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Douglas Baird
Ever since man emerged from the pri- mevel forests and stood erect on two legs, he has sought to better himself. He has advanced from a state of chaos in which, as a primi- tive savage, he had to fight, run, or hide in order to survive, to a fairly civilized form of society. What then is the ultimate goal for man and the society which he has made for himself? Can man attain a perfect political organization?
From Plato to More, philosophers have dreamt of the ideal and happy state where all men have equal rights and equal duties, and where the evils of human existence, such as poverty and misery, have been eliminated. Now let us examine this so-called ideal state from a realistic point of view. In this state, everyone would be required to get along with his neighbour. If we are to judge from history, this is not a very likely possibility. Men have never even come close to attaining this goal. Even in early societies, there have always been the few who rebelled against established conditions and customs, and who, in doing so, sowed the seed of change and progress. There have been those, too, who have turned their backs on society, shunning it altogether. In short, man may move on to changes which will rock the universe, but he will never change human nature. For people to live in harmony in an ideal state, they would have to be perfect, and this is an impossibility.
Let us suppose, however, that we can rub a sort of Aladdin's lamp whosegeniewill whisk us away to a never-never land of perfection. Vices and faults have disappeared; everyone here is a big bundle of virtue. At first glance this seems too good to be true, but let us stop and analyse the situtation. Would we be truly happy here? We would have to give up some of the pleasures we enjoy in our present mode of life, but, we
might say, that would be worthwhile if by doing so we could eliminate the worries, tensions, and fears which plague imperfect human beings all their lives. It would be well to think carefully about that statement. Just where would we be without our fears, our tensions, and even our pain. This so- called perfect world would mean the end of those restless, and, admittedly, sometimes destructive forces which at the same time give· meaning and purpose to life. Can there be joy without the taste of sorrow? Can there be triumph without suffering and sac- rifice? Surely life as we know it would in this ideal state be a dull and meaningless cycle of existence. If we understand human nature, we shall rub our lamp again and return to our own uncertain but exciting world.
Some day man may attain perfection. But let's ·not lose any sleep over it. It won't come in our time.
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