HUMAN TOUGHNESS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 413, 23 May 1947, Page 15

(Netson).

HUMAN TOUGHNESS

Sir,-l was much interested in Caroline Webb’s talk, reported in The Listener, also in the letters from listeners. Some light may .be thrown on the subject by Australian commentators who endorsed General Freyberg’s statement "that the men in the Forces under his command in World War II were not as

tough physically as the men in World War I." The majority of the commentators with logical statements indicated that this lack of toughness now applies to people generally. Here are some statements from a broadcast on a recent Tuesday. "There is a general disinclination among the present generation to exert themselves either physically or mentally." "People want too many labour-saving devices." ‘This present age could be designated as the ‘Age of Wants." " "You are never as tired as you think you are." Mr. Olssen speaking from Auckland the other night expressed ‘a similar view when he stated that "although we have the great advantage of more free time, people are not making the best use of this privilege. They are too passive, and prefer to look and listen rather than take part in any activity." Human beings are the toughest and the most capable of endurance in the whole of the animal creation. The following instance of toughness may be of interest to women who feel incarcerated in a prison without bars, as related by a Resident Commissioner in Africa. When cycling along the tracks or roads of his district on official duties it was the custom of the natives to run alongside, singing and shouting. In order to escape the noise he tried cycling faster and faster, but was unable to out-dis-tance them; they became only more excited and made more noise. One day he noticed among the runners q woman who was "near her time," and stopped _to remons‘rate, but they only laughed and explained that she was a_ deerhunter. (i.e., She followed the track of the deer until she came near it, when it bounded off she followed it. again, and repeated the process until it was exhausted and_ easily killed.) A few days later she went off on her usual occupation, but in addition to her spear she carried a grass mat, and later returned triumphantly with the deer, and also with her baby in the grass mat! Among*many people the idea of freedom and an easy time is taking the place of toughness and endurance of older generations. This is the root cause of our wants exceeding our available supply of labour, so that importent work like home service is neglec*ed. This idea is also the cause of many of our present troubles, from industrial unrest to the view that domestic life is like a prison

without bars

H. M.

HELM