The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-04-09
ABOUT PERSECUTION.
A Bad Way of Looking at Life That Is
Getting to Be Very Common.

A Bad Way of Looking at Life That Is
Getting to Be Very Common.
One of the effects which have followed
from the wide opening up of vistas in
all directions which is consequent upon
the improved means of conveying intel
ligence distinguishing this age, is the
prevailing irresolution of young men in
regard to their business in life. 1t has
never been easy for young man stand
ing upon the threshold of an untried life
to decide what should be the trend Of
his efforts, and often he is turned one
way or another by some circumstance
which in itself might seem trivial. If
he is possessed of some strong bent and
feels himself to be born for some spe-
cial mission the matter is less diff
fcult, but this condition has
never applied to. any large number.
Nowadays the young man on his en-
trance upon life sees himself confronted
with the different professions and voca-
tions. He is made keenly aware of the
advantages and with the disadvantages
of all in fullness of knowledge which
is in itself confusing. He Sees more
over, all the rewards of success in the
hands of those who have made lucky
strokes. The results which Of old we're
the recognized rewards of labor present
themselves to his mind as the results of
luck. He no longer chooses profession
from a. conviction of natural aptitude,
and still less from desire to select that
in which he can accomplish the most
good. He looks upon the whole of life as
lottery, and he calculates the chances
not for work, but for succeeding by
stroke of luck.
This way of looking at things is get
ting to be more and more common, and
this is especially true of those who,
having received what is known as a lib
eral education, should the more surely
be above this way of viewing life. 1t
is also true that the habit of looking
upon a profession as an end Is no less
we'll nigh outgrown. Once man looked
upon his profession as at least the field
In which his ambitions lay, and if he
was not animated always by the highest
spirit of doing good, he at least regarded
his chosen field or work as that in which
he was to put forth the best that was in
him, and as that in which he was to pass
his life. It has come to be now gen.
eral if not universal feeling that any
profession is taken up tentatively, to be
laid aside tomorrow if any thing pecu-
niarily more profitable offers, and in any
case to be looked upon as mere means
of obtaining the means to gain leis-
ure for after pleasure, or to be made to
fill the coffess simply. There are ex-
ceptions, but this feeling is every day
more apparent.
There is SO great greed for rewards,
so keen sense of the desirability Of
tangible and material good, that every
thing else is lost sight Of. The life Of
the age has brought the delights Of the
eyes and the lusts of the flesh so near to
US that they obscure all else, and the
natural result is that men are irresolute
in whatever they do from an uncertain
ty whether they are doing the most pro-
ductive thing within their reach. The
thing is not to do their best, but TO do
that which will bring TO them the most
speedy and substantial rewards. The
strength OF desire is no longer to be OF
to do, but to gain. and the result Is q
restlessness which nothing cen appeagA
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