The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1920. GROWTH OF SELFISHNESS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1920. GROWTH OF SELFISHNESS.

In a remarkable work, recently written by Edward Carpenter, a new theory is propounded that "since the dawn of humanity . . . there has been a slow psychologic evolution, a gradual development or refinement of consciousness, in three stages. In the first there is little or no consciousness of self; man is instinctive, like the animals. The second stage studies first itself, and its own pleasures and pains. In the third stage, possibly now to begin after the Great War, there must be a new birth, a new order of mentality, of which unity is the foun-dation-principle." It has, states Mr. Carpenter, had tentative beginnings already, especially in the mission of the founder of Christianity; but this and other attempts at the new life have been checked by the lust of moneymaking and other forms of selfaggrandisement. The author is a shrewd observer of men and history, and most would agree that the Great War in its inception and some of its results deserves to stand for a culmination of the evils of selfishness ahd ambition. Although we are in an age in which unionism is a leading feature, the Treat principle of unity k- pospicuous by its absence, and yet it was the one great lesson of the war. No thoughtful person can fail to discern that society, as at present constituted, is a mass of alienation which can only become capable of acting in something approaching to union by a great common danger. History shows ns that "no great, movement ever makes itself felt in the world without dating from some powerful personality or personalities, round which the idealising and myth-making genius of mankind tends to crystallise." Possibly it may be considered foolish to expect at the present time that approach to a perfect existence which we are led to believe will take place in the millennium, but that is no reason why some general move should not be made on

the part of the community to check the growth of. selfishness which threatens to become a blot on the civilised world. It is seen among the nations, proving an obstacle to peace. The people are permeated with it, to the detriment of harmonious co-operation for the common good. It is painfully in evidence in the various classes into which society is divided, creating mistrust and jealousy. It is at the root of industrial troubles and forms a stumbling block in the way of a proper understanding between employers and employees. Labor and capital both have their full share,'besides an obstinacy which magnifies the evil. Public and political life is practically dominated by ambition and self, and even towns, districts and provinces are continually exhibiting forms of selfishness that are a bar. to unity and to the principles of co-opera-tion. In every direction, in every phase of life increasing selfishness is to be found gaining in growth and shedding its prolific seed on soil that favors its rapid development. Its insidiousness is such that it fastens upon the community and does its evil work so effectually that morals are blunted almost unconsciously. The most conspicuous result is that which is to be seen in the unrest of the workers, and it is this phase which has pointedly drawn attention to the need for an antidote. Man in his primitive state was merely instinctive, like the animals, but in the course of his evolution, spreading possibly over 20,000 years, has become what is termed civilised, and whether he be Christian, Moslem, Pagan, Deist, or has any other religion, he has acquired a gradual refinement of consciousness which in the present era he bids fair to lose in consequence of alienation from nature and from fellowmen, owing to the self interest engendered by the canker of self-consciousness. The great need of the age is altruism—placing others before self. If civilisation and Christianity are to do their work and make the world a better and happier sphere for mankind there must be war against selfishness—a war of extermination, probably an endless war; also a new birth, a new order of mentality in which tolerance, trust and good faith have a place. At present it' is a battle of wits in which the few take the spoils and the many become victims. There must be something lacking in our system of education that engenders this craze for money-grub-bing and personal ambition; that fosters petty jealousies when manifestly it would be in the best interests of all to attain to a perfect unity. It requires a great stretch of imagination to conjure up a vision of a Parliament composed of members solely animated by the desire and will to achieve the happiness and welfare of the community as a whole without a thought of personal or party advancement. Such an assembly is possible, but not probable under present circumstances. The same may be said of Labor and every other department of the complex system into which communities are divided. The world is languishing for want of altruism ; it sadly needs groups of powerful. self-denying personalities ronna which the idealising and faith-making genius of mankind tends to crystallise. The issue is for humanity, and as the present is an age of propaganda—unfortunately of the wrong soft—there is ample scope for a forceful, persistent campaign for harmony instead of discord, for the general good of the people instead of personal gain. By all means should there be progress and an ascent to a higher plane of advancement, but not at the expense of others. We hear much about a square deal, all round. That should be the great aim and not merely a miserable platitude. It. is within the power of each man, woman and child to contribute a quota towards making the square deal a reality. This can only be achieved by throttling the growth of selfishness—the besetting evil of our time.