How To Choose Your People Chapter 16

Chapter 16 — Interest and Enthusiasm (3.5-4.0)

INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM (3.5-4.0)

Our new high school math teacher was speaking carefully, "This is supposed to be a true story," he said. "A man, sitting in church with his wife, fell asleep and dreamed he was living in the time of the French Revolution. He was captured and brought before the guillotine. Death seemed imminent. At just this moment his wife noticed his closed eyes and drooping head, so she picked up his straw hat and tapped the back of his neck. Dreaming that this was the blade of the guillotine coming down on him, he died right there in his sleep.

"Now, how do you know this is not really a true story?"

The teacher laughed as he watched us catch on, one by one, to his trick story. If the man died in his sleep who would know what he was dreaming?

Our introduction to this handsome young man was certainly unusual. The girls were delighted to be in his class, of course, but we were somewhat apprehensive about that formidable looking geometry textbook.

To our surprise, however, he ignored the text for over a week. Instead, he spent each class period telling us baffling stories for which we were to find loopholes or solutions. This was school? Soon we were eagerly anticipating his class and wondering what kind of posers we would get each day. After a week of grappling with strange puzzles – taking them apart, finding flaws, arriving at solutions – we were convinced that problem solving could be fun. By the time he finally opened the geometry textbook, we were interested.

That's how a topscale person handles others – by bringing them up to a level where they become interested. He uses reasoning rather than the emotional persuasions used by lower tones ("Do your work or you flunk").

At the top of the scale we find a band ranging from Interest (amusement) to Enthusiasm (cheerfulness). I've placed them in one chapter because they're similar in characteristics. The 4.0 is just a little more so. Anyway, when we meet either one of them, it's such a welcome experience we don't want to waste our time nit-picking about which tone he's in.

INTEREST

One can become interested in various subjects, of course, at any level of the tone scale. He may be interested in anything from learning Swahili to looking at dirty pictures; but this doesn't place him at 3.5 on the scale.

The high-tone person takes an active interest in subjects related to survival. There's more action, more involvement and more creativity.

He can envision far-reaching plans and ideas that project toward a better future for himself and all mankind. His interests may be more novel and of broader scope than those of the lower-tone person.

He's more of a participant than a spectator. If he takes up sports, he'll excel because of his fast reaction time.

The 3.5 is capable of maintaining a strong, sustained interest; he doesn't take up something and drop it a week later (as we see in lower tones).

I once knew a young man who became interested in bird-watching. He was so enthused with the subject that he learned to recognize every bird call as soon as he heard it, and within a few months became an expert. Later this same young man studied karate until he earned the coveted black belt. Before he was twenty years old he acquired two skills that would give him pleasure and confidence for the rest of his life. I've known many people twice his age who have dabbled in a dozen subjects without achieving such proficiency in any of them.

One reason the 3 5 can put more attention onto any subject he's learning is because he is less introverted. His attention is outside of himself; he wants to be interested rather than interesting.

ENTHUSIASM

This is the tone of the fellow who just won the Irish Sweepstakes (before the income tax men arrive). He's eager, enthusiastic, cheerful, alive!

Before you get the picture of 4.0 as a perpetually grinning ape whom most of us would find obnoxious (at least before the first cup of coffee in the mornings, I'd better explain that he is not constantly bubbling over (that's more likely the phony bonhomie of the 1.1 or the strange, hysterical glee that may occur on any low tone – even Apathy). Generally he wakes up with a quiet sense of well-being and looks forward to carrying out his plans for the future.

He's mobile on the scale – able to experience all emotions as the occasion calls for them – although he's generally at the top with the volume turned down to a good-natured cheerfulness.

He's an active person who inspires others to action. If he's not the boss yet, he probably will be.

He enjoys working and is willing to be responsible for a large sphere of activity. You won't find him in squalid quarters; he recognizes and enjoys the good things in living. Here's a fully sane human being.

