Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-11
LIVING ON OUR NERVES.

An able writer indicts the people
Of this age and country on the charge
of mental laziness." The average
brain IL given to avoiding healthful
exercise as far as possible and finds
what II calls recreation In frivolity
and excitement Loose thinking is
undoubtedly a fault we are largely
guilty of, and the cumulative results
of this habit are inevitably "A mental
compensation to balance the loss.
Nor is this altogether IA matter OF
habit; 1t Is to some extent neces-
sity of our manner of living. To
such an extent do we live on our
nerves that our nerves become fraz-
2lcd and our brains refuse to do
gradually getting used to having the
activities of our hands supplanted by
mechanical energy SO we are getting
/ to depend very much on ready made
! brainwork. In the rush for greater
deficiency" we are deputizing our
brainwork to the quicker and more
accurate results of mechanical de-
vices. Adding machines, cost systems
and the like have taken from us
much of the routine of thinking
Could we take advantage of these
| improvements to devote our mental
energies to greater and broader ac-
tivities, mankind would be much the
gamer, but the tendency is to let the
released brain loaf on the job. The
customs and conveniences OF the age
tend greatly to increase the habit OF
mental and nervous strain. We do
not work the brain as steadily. but
then dope our frazzled nerves with
the opiates of frivolous amusement
Nature is ineXorable, and the mind
that has been run so many hours at
breakneck speed demands the re-
course to something that occupies its
attention without calling upon its en-
ergies. There must be a safety valve
somewhere. and to this perhaps may
we attribute the steady growth of
public interest in various sports as
well as the wild scramble for the pic
tlre show. This is natures way of
providing compensation and the
man who ignores the demands of his
brain for rest and recreation is in
vlting nervous or mental break
down, as well as a physical deteriora-
ton. The mind of man is a delicate
and intricate machine, and 1t cannot
he run continuously with less regard
for consequences than he would his
automobile or his watch. People are
beginning to learn the importance
of better care of their physical sys-
TEN than our forefathers ever
thought worth while and the change
is bound to tell in n great improve
ment In the average of the human
race 1t is time we began to con-
slider more seriously the welfare of
our mental machinery.
In the years to come mental hy-
giene is going to take its place along
side physical hygiene as one of the
important things OF life. We must
learn to take care of the intelligence
that providence has bestowed upon
u.s. for 1t is not a thing that we can
continue to abuse with impunity and
hope to escape disastrous conse-
quences. As we live now. between |
a mans attention to the demands Of |
business and counterbalancing re- |
lapse into frivolous recreation there |
is no chance left for him to give seri- |
Gus thought to mental Improvement. |
His mind is fun of figures and facts
OF immediate import, except when
he strives to forget them for a rest;
but when does he ever read a book
that gives food for his mind or when
does he hear n lecture cor a sermon
that sinks in to his consciousness.
or when does he give himself to So
cial intercourse without dropping
into the habit of talking shop?" He
is starving his mind and drifting into
chronic mental indigestion, a state Of
mind when real thinking becomes q
bore and waste of time that should
be devoted TO business We are get
ting habit OF mental lazness that
makes us incapable OF thinking the
thoughts that are really worth while.
Should we only sneak after think