The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-01-04


in its more advanced stages.
This mania for action has always
been present in the race Of men, in
one form or another. The spirit of
adventure never dies out, but merely
seeks new channels. "To do a deed"
was held by the knights Of old an
essential part of their knighthood.
Then the normal life of courts began
to seem altogether too tame and the
social centers found their gayeties
rksome. The craving for new excite
ments, new sensations, new adven-
lures increases alarmingly when given
free rein. When turned into the chan
nels of pleasure it leads to absurdly
puerile demonstrations. When domin-
ated by the martial instinct it pro-
duces the horrors of war and revolu-
ton, feuds and industrial strife. This
tempestuous sea of "brain storms"
reached it's horried climax in the
, World War. The conquests of Attila
must be mulated-exceeded if pos
sible-and world power grasped at all
cost. New excitements were demand
ed by the effete old world. New ex-
elements are still demanded by our
younger generation. 1t is but an
other form of the same old obsession
when the demand goes forth for the
'yellow" in literature and art and for
the daringly risque in film production
This craving for unusual and stimu-
lating excitements leads to the drink
ing debauch and the opium stupor. 1t
makes wrecks of men and women
when carried beyond its legitimate
expression. 1t promises an escape
from the insufferable humdrum of
human existence and the poor victims
are quickly enmeshed. It's pitiful il
lusions are never apparent at the out
set
1t must be confessed that "mere
existence" holds an appalling same !
ness-a commonplaceness that is irk-
some to the venturesome spirit in US,
The mania for action is prompted by
that strong inner craving for some
thing different, something to relieve
the Inonotony of human existance. |
The daily round of activities, whether
upon the physical or mental plane,
become tiresome by repetition. Even
the continuous rounds of pleasures
pail upon the taste when repeated too
often. Seek as we will to glorify our
toll, to idealize our pitiful human limi-
b ~, ~ oil
creations, and pleasures, we are in
reminded t hat existence .
merely as such is appallingly mono
tonous. Safety quickly follows over
Something new must be
sought to give the needful zest of life.
The blase attitude has ceased to in
terest even as pose.
The question now is, in what direc-
ton shall this superabundant energy
in us-the INNER urge to action of
some kindAbe turned? Obviously, be-
ing a perfectly normal instinct, it
must not be killed out. Lethargy
stiles achievement. Progress demands
action altered with the serenity of
perfect poise. The magnificent con-
comitants of our civilization depends
upon it. Whenever this instinct is
in proper channels cities are
built, deserts reclaimed, nature forces
Clearly, then, this impel-
ing force in us must be directed and
,ontrolled-n left to run dot
Neither must it be compressed with
.he narrow limits prescribed by those
Who are abormally deficient in the
lrge of life. Putting the cold, clam
my hand of restraint upon eager life
S not the way of progress.
What we need now is less ferverish
exaggerated sensation and
more purpose. Less of the ephemeral
and more ideals. AS a
people we are living under stress and
strain. We are eager to explore, keen
o experiment and often rash in our
judgments and conclusions. We have
slorified sensation, refusing to see the
bsurdity of the illusions. Even
hose who should hold the torch of
ruth-our writers-have exalted its
ollow claim for recognition and hon.
ge. It's most sorid phases have been
Exploited with perversion of sentiment
ccorded the value of an aspiration.
he whole situation has been confus- :
d by appeal to impulse and passion. q
{ is this regrettable tendency of pre- =
ent-day civilization to rush madly to-
ard the brink of theprecipice that n
as caused our sanity to be questioned
he sociologists have been greatly
Dncerned about our future destiny
from the evidence presented
nat we are headed straight for the
lad house or the place so graphically
escribed by Dante and Billy Sunday.
. is possible, however, to avert the
reelected catastrophe. 1t might be
with a slight abatement
excited action and an increase of