Evening star., 1933-03-25
Growing Up.

What will be the effect of the present
depression upon the mind of the Amer.
ican people? That Is the question
which Is taking precedence over all
other problems in the estimation of
thoughtful students Of the trend Of hu-
man life in the United States. 1t Is
being discussed on every hand, but, of
course. 1t is too carly for any one to
speak dosmatically On the subject. No
one knows with any certainty what the
harvest. good or Ill, may be. Various
suggestions are hazarded, some opti-
mistic and some quite otherwise. To
the number may be added the presump-
lively constructive and measurably
helpful notion that possibly the slump
may aid the people to mature, to grow
up psychologically.
In 1928 DR.. Joseph Collins Of New
York wrote carefully rationalized
essay on the adult -infantilism" of the
masses Of the American Nation. Among
other things. he said:
Adult-infantilism is our chief de-
ilclency as a people, our most con-
sspicuous national shortcoming. There
Is much to indicate 1t and not a little
to prove it. 1t is responsible for more
social maladjustment, more family dis
cord and more intellectual vagrancy
than any disease, arrangement CT other
disharmony OF mind ana body.
We are adult-infants and We enjoy
1t. We do not experience pleasure or
fulflllment in the thought that we are
grown,up individuals prepared to meet
struggle and hardship. We think that
the longer We remain tmpervious to
LIES warning the luckier we are; that
If life would cnly spare US its blows
we would be happy.
As 1t happens, life has changed since
these words were penned, and the blows
have fallen and are falling. Our luck
momentarily has deserted US, and we
have been forced into q more realistic
conception Of the duties and RESPONSE
bilities Of our existence in the world.
1t is no longer feasible for adult men
and women to think and act like chill
dren. The sorrow and suffering OF the
past three years have forced the people
to grew up. Doubtless there was no
other way for the lesson to be taught.
But what will be the result? What
alterations in the thinking of the masses
will there be? Granted that they will
be more sober. more sedate, more mat
ter-of-fact, does that mean that the
tempo Of progress will be retarded, that
people will be more self-centered, more
selfish, in the future than they have
been in the past, and that narrow, H.
liberal egoism will replace the careless,
largely instructive and often utterly
reckless humanism of more prosperous
times? 1t may be worthwhile to re-
member that the spirited exuberance,
the vigorous thoughtlessness, even the
prodigality Of youth are values not utter
ly to be contemned. Perhaps 1t would
be socially useful II the mental atti-
tude Of our adult-infantilism" could
be preserved and merely metemor-
phosed, changed, led into less wasteful,
less dangerous channels. The motor
energy Of the Nations youth was such
a power. 1t would be a pity if 1t were
to be completely annihilated. OF course
as DR.. Collins complained, our "crases"
and "fads" were deplorable, our rest
lessness was an aggravation and our
lack of stability an offense; our emo
tionalism, our intolerance Of unorthodox
vision, our militant quarrelsomeness
and above all our gullibility were deeply
to be regretted. But If growing up Is
to signify that we are to be mean and
Grabbed, stolid and dull, still violently
intolerant and uncharitable, and rigidly
unresponsive to the color, the glory and
the richness Of creation, we shall not
have made any authentic gain in our
struggle toward the ideal state Of civili-
zation. If the depression is to make Us
a community of dullards and misers, II
will be the saddest event in our history.
1t may be hoped that the pessimists are
mistaken and that the elemental ma
ture of the people is q finer. . better
and a more durable thing, . more ef-
fective endowment, than even the worst
of slumps and the bitterest Of punish
ments can destroy.