The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-07-24

1THERE is an all too large pro-
portion of human beings who
find life dull business.
Certain definite conditions of
our civilization contribute to that pa
thetic end and help bring about the
sin and the shame of 1t. Life, so
short at its best, should be, If the lit
tie god-of-things-as-th is
at all merciful, an interval crowded
with light. But we go ahead and
cram man into tn sometimes too
tightly fitting shoe of civilization,
cramp him mentally and physically in
to routine work, stultify his magma
ton by crucifying him on the cross
of day-by-day stark reality and I'M
less the individual develops the pow
er and glory of resistance to mere ex-
ternals, the result is dangerously apt
to be drab.
Nor is this quality of drabness nee
essarily confined to special social
planes. 1t can hang in a pail over
the rich and poor alike. Conspire as
all these eternal conditions Of society
may, against the individual, it is I'M
doubtedly matter which lies within
his power whether he will succumb
or resist the deadliness of finding life
drab.
AS a matter of fact, even though so
many of our lives seem timed and
classified, the way out is via the in
tellect, more than through release
from routine. But the difficulty lies
in its obviousness.
There is certain experiment which
is commonly practiced on college
classes in psychology. The professor
holds up a chart containing various
pictures, sentences, figures, objects,
characters and cOlors. The class is
permitted to gaze upon the chart for
the period of moment or two and at
the end of that time each member re-
cites what he has seen.
The almost invariable result is a
fine commentary upon the varying de-
gree of thoroughness with which in
dividuals observe. The majority of
the class usually observes minimum
Some few have been alert to most of
the objects, colors and characters, but
only a select minority really sees in
detail and with power of observation
the contents of the chart.
Life can be drab because most of us
are so busy missing the most Of it,
the aspect of it that IS free for all.
The adventure of the adventure that
lies in our reach; the excitment of
curiosity. The desire to know. In
tellectual curiosity, meaning the de-
sire and the vitality and the interest
to delve into every minute aspect of
life that presents itself, is the gate
way to experience. Practically all the
great figures Of history have been
blessed with it. To Caesars, Napole-
ons, RoOsevelts, life cannot be COM
monplace, because so little appears to
them as commonplace. Vigorous. seek
ing minds are not easily bored.
1t is fair to assume that just as
much of life is lying about us in our
daily routine. as there is compressed
between the leaves of books. Anyway
it is worth seeking, and the way to
seek is to take nothing for granted.
subway jam contains enough of
the possibility of adventure to blow
up New York harbor Scratch the Gu
ticle of your desk neighbor and you
will find the mystery of pulsating,
desiring. planning, scheming human
being. Intellectual curiosity about
people, places, street scenes, books,
and above all, the desire to study and
know the people who happen to be
inhabiting this planet called earth,
during your same interval here, SIM
ply will not permit life to become
drab.
That must be why the sort of hui
man beings in whom you are impelled
to confide your difficulties, problems,
amours, seem always so filled with
certain power and strength. They are
interested in people. They command
confidence by wanting it. Nobody is
just a person. Men and women are
peoplel Exciting. problematic, subtle.
dangerous. appealing, provocative.
magnetic, repellent, alluring and hui
man. And in the midst of this melee
of the excitement of being human
among humans, each of us is privi-
legged to live his life. Just around
the corner is no more to me. than it is
to you. The unknown turks there for
one and for all. Intellectual curios-
ity is magic carpet which can whisk
you out of yourself, and yet how ap-
palling, when one stops to consider,
the lethargy toward life that falls to
the lot of so many. The books that are
never opened. The condolences that
are never given or received. The
friendships that are never made be-
cause two particular human beings