THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1923, Page 2

THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES.

An Kastki! SkumonkttiL .' Enlightened selfishness is so vast an improvement over the other kind, that it deserves respectful recognition. But after all enlightenment tacked on selfishness is only a pair of spectacles that can hut slightly improve hopelessly blurred and short vision. If the world wants to see any farther than just in front of its toes, it needs better vision than that. Enlightenment and selfishness can’ll go far together. They don’t match. “The Street Called Straight” is .straight and wide, hut it isn’t straight enough or wide enough lor those two. Yet down that street, the world must go. sooner or later, for it is the only thoroughfare that leads any- ' where except, to swamps or _ deserts. There is one chart lor it, and it* name is Enlightened Unselfishness. F>lighted Unselfishness doesn’t imply the enthusiastic surrender of purse, watch and laundry to the other fellow, it doesn’t even demand that we should turn the other cheek to an individual who Im- already stung Us good and pleutv on one- lv means simply the realization that all human transactams include at least two parties nndjS|@ no arrangement can he even of reasonably long endurance ir«t is onlv for the selfish interest of one -ide or the other. Enlightened l■•’selfishness means that “putting something over” on somebody is not smalt, but blind stupidity; that grabbing the crabbing is good, is to grab t«o dollars’ worth of hatred for every dollar of cash; that what is bad lor one side to a bargain is bound in the long io 110 bad for both. Enlightened Unselfishness knows that Honor is m keystone of every human relation amt 1 11■■ i magnanimity is not a luxury hut 'necessary part of the business of life.