Vacuum in Ideals?

A thought-arousing item by Sydney J. Harris appeared in the Chicago Daily News of July 29, 1954, under the caption “Strictly Personal.” The writer asked the question: “Want to know what America believes?” Then he answered: “It believes that everybody should have as much education as possible—but that people who talk and act as if they were educated are suspicious intellectuals. It believes that Russia is a godless, materialistic state—but that it’s good for us to acquire as many material possessions as we can get our hands on. It believes that environment creates most criminals—but it spends billions to lock up criminals, and virtually nothing to change their environment. It believes that every man is entitled to his opinion—but that it doesn’t take any effort or knowledge or careful reasoning to distinguish an opinion from a mere prejudice. It believes that children should get pretty nearly everything they ask for—but that parents are to blame if their children become spoiled and willful from this indulgence. It believes that the caste system has no place in a democratic society—but that the size and price of the car you drive is a mark of your relative social position. It believes that you can’t fool all the people all the time—but that you have to respect the politicians and promoters who manage to do so most of the time.”