+168. The standard of living.+ One of the purest of all the products of current mores is the standard of living. It belongs to a subgroup and is a product of the mores of a subgroup. It has been called a psychological or ethical product, which view plainly is due to an imperfect analysis or classification. The standard of living is the measure of decency and suitability in material comfort (diet, dress, dwelling, etc.) which is traditional and habitual in a subgroup. It is often wise and necessary to disregard the social standard of comfort, because it imposes foolish expenses and contemptible ostentation, but it is very difficult to disregard the social standard of comfort. The standard is upheld by fear of social disapproval, if one derogates from class "respectability." The disapproval or contempt of one's nearest associates is the sanction. The standards and code of respectability are in the class mores. They get inside of the mind and heart of members of the class, and betray each to the class demands. +169.+ If, however, the standard of living which one has inherited from his class is adopted as an individual standard, and is made the object of effort and self-denial, the individual and social results are of high value. One man said, "Live like a hog and you will behave like one"; to which another replied, "Behave like a hog and you will live like one." Both were right in about equal measure. The social standard of a class acts like honor. It sustains self-respect and duty to self and family. The pain which is produced by derogation produces effort and self-denial. The social standard may well call out and concentrate all there is in a man to work for his social welfare. Evidently the standard of living never can do more than that. It never can add anything to the forces in a man's own character and attainments. [366] Prov. xxiv. 30. [367] _Jewish Encyc._, s.v. "Labor." The same view is found in 2 Thess. iii. 10, and Eph. iv. 28. [368] Thomas Aquinas, _Summa_, II, 2, qu. 82, 1, 2; qu. 187, 3. [369] D'Avenel, _Hist. Econ._, 142. [370] D'Avenel, 397. [371] D'Avenel, 144. [372] Hardy used this fact in _Tess of the D'Urbervilles_. CHAPTER V SOCIETAL SELECTION