Know Thyself; D. Dixon

OUR COUNTRY is wracked by agony and distress when the cornucopia of food and products was never greater. The bewildering and frightening erosion of spiritual, moral, and ethical standards of yesterday leaves us lost and dis traught. The standards of yester day, like yesterday itself, are ir retrievable. Could it be, that among this welter of discord and confusion there is rhyme or rea son or understanding? With te merity and naivete, it is believed that there is. A murderer fires a single shot and becomes an outlaw. A bom bardier pulls a switch and returns to a hero's welcome while thou sands perish. The ancient Spar tans, while dying to hold TherMr. Dixon is an attorney in Raleigh, North Carolina. DANIEL R. DIXON mopylae Pass, left a monument in the imperishable phrase, "Stran ger, go tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their commands." Some kill, some suffer death. But to ·kill or he killed is not of concern. The question is, "By whose mandate?" Whose law shall one obey?

Is there a source of guidance, a body of law, to provide the rules of life? The prevalence of order in the physical universe is so man ifest as to preclude denial. The green grass grows all around and no one knows why. Neither atheist nor agnostic can deny the exist ence of grass-growing power, though the reasons why be dis puted. Our environment is sur rounded and controlled, and in deed locked, by the complex laws of the universe. Every step, from 707 708 THE FREEMAN December cradle to grave, is predicated upon the assumption that the "law of gravity" and innumerable other "laws" will not change. Man has not created, and cannot alter or change, one law of nature. His abilities are restricted exclusively to the discovery and implementa tion of existing law. The world of science exists and expands upon the predicate of a consistent pat tern of natural law. New "knowl edge" is but a new discovery of pre-existing law. The possibility of exha usting the uni verse of knowledge is inconceivable. Man's knowledge is yet but a spark of light in the dark and limitless universe. The unknown is in finite as the infinite is unknown.

Life has meaning only on the assumption. of the continuing con sistency of order in our environ ment. Some achieve this status of belief by religious faith. Others unwittingly arrive at the same status by a shallow cynicism and self-deceit. Those who deny God do so with the arrogant compla cency, or belief, that no change will develop in established order. The avowed cynic thereby avows a faith more absolute than the professed apostolate. The state ment, "God is dead," is a puerile and senseless expression. The planets continue to whirl through space in their accustomed order. Day and night· follow successively and as the sun rises each day it seems that the infinite, or cosmic force conventionally described as God, is conducting business as usual. Integrating New Discoveries with the Infinite Law Of course, the dogmas and teaching of all religions are con fronted with the obvious necessity of reconciling with the new. The 'concept .of Heaven is threatened by a penetration of space. A re orientation of concepts is needed, not a denial of the existence of infinite law. Reassurance in this respect is everywhere obvious.

The laws of the universe have been consistent by permitting passage of interplanetary craft into the reaches of space. Such craft continue their remote jour neys operating on the same laws of science and physics which per mitted their departure from earth. The question is, does the Great Plan span the moral and spiritual as well as the physical and scien tific? The laws of science are per suasive only by reason of statis tical consistency. One and one ap pears to equal two however many times it is tested. Gravity appears to invariably pull downward. Knowledge is such only so long as variance in the pattern is not de tected. The discovery of a variance then initiates a search for a new 1968 KNOW THYSELF - A REVISITATION 709 pattern of consistency with the belief that such a pattern exists. The rules for human behavior, if such exist, are more difficult to identify. The moral, legal, and re ligious mandates against killing, stealing, lying, bigamy, and other "crimes" are subject to much dis sent as to nature and degree of prohibition to be imposed. The variables attending their applica tion breed violent dispute. The current controversy over the abo lition of capital punishment is typical. However great the dis parity in the moral codes of diff erent people, the essentiality of some moral code is a universal need for every rational creature.

The need is one absolute. In the process of rejecting one rule, another is inadvertently selected in its stead. Thus, by default, all subscribe to some code. Such adopted codes have limitless vari ations but all are compilations of the concepts controlling and guid ing such persons. The Role of Religion Religion has provided most of the civilized rules of conduct. Witch doctor, Code of Ham murabi, Law of Moses, sun god, monkey worship, sacred cow, or sacrificial lamb, whatever its form, there is a universal supplication to the powers that be. The need for a moral code is clear, the existence of many moral codes is clear; but the proper. content of a moral code is not clear nor is the evidence clear of the existence of any satisfactory or durable moral code. In what, then, can one believe? Man must worship some thing. The finite seeking of the infinite is compulsive. Idolatry, hero worship, admiration, ideal ism, or religious devotion, all are derivative from the assumption there exists a higher order. This compulsive force to understand is a lifelong struggle, a constant search for verities.

