Loyola College - Review Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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LOYOLA COLLEGE REVIEW 21 They re Still With Us — PRE) LTHOUGH philosophy is the study of wisdom, all philosophers are not wise men and not all are ges worthy of imitation. The prime rule observed in philosophy is reason, but still there are many systems recorded in history subversive of wisdom and which are opposed to the dictates of calm, well- balanced reason. The object of this article is to advance some remarkably unreasonable features of the more unwise of these systems, and thus gain an idea of the measure of common absurdity that may be found in even the most cultured and distinguished intellectuals. First we have the Cynic School, so named from the Greek Kuón, Kunos, meaning dog, because the disciples of this school were always yelping or snarling at others. They taught that the rougher, the more untamed, the more unpolished a man is, the better he is. The Cynic, who is to be found even to this day, refuses to cultivate the graces of life, absolutely declines to see any happiness in existence, and feels it his special calling to rail at every- thing and everybody. Fundamentally he is a consistent troublemaker, as shown in the words of Antisthenes, founder of the School: ‘‘Better be mad than glad. Perhaps the most illustrious member of this School was Diogenes, born about 412 B.C., in Asia Minor. His futile search for an honest man is known toeveryone. Even as a boy, Diogenes was apparently surly and ill-tempered and it was, no doubt, in consequence of this nature that he developed into such an enthusiastic Cynic, if the terminology may be used. He held as his:most salient principle that to sleep in a bed was a sign of effeminacy, and to prove the courage of his convictions he carried a large tub about with him. “-- When it came time for his nap, and һе took several in a day, he would place the tub in some convenient spot, and curl up there like a cat in comfort. He portrayed this same nature in every encounter with his fellow men, but his altercations with Alexander the Great are regarded as the greatest example of real cynicism. He was basking one day in the sun, curled up as usual in his tub, and drew the attention of the King who was passing. The great Alexander ар- proached him and introduced himself, saying: “І am Alexander the Great, of whom you must have heard. То this came the reply: “Апа I am Dio- genes the Great, of whom you will hear a great deal.” Taking pity on our friend, and admiring his courage, the King asked: “Can I do anything for you, Diogenes ?” This was a great concession from such a powerful monarch, but the crowd around was destined to still a greater surprise when they heard the cynic reply: “Үев, you might stand aside so that I can see the sun. You are in the way and I find you quite opaque. But Alexander stepped aside and said that were he not Alexander he would elect to be Diogenes. Of course, as we said above, Diogenes was by no means the last of the Cynics, and even to our day their practices and tenets are to be observed. There are many to-day prepared to scoff at everything and everyone, growl in staunch allegiance to that animal after which they were named and generally hold fast to the principle Better be mad than glad. There is also another school of philosophers against whom we should raise the finger of warning. And in considering this system we may also find a certain measure of interest. We have many of us looked for a name to describe that chap who never takes

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ака: Ааа MERE. 5+ „ка d екілік таки ху 20 LOYOLA COLLEGE REVIEW ———— M Jr Have you ever been in such a position that confusion brought to you a thou- sand and one solutions to a difficulty, and all so crowded about you at the same time that you could choose none satisfactorily ? Jim certainly experi- enced a sensation similar to this. First came the thought of shame. He had played a deceitful game and deserved to be humbled. The passing of this thought brought another and this time it was a demand for justice. That same old spirit which, on the football field, had so often prompted him to shout Play the game, came to his rescue. Now his eyes were opened! This, indeed, was the great awakening for Jim Duncan! These fellows were not playing the game. They were doing something that was small and ungentlemanly. They were taking a mean advantage of his position. Oh, if he could only see his father now, how contritely would he admit to him the truth of every word he had said! These thoughts all passed as quickly as they had come. Now to answer his quondam friends. [ hope you fellows are satisfied, he remarked, a whimsical grin scarcely veiling the sarcasm of his words. He paused, watched them quietly, then continued: ''You were right. I do belong in a hardware store. I left it, however, because I expected to find the real gentlemen in such company as this. The mistake was mine. I admit that you humiliated me; I hope that you enjoyed yourselves at my expense. You see before you one who thought that riches meant happiness; I see in you a positive denial of the belief. May we all profit by it, gentlemen. Good evening!” Giving them one last contemptuous glance, he turned and strode by them all, passed through the hall and down the steps. Once on the driveway, he quickened his pace and, half running, half walking, he disappeared into the night. Inside the Duncan home, the little bird on top of the piano came out of his house and cuckooed eleven times. Mrs. Duncan, in her favorite rocker on the verandah, pulled her shawl closer about her shoulders at the sound. Some distance away the train from the south whistled drearily as it entered Evans- town. Need I tell of whom the mother was thinking? When she had men- tioned Bob, her husband had looked severe, called Jim a young fool and said that he could stay with his million- aire friends, for all he cared. Neverthe- less, she knew that he felt the blow as much as she did. She raised her hand to her eyes, for she could not refrain from weeping as she thought of her boy, her only child. Suddenly she looked up. Someone was walking down their street. Most probably old Noah Tucker, she thought, returning from the first round of the checker championship at the general store. No, he was stopping at the gate. Could it be that—! She rose from her chair. A figure dashed up the path and in a moment held her in his arms. Oh, Mother! he cried, and wept for very happiness on her shoulder. And she, softly twining her fingers through his hair as she often had done when he was a baby, found herself repeating again and again, My poor dear Боу!” High in the heavens, a star fell, leaving a golden trail behind it. Per- haps it was God who so welcomed the return of another prodigal. Perhaps it was merely a coincidence. KENNETH MCARDLE, '27.

