The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-09-11
Just Among Ourselves

often the items are introduced by such phrases as
Experts tell us j." Experts estimate >" IT
IS the opinion of experts :" The reader is inter-
ested TO read what the experts say; he is in
terested In specializing upon who the experts may be-
II is certainly characteristic bit out of life
OF American life, at any rate,-that rely utterly
upon experts, even unnamed experts. We are COM
petely assured that there trained and brilliant
persons all around who know the answers and
we prepared to accept the answers. That is, of
course, We prepared to accept the answers that
have TO do with bodily things in the bodily world
Experts keep telling that this is the only sort of
thing, or sort of world, that matters And we do
trust the experts
The cigarette man says that doctor has been
examining certain throats and sinuses at regular
intervals for months; he finds harm done by
the one truly great cigarette The doctor is expert
he knows. We do not think of doubling his ability
or questioning his word True, do not know
his name or address his standing in his pro
iesslon, or what he gets out of the persistent
snooping around sinuses. But what of that? He is
doctor; he is an expert; and we trust experts.
dentifrice contains an ingredient so rare
and so precious that its inventors fear 10 name
IT; they tag II with mystic symbol; ii is XY40.
That's all we need 10 know. Here is the mark of the
expert To be told, in triumphant italics that the
toohpaste contains XY40-eyen though we have
no notion in the world what Ky 40 means ~ is to be
told that somewhere in sanitary laboratories white
coated men and solemn young women are pouring
things into teSt-tubeS and beakers: ii is 10 be told
that experts at work; may rely the experts.
We have all heard the saying that certain things
have to be to be believed. But the expert has
only TO be heard to be believed And belief is in
stantly extended to what the expert says including
the saying that re an expert who says it, We who
keep telling ourselves that democracy gives every
man voice and valuable opinion are strangely
prone to run 10 experts untesed and unauthen-
tlcated) TO check our own voice and opinion
We who so fear the thing called ndoctrnation
are forever indoctrinated with the reliability of
perts. And when might doubt waver,-persh
the thought,-we are quickly brought into line by
the cry, "Remember you can be confident If
it's cbesterhouse Don't forget see your grocer
to-day, Make note remember your expert
BE sure :" Get bottle right away )"
Doctors have proved )" Experts have
shown -"
For people who don't like to be showed around
unless of course, by Russia, remarkably
patient under the continuous pressure of experts
especially experts in making sales other experts
work on us too. These are experts to select news
items for us, and TO make digest of these in simple
terms that the nonexpeu mind can understand
We have the weekly neWs-magazines and the month
ly digests these all the work Of experts We may
doubt the Eternal Word, but who could doubt the
word Of Time?
Where everlasting issues are at stake, we mod
people slow TO seek truly expcrt guidance;
reluctant to accept any direction; we proud
~ resist the word of truth. But all submission
and reverence In the presence of the advertiser of
beer teleyision sets automobiles refri2era-
tors OF deodorants or home permanents. We can,
II seems, play fast and loose with the one thing that
tfarg aln npi and al and ha hIa
ceptve of guidance about the many things that rel
ly do not matter at all
man il appears, may take chance without
thopot on the fate of his dcathless soul; he dare
not take chance on his dentilrce man may be
careless in his religious and moral beliefs but not
in his worldly beliefs He may be haphazard in pray
ne but not in athering for the daily shave. He may
be inatentve to truth but not to teeth and tonsils
lie may be negligent OF his soul but not of his sin
uses. He may be uniformed, and willingly about
life and heaven and hell; he must not be Hn.
informed about current eyentS-reported, digested,
and interpreted by experts.
The preachers of the religion of this world are
ever at their business. Their cardinal doctrine is
that Of the necessity of comfort pleasure relaxa.
ton. And TO be sure. security. Experts are always
explaining the benefits of softer beds, and form
fiji chairs, and smoother cars to be made
comfortable and the word itself is ironed out
10 kunaitable. we are 10 nave more pleasing foodS
and even more pleasing drinks We arc To 90 places
and things. And We are TO relax. relax, relax.
Relax from what? Presumably from the tension set
up by the quest of comfort and pleasure
Withal are to have security Disregardng
the Supernaturay revealed direction that to
ar up treasure in heaven and not earth, the
perts urge MS TO arrange for annuites and oldage
incomes OF kind on other. Our trust is not TO
be in heaven much as in Hartford We need not
saving grace much savings bonds. We look not
forward through age TO death and judgment. and
therefore take care to earn a heavenly reward we
look forward to an cndlessly enduring and
Portable age with vision needed but that of
smiling poSman delivering fat checks AT stated
intervals. This is security; thus speak the experts
and We believe in experts.
There old lad once who had amassed
great riches. He was relaxed comfortable. and had
pleasure in contemplating his great wealth He had
security. He purred with satisfaction and talk.
ed TO himself about his happy state Soul thou
hast much goods laid up for many years. take thy
case freiaX), eat drink, and be merry" But there
terrible voice to interruDt the joy OF this
experts utopia The old boy with his relaxation
his comfort his security, heard these words. Thou
fool This night do they demand thv soul thee