AGE AND RESPONSIBILITY

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 November 1930, Page 9

AGE AND RESPONSIBILITY

TT used to be said 'that a long word was an excellent substitute for a reason. We have improved upon that, writes “An Observer” in the London “.Daily Telegraph.” One magic word will justify anything. Appeal to psychology and you may defy commonsense and common experience. Here is an odd example: “Those who have studied the human mind hold that unless a mind is loaded with considerable responsibility before the age of 30 it is no use ever loading it with responsibility.” You will observe the bland assumption that the study of the human mind is limited to a select band. The obvious elementary fact that all intelligent people since the dawn of time have been observing the ways of the human mind and making experiments to discover how they can get the best out of it is ignored. But nothing was known till the elect began to call themselves psychologists, and, to be sure, what they know now is very wonderful. The reasons why a person must never, never be trusted with responsibility unless he has had considerable responsibility before he was 30-are even more- surprising i than the fact. “The physics and i chemistry of the body discharge into the brain certain poisons which ultit mately prevent the brain from expand ing and developing.” But apparently if you have grave responsibilities before you are 30 your physics and chemistry do not poison you. Here is a mystery indeed. Why should you be expected in the twentieth century to believe in this or any other kind of magic? There are masses of evidence about the capacity of men to bear responsibility. Half the great men of action learnt how to use power by coming into power very young. The other half never had any responsibility till they were middle aged. Alexander went conquering the world as a boy. Caesar was only playing with life till he was bald. Napoleon commanded armies at a subaltern’s age. Cromwell was turned 40 before he had a regiment. How are we to believe that to be given responsibilty early is a certain means to the ability to’ bear it well? The

100 Young or Too Old

Kaiser came to his throne in youth. Since the days of Kehoboam history has been frill of Kaisers. It is also full of Clemenceaus, of men who were of small account in youth and saved the State in their old age. These contradictions have not persuaded ordinary people that responsibility is not good for youth. Long before psychology had a name the great discovery was made that a gradual training in responsibility was a necessary part of education. Schools and universities ai’e organised on that principle. Every profession works by it. The normal rational parent uses it in bringing up his children. While we are all agreed, continues “An Observer,” that responsibility is useful training, indeed that people only become fit for responsibility by bearing it, we are equally agreed that it is dangerous to give responsibilities to I those who are not old enough. But what is old enough, whether 15, or 25, or 35, or 50? You find support for any opinion. The navy expects much of midshipmen. The army has no use for boy officers. The barrister just called, who will be a good deal more than a child, is -not considered the " best adviser‘on a grave case. In politics, middle-age is irresponsible youth. In private life everybody has met rash young men who make a- mess of their own and their family’s affairs by taking charge before their capacity was equal to the burden. Since there is such great diversity you may .suggest that it does not matter what is taught by “those who have studied the human mind” ; they can hardly be quite wrong. But they may be very dangerous if they persuade people to believe in general rules about human nature, whether it is this one that you must have responsibility before 30, or that other that you are too old at 40, or any such dogma. The one sound general rule is that there are no rules, but only exceptions. One man develops late, another early; this fellow will hardly know himself till he is 40. If we are deluded into treating men all alike we shall not get the best out of anv of them. Life is not so easy that you can work' it by handbooks of maxims.