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All three challenges to man.. war and peace, the rational distribution of world resources, and the all-pervading spiritual malaise, are about man in conflict with himself, with his fellow-men, with his environment. They are world-wide in scope and require world-wide answers.. (13:1) ..the most prevalent attitude is to try to ignore them; to forget them and hope that they will evaporate or at least not come to boiling point in our time. Natural inclination is reinforced by ignorance and by a sense of powerlessness: "What can I do anyway?" Meanwhile we have our own lives to live and all we can do is make the best of it. (13:2) ..(in the U.S.) it has been possible for people to live for seventy years without having been affected by the two world wars.. except for a few minor.. inconveniences. The cocoon is now no longer quite so strong. The breakdown in law and order, of public morality, the alienation of the young.. hang over every suburb.. (also) the futility of life that so many lead.. (13:3) Another variation on the escapist theme in the West.. is.. for young people to drop out of conventional society.. they have, to their credit, reduced their material needs.. Soon, however, troubles begin to occur.. living in a community without self-discipline and deep training leads to quarrels, the emergence of exploiters and a decline of self-respect..
(13:4)
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