Things and people and zones of competence

From Death Under Sail by C.P. Snow. Page 118.

This is another passage that has held well with much contemporary psychological research into the division between thing-orientation and people-orientation. Again, this is from 1932.

"My dear Ian," Finbow broke in, "when I say a man's one-sided, you mustn't think I've got the same idea as the comic papers – absent-minded scientists who forget about their meals, and that sort of rubbish. Actually, an experimental scientist like William is pretty well bound to be thoroughly competent at sailing yachts and mending cars. I mean psychologically one-sided: I mean he's at home with things, at home with anything where he can use his scientific mind – but very frightened of emotions and people, utterly lost in all the sides of life which seem worthwhile to most of us. He can run a society, because that's really an absolutely inhuman pastime, although most people don't realize it; but he could never run a love affair. Now do you see what I mean?"

I admitted to myself that it was possible to reconcile William taking control the party after the murder, with William boyishly bashful and inept when left alone with Avice. The first would be solved in the same way as a scientific problem; while Avice was outside his world order and design.