All of us desire a better state of society. But
society cannot become better before two
great tasks are performed. Unless peace can
be firmly established and the prevailing obsession with money and power profoundly modified, there is no hope of any desirable
change being made. Governments are not
willing to undertake these tasks; in many
countries they actively persecute those who
even express the opinion that such tasks are
worth-performing. Private individuals are
not prepared to undertake them in the ordinary way of business. If the work is to be
done at all-and it is clear that, unless it is
done, the state of the world is likely to
become progressively worse-it must be done
by associations of devoted individuals. To
tend the sick, to relieve the poor, to teach
without charge-these are intrinsically
excellent tasks. But for associations of
devoted individuals to perform such tasks is
now work of supererogation and in a certain
sense, an anachronism. It was right that
they should undertake them when nobody
else was prepared to do so. If they undertake
them now, when such tasks are being
performed very efficiently by other agencies,
they are wasting the energy of their
devotion. They should use this energy to do
they what nobody else will do, to break the new
ground that nobody else will break.
Precis
A better society requires two critical tasks: establishing lasting peace and addressing the obsession with money and power. Governments often oppose these efforts, and private individuals lack initiative in this regard. Therefore, associations of dedicated individuals must take on this responsibility. While traditional acts of service, like helping the sick or poor, are noble, they are now managed efficiently by other agencies. Devoted associations should focus their energy on unique and neglected tasks to bring about meaningful change and prevent societal decline.
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