The solace of prayer has sus tained the tormented since the be ginning. Is this a meaningless and empty endeavor, art insult to in telligence? To pray for alms is a shoddy entreaty. But to seek guid ance seems a valid endeavor, even if evaluated solely from psycho logical. standards. Its power stems from a passionate desire to par take of infinite knowledge that we sense exists but know not how to attain. A penetration is sought beyond one's normal, more tangi ble abilities. It is a quest for truth that as sumes the existence of some greater knowledge which can be made known to the supplicant. The soilrce of such knowledge may be subject to dispute and may not be the domain of man to know, but the, existence of such storehouse of 710 THE FREEMAN December knowledge is manifest and. there for the taking. Every day brings new discoveries, some dramatic some prosaic, but each reassures there are many others yet to be revealed. The search for verities, be they physical, chemical, elec trical, spiritual, ethical, or other wise, is a valid undertaking.

Natural Law In the realm of jurisprudence, rules of conduct have long been sought from the guidance pro vided by "natural law." This con cept, like religious belief, is de fended only to the extent that it is observed that civilized society has long held a compelling feeling that nature provided the rules for ou~ behavior, if we but had the wisdom to decipher them. How ever, all codes of behavior embody concepts of right and wrong, of good and evil. These are counter balances essential for man's sta bility. The implicit evaluation of some degree of good or· evil touches and colors every human act. Here then is the vortex of all individual struggle for a way of life, and there is neither escape nor simple solution. Those who escape to the refuge of an ivory tower avoid but do not conquer. In this relentless struggle it is in teresting to note that the foulest acts of human behavior are draped with justification. There seem to be few, if any, avowed persons of evil. Alibis are erected to justify each and every "wrongful" act.

Why? Does this not constitute a tacit admission of the dominance of good over evil? Is a "natural law" applying a gentle but relent less pressure too subtle for dis cernm·ent to seek a "better" way, even within the most callous? How else could man "rise" after each black orgy of history or have rea son to hope for a better way of life in the future? Logic is widely. espoused, but it is a most perilous foundation. Man has no standards for discerning what is logical or illogical. He has only the capacity for conviction that something is right or wrong, good or evil. That which we label as logical is simply the evidence presented to the mind which must ultimately pass final judgment on something as right or wrong, as good or evil. There are no other criteria. All decisions are thus moral judgments. In seeking meaning to life and the relation hetween physical and ethical, let us note that our complex compu ters similarly solve all their prob lems with a positive force and a negative force, and nothing more.

Common Sense There seems to be a natural synapse in the minds of the young 1968 KNOW THYSELF - A REVISITATION 711 and the illiterate which translates acts or positions into an immedi ate posture of conviction as to the rightness or wrongness of that which is under judgment. This so called "common sense" approach is a common characteristic of per sons of strength. and stability. In tense intellectual study must de stroy this synapse depriving such persons of a valuable stabilizer. The disagreements of the "ex perts" are legend. Their mistakes are frequently both mystifying and monstrous. It is believed that prolonged study which focuses on data eventually displaces and de stroys the ultimate basis for solu tion: a final conviction as to the validity of the position taken. The logician loses or forgets that all decisions are but moral judg ments. He indulges in the fallacy of the capacity of the brain to contain sufficient data to be "logi cal."

The existence, as distinguished from the content, of a set of rules for human behavior has not been alleged. However, the need for such a set of rules is everywhere apparent. Man finds repose and security in a way of life which is stabilized and protected by estab lished order. He strives forever to fabricate such an environment by making certain that which is un certain, to transmute the infinite into the finite. A variety of selfimposed rituals enhance the per sonal sense of identity. This com pulsion to conformity often suf focates the innovation needed for further development. Change, in and of itself, is abhorrent and frightening above all else. Acce/erat~d Change During the long years of the agrarian economy, change was rel atively slow. The harsh struggle for survival left little time for metaphysical speculation. The daily mechanism of chores and duties gave a sense of meaning which was satisfying, even if un realistic. The dogmas of Puritan Christianity provided stern and positivistic guidelines for conduct.

