Letters, Aug. 12, 1946

Destroyed or Decayed?

Sirs:

I was rather surprised by the inference Mr. Purcell drew (TIME, Letters, July 15) that "Men cannot be concerned with the age-old struggle for personal improvement when whole nations of men are face to face with destruction. . . ."

Destruction is no new thing: our remote ancestors faced destruction from pride, envy, anger, hate, sloth, gluttony, lust, famine, pestilence and violence—just as we do. A cavalier attitude toward personal improvement usually results in personal deterioration.

Though not the best argument for personal improvement, it is fairly cogent that in...

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