and fish.
"He's a free-lance
carpenter, usually working independently on some private job in the
country. He has no interest in
business, advancement, or especially becoming somebody's boss or worker. Naturally, he has no interest in government
or politics.
"'Voting is a waste of
time,' he says. 'Your vote doesn't mean
a thing.' But he says he would in a small election-if a suitable candidate came
along. So far, no one has met his
approval-so he's not even registered to exercise his option!"
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Study Questions
1. "And you've had the fun of being a pioneer," says
Burris of Frazier's success in establishing Walden Two. "You've skimmed the cream. It's going to be all too easy for those who
follow." How does Frazier respond?
Cite an example from the history of science to support his view.
(272)
2. Frazier cannot be satisfied with a static culture. "Science must go on," he says.
What does he mean? In what specific
areas is further development most necessary?. (273)
3. Frazier wants to make people happy, to develop a productive
society, and to make possible a true science of human behavior. Which of these is most important to
him? WW. (274)
4. What does Frazier mean by communal science? To what extent does it exist already? How might it be developed further? (275)
5. Behavior is determined, claims Frazier, yet people can still
feel free. How is this possible?
(279)
6. Love, according to Frazier, is simply another word for what
principle? Do you agree? Why or why not? (282)
7. "It's a primitive principle of control," Frazier says
of punishment. Why does he take this position? (283)
8. Why does Frazier feel the sheep will need frequent punishment or
an unsurmountable fence in order to be contained? Why does the Bishop control the sheep without punishment? Focus upon the different goals of the sheep,
the dog, and also humanity. (283)
9. In the bus station, Burris suddenly changes his course of
action, deciding to return to Walden Two.
Is this decision a demonstration of free will or determinism? Explain your answer.
(292)
10. When Burris returns to Walden Two, be glances towards the
Throne, relieved to find no one there.
WW. What do you suppose Frazier
is doing at that moment? (301)
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Values Clarification
With no chance of converting Castle, Frazier lures Burris
to his workshop and then to the
Throne. He turns to the most important topics in
their previous discussions:
1. On world survival: "The discrepancy between
man's technical power and the wisdom with
which
he uses it has grow-n conspicuously wider year by year." (273)
2. On questions of happiness: "We can study
them only in a living culture, and yet a culture
which
is under experimental control." (274)
3. On the capacity of behavioral technology:
"Give me the specifications and I'll give you the
man."
(274)
4. On punishment: "It's
a primitive principle of control." (283)
Apart from Frazier's
remarks, which topic is most important to you?
Mark it with your name. After
thinking about Frazier's comments, identify the topic which seems most important
to him. Mark it with his name. Finally, write Castle's name before the
topic he would consider most critical.
These choices need not be mutually exclusive. Any or all names may be placed beside any topic.
Discuss the similarities and
differences among these choices, referring to the personalities, if
appropriate. Include the reasons for
your own position and note any conditions which might prompt you to change your
reaction.