A strong sense of destiny gave our nation drive and direction. But change is now upon us as never before. Science and technology are irre sistible forces which are not to be denied. Massive change is produc ing massive social trauma. The dogmas and orthodoxy of religion are eroding under the impact of new knowledge derived from many sources, particularly space travel and technology. The amalgama tion of churches and modification of church codes bear clear _evi dence of this trend. The mass mi gration from rural to urban areas must produce generalized acute ap prehension. Recent studies of the 712 THE FREEMAN December instinct of territorial imperative provide some understanding of the degree of distress which must ac company such relocation. In addi tion, man is frightened by the re lease of time itself. His prior pre occupation with the burdens of survival left little time for self contemplation. He now flees the time vacuum' by a frantic and childish pursuit of superficial en tertainment, stereotyped social en gagements, and the anesthesia of alcohol. These, and other evidences of the impact of change,are every where apparent.

In Search of a Code The loss of, the moral code of Pnritap.' philosophy is most mani fest among our young. The need for amoral code is as essential as ever.. In fact; it. is so indispensa ble that our young are seeking to create' a set of standards satisfac tory to themselves. Their present distress is almost an hysteria which is evidenced .by a compul siveand violent rejection of those who cannot. provide or practice a satisfying moral code, in short, conventional society in toto. The observation that our young, as exemplified by the "beatniks" or other similar groups, are high ly immoral by conventional stand ards is not the point. By their standards, a code is being fol lowed. Unfortunately, shallow leadership appears to be, diverting a powerful drive for a more ideal istic life into destructive and dan gerous practices. It is recognized that many prominent persons and leaders are corrupt, that many in high places are more adept at in trigue than performance; yet the renunciation of principles and standards is not the answer nor does rationalization for escapism afford a solution. The beatnik mentality appears to be that of withdrawal, a surrender to defeat without ,struggle. In the end it only achieves debasement in the name of pacifism with an ultimate reward of nonentity in lieu of fulfillment.

It is not difficult to understand that many of our most gifted and talented youth, those most in need of a moral philosophy, caught in the vacuum ofa waning native ideology, listen to new cults, in cluding the sinister appeal of so cialism' and communism. Their talents are being lost for lack of a sense of meaning and purpose. Abandonment of society is not a solution either for society or for those withdrawing. It takes stamina to stand in the mud and fight back; and therein lies the challenge of today which is dif ferent only in degree from the challenges of yesterdays. How shall one proceed, then, in seeking guidance in this age when 1968 KNOW THYSELF - A REVISITATION 713 the cynic dominates, when the rules of society suffer constant affront, and the specter of·. rebel lion hangs on the horizon? The laws of the infinite are not easily comprehended. Paradox widely prevails, and agony and effort are needed to achieve some satisfac tory rapport with life's dilemmas.

Validity of Thinking ys. Rapidity of Learning "Nobody is perfect" is a sooth ing balm for careless error. Colos sal error frequently results from overlooking the manifestly obvi ous. Self-deprecation results in most overlooking that the Infinite endowed all rational creatures with perfect minds. In this sense, validity of thinking is to be care fully distinguished from rapidity of learning. F·ew have the intellec tual capacity described as genius. But all, or nearly so, have· the ca paci ty to learn, even. though slowly. The "perfect" answer to one plus one is two and, therefore, can be "learned." Learning is available to all. With adequate en deavor, its accomplishments ap proach the miraculous. Often, the slow, plodding, meticulous effort of a less gifted person makes the discovery his more "intellectual" but less patient colleague misses. Discovery, like gold, is wherever found. The ancient fable of the tortoise and the hare is also applicable to the contest for intel lectual .achievement.

Itcan be inspiring to believe that the Great Plan provided to all the capacity to think perfectly and thereby to learn, to unravel some erstwhile unknown secret of the universe, to make discovery, to ex press a new thought, to build, to partake of the process of creation. The sanctity of personal dignity would seem to be associated with this quality of humanity. Our form of government and way of life is predicated upon its pri macy. The deadly struggle in the opposing worlds of communistic versus democratic institutions is formed along this line, an ultimate and unrelenting contest for vin dication of the state or the people \vithin the state. It is a personal belief that Western society shall succeed or fail in this endeavor in direct proportion to the degree we are validly dedicated to a defense of individual dignity. The growing and spreading awareness of indi viduality is a product of democ racy. The world is in ferment for the reason that the concepts of individualism are growing deeper and stronger. Democracy would thus appear to be working.

