CIVILISATION TO-DAY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21729, 11 March 1936, Page 9

CIVILISATION TO-DAY

MAN WANDERING AGAIN ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR J. SHELLEY "We must learn to integrate the needs of the community with the power of production if our present; civilisation is to succeed,'} said Professor J. Shelley at yesterday's luncheon of the Christchurch Rotary Club, when continuing his address oh "James Watt and World Changes." \ "If we learn to use power and integrate it properly with the needs of the community, then we are in for ahigher civilisation than there has been before in the history of man's development. If we do not do this, however, this civilisation will fall to pieces, and it will be left to another in hundreds or thousands of years to succeed." Men were just beginning a third stage in their development. The first, which had existed up till 12,000 years ago, had been an age of wandering; but when man had discovered the advantages of agriculture he had started to band together to form the home and nation. Now, however, with the introduction of power, the home was not nearly as important in the life of man. He was beginning to wander again. Life was thought of these days in terms of wandering. If a man were to have his holidays, he was immediately asked where he was going; there was no thought of his staying at home. Only on Economic Basis The home was now thought of only on an economic basis. Nowadays the home was a place for a man and his wife to live in, with perhaps their two or three children. No chance was given for these children to find any self-expression. They were sent to a school where there was also little chance of their developing originality. Professor Shelley said that a good example of this could be found in the East Christchurch School which had recently been rebuilt. The old school had been pulled down, but in its place a new school had been built, with the same barren acre of concrete as a playground for the pupils. There was no doubt that the new generation could not be expected to solve the huge problems with which the world was faced if they were not given the opportunity to exercise their creative faculties. The destiny of civilisation could not be left to a few experts. At the present time people were so lacking in the desire for self-expression that they would go in thousands to a'' football' match to. see a few men exerting themselves physically, In the same way they would flock to a picture theatre to see a cast of three or four expressing themselves and really living. The same could be said of the radio, continued Professor Shelley. In it man had a great gift by which his views could be flashed round the world in a few seconds. There was certainly a little of the programme which was of educative value, but what was expressive in the mere turning of a knob? There was in the world at the present time, said Professor Shelley, a conflict of two ideas. The old idea of nationalism and the raising of tariffs still existed. At the same time manv were trying to break down the barriers and establish communications. This could be done only by co-opera-tion, particularly of the big shipping, railway, and banking interests. To enable the present civilisation to triumph, the idea Of localised areas must be banished. The Rev. A. C. Watson presided at the luncheon.