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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 4. May 4th 1949

Comments on Apathy

Comments on Apathy

Sir,

In criticising the "tone" of Salient, "Veritas" and others are expressing feeling with which I am inclined to agree, but to such people I would say, in all earnestness, that the remedy is in their own hands.

"Veritas's" otherwise excellent article showed neglect of a fact which I would assure him is at the root of Salient's troubles.

Time devoted to the production of a University magazine does little to further the aims of an earnest individualist or an advocate of free enterprise. His aim is to put himself at the top of the tree, so, naturally, his primary interest is in personal promotion and the improvement of his own "professional qualifications. His very individualism precludes its own propagation. However, to a rabid red, or a disciple of Marx, all instruments of publicity and mediums of expression extend an invitation and present a duty.

Though conservatives may be in a majority, their role is the negative one of participating in the existing mode of life. They are so busy enjoying it they have little time or inclination to organise for its preservation. Conversely, radicals, as such, are dissatisfied with the available mode of life; and in proportion to their dissatisfaction is the time and energy that they devote to the objective "changing the system." The bulk of conservatism is pitted against the intensity of radicalism—and in the long run the odds are always in favour of change—but not for its own sake, not without complete discussion of all sides, and certainly not in the face of majority hostility.

On Salient the effect of this general condition is that the ratio of Left-biassed to Right-biassed articles available for publication is almost six to one, while good quality, thoughtful and objective articles are literally as rare as hen's teeth.

An editor who wishes to present both sides of the story, or better still an intelligent appraisal of both sides (and I believe the present editor does so wish), finds that lack of adequate supply of (unpaid) contributors leaves him little opportunity to discriminate on literary grounds, or of producing a balanced paper. The spirit of healthy (and for God's sake intelligent) controversy no longer finds expression in his pages.

The solution is entirely in the hands of "Veritas" and other like him. Instead of one article criticising Salient, what about a dozen articles on a dozen other subjects? Of course, it is realised that criticism of the efforts of others is a necessity of life to some people, and it is hard to criticise a paper in which one's own articles appear.

Francis Gawn.