Nutshells Cracked

Kernels Bitter

What the hand of man has done the hand of man can undo. The factors limiting man's happiness are man-made institutions. While the limiting factor was the struggle against natural forces, it was enough that a man was a useful craftsman; but now the need for reform is so urgent that the most valuable specialist is a parasite unless he understands society. Fascist demagogy recruits the politically ignorant.

The greatest civilisation of all the ages snapping minds and putrefying hearts; plans for war in a world craving peace internationalist sentimentalism and nationalist activities; the white man's burden that the black man bears; tariff barriers to keep out cheap goods that people need; wars for markets for goods that people need at home; poverrty and charity in the midst of attainable comfort; unemployment while slum areas spread; chastity and prostitution; economic individualists chanting "service before self"; the highest product of evolution obsessed with the fear of insecurity and monomaniacal for money-success; an ignorant world and a lying press; universal education fed with sport and crime news while Rome burns; a resentful world misled into currency reform, Douglas credit, distributivism, commonwealth land theories and Vickers-phobia; resentful people enticed to find escapes through religion, talkies, novels, drink, drugs; free Plunket training for mothers from milkless homes; medical science and untended sickness; physical science to raise profits; social science bouth; human nature in captivity; incipient fascism in New Zealand.

Fellow-students, how muchlonger?

Fellow-students, generalise every resentment; be realistic.

Fellow-students, evolution is the dance, revolutions are the steps.

—Spectator.