NOTHING MATTERS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTAT011..“J SIR,—Your leader on "Political Apathy" sets one thinking— that's the worst of your paper. You start an idea, and with
your logic and homely illustrations to give point to your argument one is landed in thought before one knows where one is The result of this particular " leader " is that you make me think that it is not only in politics there is apathy. When reading your leader I was instantly reminded of the old query and answer, " What's the good of anything ? Why nothing!"
To-day "nothing matters," and therefore it matters a great deal that " nothing matters." I am not trying to be funny, but really it is true that to-day "nothing matters." True, the Titanic' disaster has given the nation a shaking, but for bow long P I suppose in a few days we shall have the statistician with his pencil showing that notwithstanding this disaster the odds are, say, 50,000 to one in favour of crossing the Atlantic safely, and that we are in danger of exaggeration to make too much of anything. Yes, Sir, you are right about political apathy. The political dethagogue goes on his wicked way unchecked, but it " doesn't matter," for the man who could expose him dare not do so, for his hands are not clean from clap-trap either. Yes, Sir, nothing matters nowadays—Sunday observance P It doesn't matter. The workman breaking his pledged word and his. contract? It doesn't matter. We are too cynical, neurotic, and lazy to think that anything mattered for more than a few moments. Your diagnosis has much truth in it as regards the political apathy being traceable to the rush of events and bewildering inventions which makes us blase and surprised at nothing. It applies to other things than politics. I wonder how it would be if every one had once a month in separate rooms thirty-six hours' complete rest. Should we get our nerves steadied, and a little clear thinking, and a recognition that, after all, there were such things as "fixed principles "?-
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