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...