Frustration and Revolt Violence is a product of fear, a rage of retaliation, and would seem an almost inevitable by714 THE FREEMAN December product of the massive changes which are in progress. Today's violence, certainly to a substan tial degree, is an expression of frustration and revolt against the absence of a viable ethic as such. Our young are dissatisfied with the standards of their leaders and parents. Cynicism and hypocrisy in high place is widespread and is provoking wide revulsion. Deci sion by expediency is the order of the day and dominates the think ing of both business and govern ment. Like short-term credit, its effect as a palliative is short-lived and each cycle of crises is more acute than the preceding one. Per haps, an excess emphasis on ma terial possessions is partially re sponsible. The struggle for personal achievement strips men of their more gracious qualities. Survival in the market place is intolerant of charity, in the same manner that nature ordains the survival of the fittest. In the contests of life, this law breeds competence and harshness even though legal and social concepts of humani-· tarianism restrict its unbridled application.

Suppression of violence· may be necessary but is not a cure. The antidote for violence is construc tive endeavor that imparts a sense of fulfillment. Violence cannot flourish among those who have learned to build. The effect on the person is beneficial whatever one is building, whether it be knowl edge, skills, or things. In the proc ess, one absorbs a sense of affinity with the Infinite. Time and ma terials are mystically converted into a product, or a skill. Individ ual effort is converted into prod ucts and becomes a part of the universe of creation in the com parable sense that· energy is mys tically mutated into matter. "I exist; therefore, I am" expands into "I do; therefore, 1 am more." Heroes or Idols? Hero worship plays a vital part in the character formation of our youth. The search for standards becomes personalized in a form of idol worship. A Lincoln, a Ken nedy, a Christ, or a Machiavelli is deified as an encoded model. We cannot thus delegate the forma tion of ourselves to another. Each must shoulder his own burden for shaping his mind. Men are not to be hallowed or enshrined, admira ble as their qualities may be.

Their acts and deeds can only pro vide guidelines for study. One must look inward to de velop one's own standards. IIeroes and idols are a source of inspira tion but their deification carries the danger of disillusionment. The repercussions from the de-Stalin ization of the /Soviet Union, for example, posed a serious threat to 1968 KNOW THYSELF - A REVISITATION 715 the continuing effectiveness of communist ideology, and it has manifestly weakened "strict com munism." Every rational mind can seek for itself those principles which are enduring and. satisfy ing, provided, of course, one first believes in the .existence of such principles. There is no proof that such rules exist which can be of fered to the skeptic. But it is repugnant to consciousness to be lieve that man, apparently the only rational creature, would be left without guidance and left to act upon his own resources while plac ing him in an environment com pletely controlled by immutable laws of nature.

Principles of Consistency The search for knowledge as sumes the existence of principles of consistency which can be dis covered and implemented. One is thus confronted with the need of accepting the concept of universal order as embracing human be havior. Man's essence and being are matters of relation to the per sons, things, and creatures around him which we describe as environ ment. Acceptance of this concept is almost inescapable. It would seem that even the most arrogant and materialistic of minds must eventually sense our status of de pendency on the immutability of universal law. Obviously, the attitude with which one accepts such concept varies widely. Rational acknowledgment of a universal or der would seem a contributing fac tor to personal stability. Without such a belief man has no way to locate or identify himself and he is lost, a creature toss·ed and buf feted by the vicissitudes of life, without meaning or direction.

In a subjective sense, "virtue is its own reward." "To thine own self be true" is an inspiring moti vant. But objectively, a moral code must be bulwarked by the concept of retribution. In spite of denial, mortals must eventually succumb to an apprehension of retribution. The unknown, by reason of being unknown, is an affliction of all, and potentially carries the threat of being capable of producing a re taliatory force. Belief in retribu tion is an expression of submis sion to cosmic forces. Personal tranquillity is related to one's be lief in the omnipotence of such forces and their impact on mor tals. Newton's law of motion pro vides, "to every force there is an equal and opposite reaction." In finances, credits are balanced by debits. In a chemical reaction, "the initial mass of the reactants is equal to the final mass of the prod ucts." In jurisprudence, every right is balanced by a duty. Justice, to be psychically satisfying, must administer punishment. It must 716 THE FREEMAN December not only hold the .transgressor to account, but it also rewards the compliant.J ustice is thus meas ured not only by .the quantum and nature of punishment imposed on the culprit; it must also cause the conformist to feel his position is ultimately improved by his obedience.

