best line of action and so secure
its performance. He drifts with the tide, he goes with the crowd, he
shirks responsibility.

ACCIDENTAL TYPE: SUBJECTIVE MOTIVES.--A second type of _accidental_
decision may occur when we are hesitating between two lines of action
which are seemingly about equally desirable, and no preponderating
motive enters the field; when no external factor appears, and no
advising friend comes to the rescue. Then, with the necessity for
deciding thrust upon us, we tire of the worry and strain of deliberation
and say to ourselves, "This thing must be settled one way or the other
pretty soon; I am tired of the whole matter." When we have reached this
point we are likely to shut our eyes to the evidence in the case, and
decide largely upon the whim or mood of the moment. Very likely we
regret our decision the next instant, but without any more cause for
the regret than we had for the decision.

It is evident that such a decision as this does not rest on valid
motives but rather on the accident of subjective conditions. Habitual
decisions of this type are an evidence of a mental laziness or a mental
incompetence which renders the individual incapable of marshaling the
facts bearing on a case. He cannot hold them before his mind and weigh
them against each other until one side outweighs the other and dictates
the decision. Of course the remedy for this weakness of decision lies in
not allowing oneself to be pushed into a decision simply to escape the
unpleasantness of a state of indecision, or the necessity of searching
for further evidence which will make the decision easier.

On the other hand, it is possible to form a habit of _indecision_, of
undue hesitancy in coming to conclusions when the evidence is all before
us. This gives us the mental dawdler, the person who will spend several
minutes in an agony of indecision over whether to carry an umbrella on
this particular trip; whether to wear black shoes or tan shoes today;
whether to go calling or to stay at home and write letters this
afternoon. Such a person is usually in a stew over some inconsequential
matter, and consumes so much time and energy in fussing over trivial
things that he is incapable of handling larger ones. If we are certain
that we have all the facts in a given case before us, and have given
each its due weight so far as our judgment will enable us to do, then
there is nothing to be gained by delaying the decision. Nor is there