He's free from having to take sides. He finds no need to fight; but he definitely will rather than tolerate injustices. Since he doesn't need approval from others, he is able to do things courageously on a basis of personal conviction.

He can spend time with low-tone people without getting depressed, compulsively sympathetic or cruel.

There was a San Francisco men's club which collected money and food each year for a needy family in the community. One year, after such a family was selected, Fred, an up-tone member of the club, said, "You know, I don't mind helping this fellow, but I'd much rather see him earn his own money."

Fred followed up on his idea and learned that the impoverished man was laid off, but sincerely wanted to work. With the cooperation of the other members, Fred helped the man set up a lawn care business. The man soon came upscale and started adding customers. Within two years he owned two trucks, employed several helpers and ran a busy, thriving business – one that benefited the whole community. That's upscale help.

Having no need to control or dominate people to satisfy his own ego, the 4.0 uses his enthusiasm and confidence to inspire others to reach higher levels and do things for themselves. His tremendous personal power is a calming influence to a worried or troubled area.

Because of his fast reaction time, he avoids accidents. He's excellent at sports or any project he undertakes. He generally enjoys good health, because he doesn't recklessly ignore the rules of good body care.

COMMUNICATION

A high-tone person makes himself understood easily. He's capable of communicating deeply-felt ideas, but he does so with discrimination. He prefers dealing with constructive facts, rather than destructive ones. While a lower-tone doom salesman is reciting all the shocking news, he will be pointing to the survival activities occurring. He'll mention a book that will help you make more money. He'll describe a new development for making sturdier cars. He prefers discussing solutions, rather than clucking about the horribleness of it all.

He listens to others and understands them easily (provided the communication is understandable and does not exceed his educational level) and he can hear low-tone people without becoming upset, critical or derogatory .

My son told me about an upscale teacher who periodically gave the students a free discussion period in which they could make suggestions or comments about the class. One day a girl peevishly complained, "I don't think you let us talk enough."

Not finding it necessary to argue or defend himself, he replied calmly: "Hmm. I think you're right. I often talk too much"

RELAY

If a high-tone fellow delegates someone to give him a full report on a situation, he'll expect truthful facts and, if possible, a suggestion for rectifying any negative conditions. He will not accept a report based on generalities, innuendoes and assumptions that merely concludes: ''The world is going to hell in a handbasket." The 3.5 will call such a person on the carpet. He resents and strikes back at unnecessary "bad news" reports.

At 4.0 the person simply cuts a vicious or slanderous communication line. He doesn't absorb it or relay it. If possible, he'll raise the tone of the originator. Otherwise, he'll probably just cease accepting communication from that person.

When the 3.0 gets mad at a newspaper for biased reportings he'll write a blistering letter to the editor. The 4.0 will most likely cancel his subscription and look for a more upscale paper.

AS A FRIEND

His magnetic personality attracts people without effort, and he'll be loved by almost everyone. Some low-tone types, however, will get upset around 4.0 because they can't knock him down to their level. People who can move easily on the tone scale will find him inspiring. His high tone is contagious; they want to be around him so they can catch it themselves.

Be friends with him, hire him, elect him, promote him, work for him. You can't go wrong.

ETHICS

If you are playing cards with him and accidentally expose your hand, he won't look. He's honest. He doesn't subscribe to the get-away-with-what-you-can philosophy. He actually refines ethics beyond those demanded by his group. He doesn't need laws, rules or policies to force him to be honest.

You can trust him with your money, your reputation or your wife.

ON THE JOB

A person who can assume no responsibility feels horrible.

''Full responsibility is a very light-hearted thing.'' – L. Ron Hubbard, Philadelphia Doctorate Course

If Enthusiasm isn't chairman of the board, he should be. He enjoys his work and takes large responsibilities easily. He's willing to take command or take orders (although he'll rebel against executing non-survival orders).