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Т ч ч ра 22 LOYOLA COLLEGE REVIEW — any tangible interest in the affairs of life, never waxes enthusiastic over the victories or good fortune of his fellow men, sits quietly in a corner with im- passive mien while others execute a war- dance in honor of some crowning success. We have sought oftimes in vain to classify the one who greets victory with an unemotional “Оше good” and hears of great calamity with expressionless “Ноу sad.” This is indeed the Stoic. The theory of the Stoics is that wis- dom must cut away completely from enthusiasm and that the truly wise commit a crime to be swayed by feeling or to even permit an appeal to the emotions. “Nil admirari — is their motto and their practice. The natural outcome of such teaching is to blot out from a man's life all poetry, all en- thusiasm, all oratorical fervor, all ecstasies, all display of happiness. For similar reasons the Stoic must accept pain and punishment without a murmur. If dishonor threatens, he will prefer death, even if he has to take his own life, as instanced in the case of Cato of Utica. Feeling that the country was doomed to dishonor by the success of Caesar’s party, he calmly committed suicide rather than live under such a regime. In college we find the Stoic in the boy who takes no interest in college affairs, who contents himself with con- templating the stars or studying the slow growth of a forlorn moustache. Still another school of philosophy which sometimes finds entrance into collegiate circles is that of the pessi- mist, even more prevalent to-day than either of the preceding ones. The pessimist assumes an attitude of dire helplessness in the face of countless imaginary disasters. For him every- thing is wrong and nothing will ever be right, evil will always triumph, the power of injustice always prevail. Pessimists have been found in every age. They flourished under the clear skies of Greece where they insisted шыма каз a ыа ра = Ee ирили 4— upon drawing a dark cloud across the sun and in India where they strove to inculcate the doctrine of annihilation. Even in this western hemisphere they have a large following parading as Calamity Jane or Misery Jimmie. To the pessimist all things are dark, the future has no outlet to universal misery. What could be more baneful than this abnormal view of life; and still in this twentieth century of ad- vancement, we find an unbelievable number who practise in some form or another this pessimism which not only detracts from their ultimate suc- cess in life, but makes existence un- reasonably miserable for themselves and for all those with whom they come into contact. Again we have the Stoics, who also are to be found in large numbers to-day. They are those who never enthuse, who take no interest in the inspiring or the beautiful, which after all is a higher phase of life. And, finally, we do not have to look far to find numerous adherents to the prin- ciples of the Cynical School. We have but to ask those in public life, those who are working for the good of community or state. Ask them if they are criticized, and listen while they recount some experiences in which they have been unjustly berated. This also is the work of the Cynic, and it is their raillery which keeps so many valuable men out of public activity, in which they could do so much for the country and for all civilization. How much more helpful is the sane philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas! How much more desirable the man who does not live to scoff and laugh, who does not deny himself all legitimate pleasures and manly enthusiasm merely to satisfy the false dictate of a biased conscience, who does not, with the pessimist, waste a life in hopeless moaning, a life which was given him for noble achievement and of which he will have to render a strict account at the Final Judgment. J. AL. KENNEDY, '25.