Reflections About Life

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19462, 29 December 1934, Page 11 (Supplement)

Reflections About Life

Probably THE MOST unusual speech ever heard at Hursl.p'ierpoint, 'College was given at the College Prize Distribution recently by llie Mayor of Brighton (Councillor Miss Margaret Hardy. 0.8. E., J.P.). Delighting boys,'parents and staff alike, it contained humour and wisdom In -welt-balanced proportions, and there is no doubt It will be remembered for many a long day.—Sussex Daily News. “*I am nu educationist," said the Mayor, after giving away the prizes. “ But if 1 do not know anything about education. 1 do know something about life, and education is oi. should be a preparation for life. ”.\bout_life I have three ideas which I am going to Impart lo you, and I warn you they are antagonistic to the views of ■ Educationists and Psychologists, and I only hope and pray that tire headmaster and staff will succeed in eradicating them when I have gone. “If you want to succeed in life, cultivate a good, healthy inferiority complex. The one who first hum hugged I lie world into thinking that an inl'rriorily complex is something to be ashamed of—well lie has something lo he ashamed of—l'm sure il was a man. An inferiority complex is something to be cherished and he’d. “You ought lo come mil of lectures feeling the big gap I here is tie! ween vour intellect iin ,i the intollecl of your lecturer. You ought to feel awed and silent when you stand before •> ere."' »vo"k of- arl. or hi a beautiful building. You ought lo say: ‘This thing is tiro high lor me: I raniml allain milo ti.’ Yon ought to reel moral iiifrr'orMv when vou 'conleniplale the one perfect life, and ihe lives of some great men. Yon mmlil lo feel awe. reverence and respect—l hey are three ((iiaiities the world needs 10-day. U is a , Mark of a Great Soul (o lie aide lo recognise a greater, and Ihe ruinous thing in life is to go through il thinking you are as good as anvoue else and a great deal belter.

Cultivate the Inferiority Complex.

“ Continuing these mischievous reflections, i want. you. tf you would he successful, to have a thoroughly pessimisilio outlook . towards life. Life won’t, always he what it is now. You have everything to-day—no responsihlli.y, no anxiety, pocket money drops down upon you from the clouds and the world is out to serve you. “ When you leave you wilt find that the whole world is not out to serve you—not by any means. You will meet with disappointments. You will make friends who wilt betray you, and you are bound to Have Very Painful Experiences. “ You will have to climb, and for the vast .majority that climb will he a long and slow one, and sometimes you will slip back. Don't think life is going to he roses, roses all the way. because tt won’t he. “ Don’t he so optimistic that you believe Ihe advertisements of patent medicines or prospect uses that promise you a fortune for o small investment. Don't be so optimistic Hint you think you can dispense with the habits and customs of your father or Ihe habits and customs 'Mial. have made our country the fine land il is. “ Thirdly. I hope you will lie thoroughly dissalislleii wilh everything in ihe. world. People who sil still and are salislled and contented are drags on Ihe wheel of progress. If everyone had been salislled with the ancicnl hoal—a tree trunk hollowed mil .—we would never have had the (Jueen Mary launched, ’ll' cave men had been salislled with llieir homes we would iml he Hireling in a hoaulil'iit building like Ibis. Dissatisfaction is Ihe \ Spur and Impetus lo all progress,' so cultivate a 'llioromdily dissalislled spiril. Don'l lliink any hoy ran he sa Ms lied with Ihe world 10-day - iinemploymeiil. slums and iiileriialioii.il disagreeruenl. We older ones ha\e a great deal lo answer for; we have iniieked up Hie world for you: hut lliere is Hits lo he said for us —we are not salislled with what we have