"TO AUTUMN," BY JOHN KEATS

We are presently living in an era of material affluence. Never before in man's history has the
production of goods been so scientifically manipulated by the use of technology; never before have the
natural sciences advanced with such speed and skill so that even nature, that unpredictable force of life,
has come under its control and the outer limits of our Universe, as a result of scientific exploration has lost
its mystery. It is an era in which it is generally believed that Science and Technology are the answer to
human suffering, and that in time we will find the key that will open the door to happiness for all. Science
and Technology have thus become the religion of the 20th century. Consequently, we find that we are in
the autumn of our civilization, our granaries are filled to capacity, and yet the leaves, of the trees of life are
falling. Man has not succeeded in finding "happiness", for as Marcuse says, "The people recognize
themselves in their commodities; they find their souls in their automobile, hi-fi, set, split-level home, kitchen
equipment." Thus man is alienated and isolated from himself and, like a gleaner, is picking up the
remaining grains of love and communication rather than capitalizing on them. It is the thesis of this, paper
that the advances in Science and Technology, which are seen as a redeemer of the human soul, have
achieved the opposite condition and that only by human intercourse can man hope to revive filial affection.

Looking at our present society, I am struck by the desperation shown by individuals who are seeking
ways of finding some meaning to their lives. Young adults and teenagers are running away from home and
their parents' values and means of achieving "success."' Their parents, who fail to understand that their
children are looking for affection and meaningful relationships keep asking, "Why? we've given them
everything possible." But their material offerings do not appear to fulfill the human need for communication
and love. These parents, who have struggled all their lives for material success have found little time for
their families, and the family structure as an institution has suffered greatly. Children are sent out of the
home to attend nursery schools at the age of two, three or four years and early in life they become aware of
the need to achieve. They are told that they must receive a good education because education is essential
in obtaining a good paying job. They are told that they must be polite, personable, and attractive because
these qualities win friends and spouses. Consequently, life begins to appear to exist outside of them, and
all too soon the child experiences a feeling of depersonalization. This depersonalization is depicted by the
sociologist Robert E. Parks, who writes:

Everywhere in the Great Society the relations of men which were intimate and personal have been
more or less superseded by relations that are impersonal and formal. The result is that in the modern
world... every aspect of life seems to be mechanical and rationalized. This is particularly true in our modern
cities which are... so largely inhabited by lonely men and women. Where are these young people running
to? Many are escaping into the world of drugs, a world they claim where life appears beautiful and where
experiences are heightened. Others are engaging in emotionally premature experiences, possibly hoping
to find relief from loneliness, and still others are taking part in mass community experiences, such as The
White Lake Music Festival where thousands of people joined together to
Prof. S. Peppin, PhD, XIMB
experience communally, a common interest -music, or the mass political demonstrations where thousands
have voiced their opposition to discrimination.

And what about the older members of society? have they been happy in their strivings? The answer
must be no. With the advent of the huge corporations, men and women have become numbers on a payroll
rather than individuals necessary for the functioning of a company. Automation has threatened many
employees with the loss of their jobs. The rapidly changing society has threatened their security. Even
religious institutions have lost their influence over the masses. Their material acquisitions provide little
comfort, against the threat of fear, loneliness and insecurity. This dissatisfaction is well- stated in the
following statement by Sigmund Freud:
One would like to ask: is there...no increase in my feeling of happiness, if I can hear the voice of a child of
mine who is living hundreds of miles away or if I can learn in the shortest possible time after a friend has
reached his destination that he has come through the long and difficult voyage unharmed? Does it mean
nothing that medicine has succeeded in enormously reducing infant mortality and the danger of infection
for women in childbirth, and, indeed, in considerably lengthening the average life of a civilized man? ... But
here the voice of pessimistic criticism makes itself heard...If there had been no railroad, ... my child would
never have left his native town, ... if traveling across the ocean by ship had not been introduced, my friend
would never have embarked on his sea voyage...What is the use of reducing infant mortality... when that
reduction imposes the greatest restrain on us in the begetting of children... And what good is a long life if it
is difficult and barren of joys and if it is so full of misery that awe can only welcome death as a deliverer?
Although Sigmund Freud's interpretation of Technology is a pessimistic one, the point he makes is
poignant. Scientific and technological advances alone cannot achieve human happiness. I see that to
combat human isolation is communication. Not the communication of the telephone or the mass media but
the verbal expression of one's human needs. Man will soon discover that the uniqueness of his being is not
altogether unique, but his feelings are shared by millions of others throughout the world. I pose the
question: Will our autumn turn into a deadly winter, where even the hope of happiness will be lost, or can
man unite with nature (life) and breathe deeply the aromas of love and beauty?