THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1959
:.EMIHGA AIYSUDY.DCEBR 3 15
Matter over
Mind
in
Modern
Society
c.> - .
Civilian and military experts
have the plans for faster, longer
ranging, deadlier and, of course,
more expensive missiles and planes
on their drawing boards, many of
them ready to be built and used.
A University administrator re-
cently pointed out that after the
last war it would be hard to imag-
ine that nuclear physics courses
would be offered here.
Today, he said, the possibility of
teaching "survival on the moon"
and solar flight techniques are no
longer out of the question.
Advances in science are only
part of the entire picture. Lists
from all possible areas would only
prove the already known fact that
society is moving ahead rapidly.
But few people ever take the
time to find out what could hap-
pen to individual man in that
short time.
: *
The term "progress" is used to
describe development. The edu-
cated and uneducated of this
country are prone to employ this
word when they discuss the suc-
cess or failure of an individual's or
some type of group's. efforts. These
same subjective value judgements
are cast about regarding individ-
brations and preparations have
taken in the past few years. The;
fact that an "X" replaces "Christ"
is one of the complaints lodged
against those who attach a com-
mercial perspective to this holi-
day.
Although it is argued that the
letter "X' has some religious
significance in that it represents
the first letter of Christ's namew
in Greek, people still object to the
now common abbreviation because;
it eliminates the real meaning and
purpose of the holiday.
Of course the complaint isn't
mately connected to where this
society is going technically and
socially. It resolves around the
ideas of progress and change and
how they have been distorted and
twisted into a twentieth century
meaning that lacks a great deal
of validity.
Inventions, discoveries, improve-
ments and all of the other ac-
coutrements that are part of a
mechanized, mobile and flexible
society are worthwhile when they
move the group forward. They are
necessary to raise the standard
of living, increase educational
Ostensibly people
make the fluencing forces are coercing
the
choice to buy a new car or a new populace.
refrigerator in place of their two-
year-old one or see that popular
new movie. Social dictates have
taken much of the guess work out
of what the mind was formally re-
quired to do-think for itself.
Many signs of progress are
present but there are as many
which testify to the fact that in-
The same populace that be-
moans the fact that there is an
"X" where there shouldn't be is
being fitted into restricting molds
that inhibit mental autonomy. The
same populace gyrating to con-
formist rhythms only sees a small
segment of a large problem which
circulates and engulfs them.
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Size of income, length of new
car, amount of modern appliances
and even style of clothes are the
quirement, ostensibly and unf or-
cessful or unsuccessful an individ-
ual has been.
Signs of progress in contem-
porary society are by group re-
quirement, ostensible and unfor-
tunately, superficial. Positive
judgements occur when there is
some physical object which can
be seen without any great effort.
Even mental progress has its
symbols-the diploma, the high
grade point average, the advanced
degree are supposedly signs that
an individual's mind is capable.
Christmas occurs once during
the year. From the time of the
big parades on Thanksgiving Day
until that magical time called
Christmas morning, something
happens to people.
They smile more willingly, are
more charitable and they have
the "spirit" of the season. It is
an attitude spirit of "peace on
earth and good will toward men"
which is supposed to exist through-
out the year.
But when the decorations come
down and the tree is tossed to the
rubbish collectors, it always seems
that the warm atmosphere which
pervaded those three weeks from
Thanksgiving until the 25th of
December is gone.
* * *
In each of the three cases civili-
zation has moved in some manner.
Scientists like to think that they
have "contributed to a better
world" because of their inventions
and discoveries. Some psycholo-
gists and sociologists are of the
opinion that community changes
have been for "the good of man-
kind."
Both of those points are cer-
tainly debatable.
Some Debate
There is even some debate about
the direction that Christmas cele-
The story on this page is the
product of the mental musings
of Charles Kozoll. Its aim is not
necessarily to dramatically im-
press an individual with the
Christmas spirit but to offer
some new thoughts on this par-
ticular holiday season and facts
that may or may not be related
to it.
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a smart handbag...
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state and liberty
Sinr.u ra.raro.rs9urawyewfr~ga imrYwYwY M Y !YM'", M' _iMs 1lid4
... to pause for contemplation
just that the letter is there. Com-
mercial methods which may have
inspired the change are the male-
factors really disliked by the ir-
ritated individuals.
(Strangely enough, people who
are rarely seen in houses of wor-
ship on a regular basis sometimes
produce the most eloquent oratory
aimed at improper Yuletide atti-
tudes.)
Bit Part
It is surely unfortunate that
there have been moves to "put
more money into Christmas" but
criticisms which are narrowed to
deal only with this point do very
little to correct the general prob-
lem of which the "X" is a perhaps.
minor part.
The general problem is inti-
facilities and generally provide
means to improve man's lot.
But these same physical dis-
coveries have initiated a highly
dangerous situation. Minds have
not been destroyed as some sci-
ence fiction writers would likely
report, but they have become tools
of societies dictated to largely by
these machines.
Formal autonomy and freedom
to make decisions remains, but
social standards pre - determine
what the outcome of "unbiased
and completely free" choices will
be. Psychological tests on con-
formity produce some frightening
statistics on the conscious or sub-
conscious willingness of individ-
uals to go along "with the rest of
the group."
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