MODERN TRENDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 232, 30 September 1936, Page 8

MODERN TRENDS.

EVILS OF WORLD TO-DAY. SELFISHNESS IN NATIONS. Of the trends of the modern world, and tlie manner in which their consequent evils might be attacked, Mr. C. O. -Mahony r,poke in an address to members of the Auckland Creditmen's Club to-day. The president, Mr. E. Aldridge, introduced the ; speaker. "This world of ours is never still," said Mr. Mahony. The trends of modern times could be said to be in the directions of both good and evil, but in the main he considered them more towards evil. The first important trend he put as selfishness, allied with suspicion and fear. It was found among nations, in the race to arm and the erection of tariff barriers. The second was materialism, which had brought in its train mechanisation and an era of speed. The third was the trend away from democracy—these were days of extremists, said Mr. Mahony —and finally there was education. Man did not live by bread alone, sakj. the speaker. Failing a change, the probable end of these trends seemed an alarming one. Though marvellous I strides had admittedly been made in the ! betterment of living conditions, selfishness was the greatest driving force in the world to-day. Commercial morality was lower than it used to be. Speed had entered into all forms of life, even politics, Mr. Mahony said. Mention had been made of running shoes —not walking shoes —and of going "onwards and upwards with the brakes off." There was a danger in hasty legislation. Education had become a servant of the existing evil forces; it was .being abused and employed to selfish ends as propaganda. Materialism was being developed in people at the j expense of the spiritual. With a change in the system of education, the founda-j tion of civilisation, something of thej I spiritual might be regained, and that j balance which was one of the perfec-, tions of Nature might be in sight once I mofe. I