The Devils Lake world., 1921-11-09
OUR SOCIAL LIFE

OUR SOCIAL LIFE
Are we social enough with our neighbors
and with the stranger within our gates? This
is question to weigh and ponder.
In these days of modern hustle and hustle
these days of high power automobiles and
trolley cars we have become independent units
in the community. We go about our business
in selfish way. We may not think so, but we
do, absolutely. We forget that there are 9TH
ers all about US who would like to speak to us
if they considered it proper. They do not want
to disturb our train of thought or intrude where
they are not welcome and we feel the same
way ourselves.
Not many years ago every man you met had
good word, pleasant smile and happy sal
utaton. Today we pass without even nod of
recognition, unless we are we'll acquainted. If
we ride out in an automobile we hold our heads
high and do not see the people we pass, or if
we do we are totally Indifferent to them. The
time was, when horse-drawn vehicles were in
vogue that we took notice of everybody we
met, and the chances are ten to one that we in
vited the pedestrian to ride if he or she hap
pened to be going in the same direction that
we were. Today we pass them unnotced. We
have been automobilized, and we have become
naughty and cold. We have drifted into lit
tie world, all our own, and have closed the door
after US. Our neighbors have done the same.
They are not disposed to use crow-bar or a
Jimmy to pry out of our hiding places. They
think that if we want to avoid them they will
hold aloof from us, and so there is GOODNESS,
the frigdity of which is driving us farther and
farther apart.
This is what is happening among people who
We're once social, courteous and helpful to each
other The breach in our social system is con-
tinualy widening. We are drifting apart, and
the wider the breach the greater the GOODNESS.
Today we meet old-time friends upon the
street and pass them by without word of
greeting. We go away and return again after
many days, weeks or years, and we are scarce
ly recognized. Why this coolness? Is it bash
fulness, false sense of propriety; or is it that
we have become so wrapped up in ourselves
that we have no room in our minds for thot
of others, their joys or their sorrows.
How much happier would all be if we
could crack the ice that has frozen around us
and come out into the sunlight where the warm
rays may thaw out our CONCEALED arteries and
let the life-blood of human kindness flow gent
ly and warmly from our hearts to every ex-
tremity of our being. How much happier
would we be in knowing that our presence in
presence at public meeting, social gather
ing, in the church, the club or upon the street,
was pleasure to those with whom we come in
contact. How much better would we all feel
if we felt that all were interested in us and we
felt that we were interested in them, in their
joys and their sorrows.
The trouble with us is that we are losing COM
munity interest. We are becoming stiff and
ossifed. We are losing the faculty of forming
friendships that we need and that the commun.
ity needs. We are too much like turtles, draw
ing ourselves back into our own shells and
avoiding each other. The old-time neighborly
spirit is dead within US. We cannot act in uni.
son for community interest. We are strangers
to each other, suspicious of each other, frown.
ing upon any progressive idea our neighbors
may advance, kept apart by the cold wall of
Formally
Shall we continue in this manner or shall we
break down the wall?