On Saving the World

Why, may we ask, is self-improvement resisted by so many? Does the reward seem too little? Is it because self improvement seems too much like helping one's self rather than others? If these are the reasons, then each of us needs better to understand individualism, the dignity of his own person, the singularity of his existence, the mean ing of rising to one's potential, the satisfaction that can be derived from faithfulness to one's conscience, judg ment and personality - all as the first steps necessary to helping others. Why should the integer one be ignored? In the universe of persons that's all the world is made up of - just ones. The masses? Just ones. Labor? Just ones. Business? Just ones. I am one. You are one. *Lloyd C. Douglas, The Big Fisherman (Boston: Houghton Miftlin Co., 1948). 56 On which one can a person best exert influence? If he cannot accomplish any advancement in understanding liberty himself, what vagary of the imagination is it that suggests that some other one will look to him for explana tion, enlightenment? Again, it should be clearly understood that the student selects the teacher.