Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1931 THE AGE WE LIVE IN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 3 January 1931, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1931 THE AGE WE LIVE IN

IF there is any truth in the dictum of the philosopher who said that happiness consists in the adaptation of the individual to his environment, then it would seem that the modern man, of whom a good deal was written in the columns of this joui’nal a little more than a year ago, is not enjoying life so completely as did his ancestors of a century or two ago. Such adaptation seems to be governed by two principal factors: Lhe disposition of the individual, and the nature of his environment. The simpler the disposition of the individual, and the simpler the environment, the easier the adaptation; and the more complex the character of the individual and tho more complex the environment, the more difficult that adaptation. The Athenian Greek who, 2500 years ago, lived in an environment which was both simple and artistic, probably found it easy to adjust himself to his surroundings and, if our philosopher is right, should have been a pre-eminently happy man. The same perhaps may be said of the man of (he Middle Ages whose conduct, habits, and customs, and even his ideas, were so largely prescribed for him by a maternal Church. The ancient Greek and the medieval Englishman must have found it easier to adapt themselves to their environments than does the modern man, whose surroundings are so complicated by the inventions and discoveries of Science. Indeed, our retrospect need hardly go back more than a century or two to find conditions of life which in simplicity and stability would appear to have, been such a 3 to favour the adaptation referred to.

Not only was it more .easy for tho Athenian and the medieval Englishman and our great-grandfathers to adjust themselves to their environments, than it is for us, but those environments were stable and did not keep continually changing, as ours do. When they had succeeded in adapting themselves to the conditions of life surrounding them,-they had done so once and for all. To-day, such are the discoveries and inventions of Science that the conditions of life remain stable for hardly ten years together. Transition is a characteristic of our times. Any living man, of average intelligence and sixty years old, can give evidence from his own experience of the many changes in his environment brought about by Science and Invention. Consider, for instance, the matter of transportation. He can recall the time when sailing-ships still held command of the seas ; he saw "steam” come into its o\yn. and drive “sail” off the oceans; ho is witnessing the supersession of both by “oil.” and watches with interest the possibilities of electricity. When he was a boy the home held its own oil the highways ; the coachman and the groom were important features of his everyday life; the farrier was essential to every community, and the clang of his hammer oil the anvil was heard in every village and town. True, the horse is still with us, but in a subordinate capacity: the motor car rnJes the road. And as with transportation, so with intercommunication. generally. The man of sixty summers was accustomed, when a boy, to the workings of the Post Office and electric telegraph; then in early manhood he saw the introduction of tho telephone, and now there is wireless and the radio, with the possibilities of vast changes in everyday life through the development of broadcasting. Then, in life matter of lighting, he can recall the tallow candle, the kerosene-lamp, and the naked gas-flame of his boyhood’s days.; he next used incandescent gas-light; now he uses electric-light. All these and many more changes have complicated his life from the time lie was in his cradle. His environment has been continually changing throughout his life, it has never remained constant for ten years together, his adaptations to it have been manifold, like a chameleon he

lias changed his colour continually in order to blend with the ever-changing landscape of his life. If happiness consists in adaptation to environment, his life must have resembled that of a contortionist, unless he elected to give up the contest and accept his fate. Everyday life has gone through more changes than it went through in the previous 2000 years. The environment of the man of to-day is even quite different from that of his great-grandfather, and it is a foregone conclusion that that of his great-grandson will he totally different from his own. This truly is the age of change, not merely in reference to mechanical contrivances, which have such a profound effect oil everyday life, but in regard to modes of thought, customs, manners, and even ethics and morals. In such times, those who are conservative, and refuse to adjust themselves to the whirligig of change, must necessarily live a life apart. Perhaps they will he happier so, but they will be out of harmony with their environment, and must limit their happiness to the narrow individualism which they have elected to adopt. And as with the people, so with institutions: they cannot remain permanent in an age of impermanence. The time was when institutions—whether political, social, or religious—used to mould the lives of the people. To-day the people mould their institutions, because this is an age of transition, of change, in which nothing is permanent, except the certainty of impermanence. The march of Science is '.lie march of Change. It must necessarily be so, and it is good that it is so, pince development means change, and without it there is no possibility of tho attainment of perfection in anything. It is granted that such a doctrine makes matters difficult for those static philosophies, secular or religious, which are founded on unalterable dogmas. But the future is for Youth, proverbially loving change, full of tho spirit of adventure, attracted by that which is new, naturally disdainful of Age, and finding in Science an ally who is also a fascinating guide and a wise friend. They too will march happily down the highway of Time, in search of adventure, and surely they will find it. Whether they will reach the foot of 'lie rainbow, or will fall into the abyss of oblivion, who can guess: but, imbued with the spirit of this Age of Transition, nothing will divert them from their quest, and all men of goodwill whom they leave behind will, in a spirit of charity, wish them good luck.