The Rule of Law In a society that fetishly de claims the rule of law, the en forcement of law would seem to be an obvious objective. Law is a product or" moral concepts, and ideas of right and wrong provide the genesis of legislation. Statutes are specifications of ethical con cepts and, with all their infirmi ties, are still our best effort to capture rules in harmony with. in finite law. It is this which makes sacred the "rule of law" as op posed to the "rule of men."Prin ciple is intended to take preced ence over persons. One may wonder why criminals are treated with such laxity. Could it not be that the enforcers are themselves so lost as not to know what to enforce? Such laxity is symptomatic of the general break down of imposed retribution. In the home, the child frequently dominates the parent. The intel. ligent, but confused, parent has lost a conviction of right and wrong. "Progressive" psychology has inhibited normal and natural punishment and· thereby deprived the child of the cleansing sense of suffering a just retribution. The Puritan philosophy, even with its harshness, was highly positivistic and provided certainty for coping with life's problems. Indulgence and coddling are breeding neuroses in children who are otherwise nor mal and healthy. Parents should learn that love and respect are poured from the same pot. With holding proper punishment, under the unfounded fear of losing the child's love, eventually causes a loss .of both love and respect. In time, the harvest reaped is dis obedience, rebellion, and contempt.

The errant child must surely call to account the conscience of the parents with the persisting ques tion of wherein they failed. Survival and Retribution in the World of Business There is one area in which the natural laws of survival of the fittest and retribution have here tofore been allowed to operate with some degree of freedom. This is in the business world of free enterprise whereby the penalty for violating the rules of good management inexorably brings in solvency with final dissolution of the business . Under the influence of socialistic and Fabian doctrines, our govern1968 KNOW THYSELF - A REVISITATION 717 ment seems possessed by some mania to destroy this last strong hold of freedom that has hereto fore been allowed to operate to our advantage. The subsidy, .the special tax advantage, government management of business, and other artificial restraints on the econ omy are violating natural law and are manifestly dangerous to a healthy economy. Their use should be indulged with reluctance and restraint. They are doubly iniqui tous when they constitute a forced charity procured by political in fluence and distributed as a dole to an undeserved member who in turn can control his own dispen sation. The present plight of the British Empire should provide ample lesson of the effects of so cialization of government with its related restrictions on free enter prise. It is no secret that the com munist countries have repeatedly needed help from the "free world"

to avoid widespread starvation. In summary then, what conclusions can be drawn? Essentially, that we are unhappy passengers i~ an era of unparalleled transi tion. The impact is too great for historical comparison. The need for individual stamina and stabil ity was never greater. If man can not live by bread alone, he will surely forge new standards to carry himself into the future. The current fetish of supinely sub scribing to the idea that modern complexity defies solution is thwarting our better capabilities. An intense search for more funda mental guidelines in lieu of shal low expedients will hasten our progress to· better and more en during answers to many problems, both personal and national. The cradle of civilization of ancient Greece gave us a great assist, two thousand years ago, with a simple phrase, "Know thyself." Today, as then, this message is suggesting that we refortify ourselves with an enhanced sense of our endowed capabilities. ~ Truth and Faith Endure WITH EACH WINTER SOLSTICE since the proud days of. Imperial Rome the age-old legend of the nativity reminds us of the endless resurgence of the soul beneath the burden and the suffering perennially imposed upon mankind by those who seek to master it by some demented dream of might and glory, or some empty promise of peace and plenty without price. . . . By this ancient symbol of the silent strength of the unnumbered humble and obscure we may remember always that only truth and faith will endure.

VIRGIL JORDAN "BORN FREE"? E. F. WELLS DURING a Fritz Kreisler concert, a young violinist sat enthralled. "Ohh," she sighed, "what I would give to have such finger dexterity, such mastery, such freedom !" Later she told the incomparable :Kreisler that she would give her life to playas he did. The violinist looked at her compassionately, then said, "But, my dear, I did." Soaring, unbound by the chains of gravity, Nijinsky, the world's greatest dancer, expressed the ul timate of personal freedom. Yet before he could abandon himself to the dance, Nijinsky had to cur tail, deny, restrict. Only through the strictest of discipline could a man gain such freedom of move ment. Mr. Wells has been an educator and cur rently is a freelance writer and supervisory training consultant. '71Sl Nijinsky's tragedy was that, having gained the ultimate in freedom, he destroyed himself by giving in to indulgences that tore his moral fiber, until the freest of mortals passed the latter part of his life confined to the narrowest of worlds.