# Impulse and Conflict of Habits explained — Human Nature and Conduct > Chapter companion for Human Nature and Conduct by John Dewey. ## What happens Dewey examines the persistence of harmful institutions like war and economic exploitation, arguing that the problem lies not in an unalterable human nature but in the inertia of established habits. He explores the vicious circle where habits direct impulses yet can only be changed by redirecting impulses, and proposes education of the young as the chief means of gradual, intelligent social reform. He also notes that conflicts among incompatible habits in a complex culture can release impulse for constructive change, rejecting both conservative appeals to fixed tradition and revolutionary upheaval. ## Themes in this chapter ### Habit and Custom as the Foundation of Conduct Dewey argues that habits, once formed, perpetuate themselves by shaping impulses and creating a world in their own image, and that the persistence of institutions is due to the inertness of established habit, not unalterable human nature. ### Impulse and Intelligence as Agents of Change The chapter explores how impulse can serve as an intermediary for reorganizing habits, especially through education of the young and through conflicts among incompatible habits, and emphasizes the need for intelligent direction to modulate conflict into constructive synthesis. ### Education as Social Reproduction or Transformation Dewey presents education of the young as the chief means of continuous, graded, economical improvement and social rectification, while criticizing existing schooling as a tool of nationalistic and economic regimes. ### Freedom as Intelligent Deliberation, Not Arbitrary Choice Dewey contrasts intelligent direction with blind antagonistic struggles, advocating for the use of released impulses to form harmonious habits adapted to new situations, rather than relying on exhortations or unembodied ideals. ## Key lines > Habits once formed perpetuate themselves, by acting unremittingly upon the native stock of activities. They stimulate, inhibit, intensify, weaken, select, concentrate and organize the latter into their own likeness. They create out of the formless void of impulses a world made in their own image. Once established, habits continuously shape our innate impulses, molding them into their own pattern and constructing a world that reflects those habits. _Dewey emphasizes the powerful, self-perpetuating nature of habits in shaping conduct and social reality._ > The young are not as yet as subject to the full impact of established customs. Their life of impulsive activity is vivid, flexible, experimenting, curious. Children are less constrained by existing customs, and their impulses are lively, adaptable, and exploratory. _Dewey highlights the potential of youth as a resource for social change through education._ > The significant point is not whether modifications shall continue to occur, but whether they shall be characterized chiefly by uneasiness, discontent and blind antagonistic struggles, or whether intelligent direction may modulate the harshness of conflict, and turn the elements of disintegration into a constructive synthesis. The key issue is not that change will happen, but whether it will be chaotic and destructive or guided intelligently toward a positive outcome. _Dewey advocates for deliberate, intelligent intervention in social change rather than relying on conflict alone._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters/iv-impulse-and-conflict-of-habits - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/human_nature_and_conduct_se/chapters