Evening star., 1934-05-09
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

1t will be realized that the indi-
vidual has about rs little chance of
eliminating eating as he has of end
ing war, but each one of us has a
most excellent opportunity to end
a personal diSinclination toward the
new, the unusual, the different.
Here Is a warfare worthy OF the
human intelligence, since it lies wholly
within the province of the mind.
Every one Is faced every day with
something or other which is new
to him.
How do you react to the new?
Do you shy away from it. instinc-
lively, Just because 1t is new, or at
least new to you? Many things. new
to the individual, are very old to
others, so that one must be very care
full here
1t is impossible for many of us to
forget the introduction of radio sets
and radio broadcasting.
Perhaps 80 per cent Of the people,
hearing radio set and "loudspeaker"
for the first time. predicted that It
would never surplant the phonograph.
Many heated arguments went on
over the question.
There was minority which freely
predicted the end of the old regime,
as far as popular music was con-
cerned No doubt the same sort of
discussions went on when the old
fashioned music box was first threat
ened by the then-new phonCgraph.
How do you react to the unusual?
A great many persons inwardly re-
sent the unusual. in any form, al
though they may not show any out
ward indication Of it.
Yet in the bottom Of their hearts
and at the back of their minds they
feel that the old, the usual. is best
Just because it is the old, the usual
Loyalty, that most powerful emo
ton with many. comes to the fore
with rapid strides. What is old is
threatened by what Is new, and loyal
ty bids one stick up for that to which
one is accustomed. Here one Of the
finest traits of humanity is at war
with the truth. for often the truth
Of a situation bids one acknowledge
the new thing as the better.
And then. how do you react to the
different? For many thing which
is new. and unusual, really may not
be different, after all. but only a
variation of we'll beloved theme
1t is the different in which the
crux of the whole matter lies. The
different is that to which one is
inimical because of radical roots run
ming clear back to the founda ton of
the animal world. The different calls
into play obscure leanings and long
ings which require veritable Freud
to unravel. and even then few of us
would be willing to admit the validity
of the findings.
Yet this very different thing. Of
which We are afraid, If We are frank
enough to be honest with ourselves. IS
offering us a supreme challenge.
Nor would It be too much to say
that the different offers the same
challenge TO humanity. We speak not
just CT curiosity mongering. but Of
the real new. the really different. the
man. the thing. the event which pro-
duces sharp twinges In mind and
heart simply because Of difference
II we can keep our heads in the
face OF the new. and not become
overbalanced by trying to lean back
wards, but simply do our best to
see just what the new is, and what
its qualities are, We bid fair to use
the human brain to some purpose
not just as the sport of events. II
We can look the different in the face,
and not growl at it just because 1t
happens to be unlike the usual. We
have achieved a mental attitude
worthy of that most un-animal-like
| thing, the human intelligence