The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1915-04-16
environment |
AND CIVIL
zAT|0N

ss important as the ones We shall here
disruss and we do not condsi.ler tho.e
left cut as unimportant on~s We fully
realize some Of those features that spare
will not allow MS TO consider The phase
that We shall consider here will deal " ith
the higher standards OF humanity as IN
evidence of advancing civilization.
Whether environment has any thing
tn do with civilization or not can les,
l,e answered in - far ~ we would com
pare water and the water-mains one
the contents and the other the contain
l"r. Environment is q condition which
nclndes civilization and is only a device
Tor making civilization a pat of life'-
activities. The environment Of any reo-
pie is the sum total OF the conditions that
enter actively in the character moulding
Of that people. Physical conditions do
not make the environment any more
than the sttrxctiveness of the binding Of
a book determines its cs.ntents-no more
than the wolf in sleeps clothing. En-
vironts change in 90 far ss the social or
gsnism develops and civilizations change
IN proportion u the environmental sur
rocndings- Man consciously modifies
his environments in the interest of his
own well being. Animals unconsciously
modify themselves to the environment
The giraffe has a long neck because he
had 70 get his food from the surrounding
shrubbery and - il grew in height hi-
neck heightened also. This might seem
curious evolution. but is il impossible7 ,
The Transformation OF environment in
the interest of civilization is best worked
out by the individual working in har-
mony with LIES activities and it, whole
some demands. What are some of the
environments OF progressive civilization? :?
Let ms say that they are such factors a.
educational tendencies, economic agen-
cies and social betterment ideals. MAY
we ask whether We are getting these
agencies and tendencies in the fullest
sense OF the word. DO We see SEE them
worked out in human achievements? Are
We making the environment or are We
allowing the environment TO make ms?
ls our economic life i'm keeping with the
industrisl wave of progressiveness or arr
we drifting with the tide Of circumstan-
ces? Too often we allow the environ
ment IN make US and We too often desire
70 live the life of least Resistance. Are
we working under the banner OF room
Tor all at the front or are We willing 20
labor, even against difficulties to shape a
possibility, then build constructive civil
izstion thereon? Ulysses built the hou-e
in which be lived How about our en-
vironmental structure? Are We, a. il
were, laying by Us a store for the future
A. God has prospered ur2 II we deter
mine these things positively then we shall
be able To determine our civilization sat
isfsctorily. Then il will look To ~ a
renovated phase Of human achievement.
No direct control will suffice hut this con-
dition must come b out Indirectly
through e tiv environments and
through differential humanity. We are
not 30 dogInatic ~ o. say that there
should not he a phase Of directness for
there should be direct participation in
things uplifting, in conditions beneficial.
in life eievating and in tendencies most
helpful b humanity Civilization j. a
variable growth and We might say that
IT. growths are little increments of help
fulness. Mstbemstically there are at
least three factors making civilization
possible. For convenience sake lets call
them 4, y and or environment, biolog-
zeal and psychological factors. These
vsrisoles take q mediocre position but
they do not have wholly fixed cour-e
and an allowance must be made for the
force Of the one being greater than the
force Of the other. IL - very true that
no two people have the same environ
ment II Ne are 10 take these three vari-
sbles into consideration. Ones social
environments y different from the other
or ones physical self y different from
the other. Some Of NJ think that the
surrounding Of the individual with Ger.
tain social forces that ve will get the de-
sired results. We might make a -ocisble
being but not social one. That leads
ne 10 ask the question: l. asocialle be-
ing . social being7 We answer the ques-
ton in the negative. Cannibals are very
socisble but not socially civilized. A
tramp ss good tslker and j. sociable
bot not socially ethical becau-e Of ms
environment. n individuals like o. ~,
together for intelligent purposes ,hey are
socially working out . phs-e Of human
advancement This, no doubt, leads Ne
70 define q social being. A sociL b~ine
q that one who feels that he is obligated
10 the world and 10 man ss such and
works n that end. An example Of the
soeiable being will suffice. That being.
Who hss Tn or hfssen minuss. 20 SPARE