The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-24
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.)
The WeI-Known Human Goal.

Sir-I had hopes that you knew the
object of all human existence and
could tell 1T in two paragraphs. You
made clever reply, but lodged.
NOW, you comment critically on many
actions and events. But one cannot
comment critically without a meas
uring stick, or piece of litmus pa
per- or what you will. In judging the
worth of human action or attitude
you must use one of the three follow
ing tests: Your own idea of what the
goal is. the social idea of what the
goal is, or the personal idea of the
goal held by the person under criti-
cism. His act is worthy or unworthy,
you agree thus far? I thought you
would Well, then, you never use the
third and you say you don't know the
second. How about the first? I'd be
very glad to know your answer
You're a man of peculiar experience
and much common sense. apparently.
and I'm seriously interested in know
ing your personal answer to the
eternal question. A. r. w.
"a. R. W." doesn't ask much. He
merely wants US to make specific
actuated, agitated and inspired all of
the wise men in the worlds history
from the dawn of creation to the
present time. He asks us to do it in
1,20O words of solid minion, or less,
on a day succeeding a night more
than half of which was devoted to
travelling from New York to Phila-
delphia in a crowded day coach in
which could be detected the, shall we
say, trenchant odor of formaldehyoe
He asks US to do it at moment when
we are contemplating the development
of our short game with pride and our
long game with hope and when we
are madiy DESTROYS Of putting hope to
a test. But no gentleman who lives
and has his being in the refined and
cultured atmosphere of Penn State
can bluff this column. and we shall
assay short and snappy answer.
The object of existence, so far as
the average man is concerned with it,
is that of impressing his neighbor.
His obsession is expressed in various
forms. If he has marked intellectual
equipment and the greater ambition,
he wants his name to resound in the
corridors of fame and seeks a per-
sonal paragraph in the history of his
time. If he is merely a plain, plug
citizen on foot, he may wish to be
known as a kindly, charitable, influ-
entail and popular member of the
community. The feeling that his
funeral procession will be the longest
ever seen in his community is one of
the cherished thoughts of his declin-
ing years. He may wish to have il
said of him that he is the cleverest
wisest or smartest man in his town.
Or he may wish to create the i'm
preston that he is a good fellow and
a free spender. Whatever the form
this obsession takes, it is predicated
on desire to impress those with
whom he comes in contact.
Most of the foolishness, all OF the
extravagan many of the excuses in
which humanity INDUCES, a good deal
of the misbehavior, every public ex-
based on desire favorably to impress
the community, the state or. nation.
The desire to 7.tshow Off bfore the
crowd is the inspiration of ire
mendous amount of the average mans
activity.
You do it and so do we. In this
column and elsewhere we seek to cree
ate the impression that we are sane,
level headed, well-poised citizen. We
both courageous and honest. That is our
way of showing off. 1t is our obses-
sion, and it has a certain psychology
cal effect. In striving to create that
impression We become as sane, level
headed. well poised and courageous as
our nature permits us to be.
Certain natural limitations prevent
us from being as sane, level-headed.
well poised and courageous as we
should like to be. And it is these
Limitations which hamper humanity in
its effort to impress its neighbor. The
average "tightwad" wants to be known
as a generous and open-handed citi-
zen. He would prefer that distinction
to any other. But he is handicapped
by the fact that his nature will not
permit him to turn it loose. We might
carry the analogy. if that is what it
is, further. but probably the point al
ready is sufficiently clarified to "a.
P. W. and the few others who may
be interested.
Those who do not care for the fore
going description of the goal of human
existence are hereby extended permits
sion to formulate one that will better
suit them.