He works with persistence toward constructive goals. if someone tells him it can't be done or "We don't have any," a person in this tone band will bypass the obstructing individual and find another way to accomplish his purpose. I observed a topscale man recently calling a New York supplier to order materials for one of his machines. The supplier's order department was manned by a Grief/Apathy person who said, "Well, I don't know if you're ever going to get these supplies. We're out of them and they've been on order for ages. That machine is obsolete now, you know."

"Are you telling me the company just stopped making supplies for the machines that are out in the field?"

"Well, it's coming to that. We aren't getting our shipments like we used to." "What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know. You'll just have to get a new machine, I guess."

"Would I be able to trade this one in?" "Well, you won't get much money for it. After all, it's obsolete. "

"This is ridiculous; my machine is still working fine." "That's all I can tell you. There's nothing more I can do."

He hung up in disgust; but he didn't stay upset long. Unwilling to accept this stop, he phoned another supplier who promptly filled the order. A lower-tone person would have succumbed to the bad news without question. The upscale guy just doesn't give up so easily.

He tends toward higher goals than people lower on the scale. If you hire him, you'd better plan on promoting him; he won't settle for mediocrity. While he's not grasping or greedy, he's more capable of owning than people lower on the scale. He enjoys possessions, can easily make a fortune and usually embraces plentiful goals of survival. Lower on the scale, we find people who think they would like to have more money or more possessions and sometimes they acquire them. More often, however, they cannot permit themselves to own much. This is no problem to the hightone person. He will realize that survival on a bare necessity level is unsafe, and it will be intolerable to him. If it appears that he needs five hundred dollars a month in order to provide the minimum needs for himself and his family, he'll get busy and earn two thousand dollars a month.

He can tolerate larger effects on himself than lowertone people. This means that he may lose a fortune; but he's able to bounce back and earn another one. Although he's frequently attacked by downscale people, he fights such attacks (if necessary) and recovers easily.

LOVE AND FAMILY

If you can find such a spouse, take him (or her) and don't look back. You must be doing something right.

Here at the highest level of the scale, we find constancy and a natural instinct for monogamy. The 4.0 has a high enjoyment of sex; but a moral reaction to it. Although he loves with a spontaneous and free exuberance, we won't find the dissipated love at 4.0, because at this level a person is more likely to sublimate the sexual drive into creative thought and energy.

The 4.0 is extremely interested in children. He not only cares for their mental and physical well-being, he is concerned about the society in which they will live. He is interested in efforts that improve the culture, so that youngsters will have a better chance for survival in the future.

THE EXPANDED SCALE

Ron Hubbard has plotted a second, expanded tone scale which goes below 0.0 and above 4.0. it relates to the spiritual entity, however, and to understand it one must know and embrace the religious philosophy of Scientology. One actually appears on both scales. But this book deals with the human being, who will always be found somewhere between 0.0 and 4.0. A chart of the expanded scale is available to those who are interested (see list in the back).

SUMMARY

He's alive and he likes it. Neither falsely modest nor egotistically inflated, he knows what he can do and has an honest evaluation of his own worth. He enjoys being himself.

He's mobile on the tone scale. He can suffer a loss and bounce back quickly. When he is deliberately stopped or suppressed, he fights with fervor, although he holds no long-term grudges.

This fellow is no rubber stamp, but he'll follow orders without an argument provided they do not compromise his own integrity. He's both independent and cooperative. He can stay on good terms with others without surrendering his own principles.

If he resolves to save money, lose weight or stop playing the horses, he'll do it.

He's a lighthearted man with a free mind, capable of changing viewpoints and looking at new concepts. He can act spontaneously and intuitively. He's liable to follow his hunches – and be right.

Can you remember the last day of school? You walk out of the dreary building. Gone are the deadlines, those tardy themes, the verb conjugations, the heavy homework and the dull lectures. There's a tremendous relief. You're so light you could float through the air with the dandelion seeds. Nothing is serious; the future looks gloriously bright. You feel magnanimous and the world is yours to explore, to love, to play in and to laugh with.

That's the top of the scale.

You just can't buy that sort of thing at the corner drugstore.