73. The advice to act naturally or follow one's instincts can, admittedly, be helpful . n2 S% s. h/ A! `. h0 n$ _8 J
advice for someone torn between difficult career or personal choices in life. In most
# D/ T7 r! v$ h3 w8 jsituations, however, following this advice would neither be wise nor sensible. Following
9 c$ w& P! K9 Vone's own instincts should be tempered by codes of behavior appropriate to the situation
1 U7 _7 }7 }+ ]8 C: {/ ]at hand.
4 d. U5 c# c7 F; D3 ~ First of all, doing what comes naturally often amounts to impulsive overreaction * c! Y6 o% F, ~
and irrational behavior, based on emotion. Everyone experiences impulses from time to
: \( J1 f( H( N* L# ~: D- Ztime, such as hitting another person, quitting one's job, having an extramarital affair, * L7 k) a' |' o8 q
and so forth. People who act however they please or say whatever is on their mind : l) I8 t6 `. f7 J3 V4 w. R
without thinking about consequences, especially without regard to social situation, may
5 Q- T7 y8 z; c$ _' r: @, zoffend and alienate others. At the workplace, engaging in petty gossip, sexual , T. J# ]) D) ~+ ?
harassment, or back-stabbing might be considered "natural"; yet such behavior can be & L! ?! q( u, E1 Z0 ?
destructive for the individuals at the receiving end as well as for the company. And in
5 s V u; D5 V9 l5 Q( Adealings with foreign business associates, what an American might find natural or
& W2 i: t( g4 h& Hinstinctive, even if socially acceptable here, might be deeply insulting or confusing to ; g: R: i* d- `6 C. Y
somebody from another culture.
6 A2 l. |" C2 U) \3 `0 [, u Second, doing what comes naturally is not necessarily in one's own best interests.
( q1 O: G3 v5 |0 e- J1 N/ gThe various behaviors cited above would also tend to be counterproductive for the
$ e1 j" u/ F( l1 Wperson engaging in them. "Natural" behavior could prove deadly to one's career, since 3 _3 h$ [% b1 U
people who give little thought before they act cannot be trusted in a Job that requires
: q5 h5 K! w/ \) Z, v0 P2 Teffective relationships with important clients, colleagues, and others.
: \) I' ^' P) g$ c' Q1 Z Third, the speaker seems to suggest that you should be yourself, then act
( l; ?3 q7 U' M; T/ paccordingly—in that order. But we define ourselves in large measure by our actions. $ \. f# R7 t1 K& X8 Y; v. c9 ]
Young adults especially lack a clear sense of self. How can you be yourself if you don't
5 C9 M% Y7 [6 |1 u! Q8 tknow who you are? Even for mature adults, the process of evolving one's concept of
+ Z9 Y- L, r0 L- ?7 Xself is a perpetual one. In this respect, then, the speaker's recommendation does not
: h- k/ }4 Z' h1 v9 z3 Cmake much sense.
1 J& E3 V: ?; F' s, M8 { In sum, one should not follow the speaker's advice universally or too literally. For
8 g6 I0 \) | {* G5 v/ p# runless a person's instincts are to follow standard rules of social and business etiquette, : F! |' j: m, ~8 V8 e
natural behavior can harm others as well as constrain one's own personal and
2 y- e2 t* T2 M# |7 Qprofessional growth. |