A visitor from Mars found his way to the planet Earth. Needless to say, he
found plenty of things here to interest him. Many questions occurred to
him. Some of them he asked. Others, being a gentleman, he kept in the
silence of his own thoughts.
He noticed that the earth people had a haggard and hunted look. On the
street he looked in vain for happy faces. Eyes were dull and tired.
Features were drawn and hard. Steps were either quick with nervous
ambition or slow with lagging weariness.
He asked about it, and was told that these people were working very long
hours. Many of them had very exacting positions to fill during the regular
working hours of the day, performing the duties incident to some other
line of work evenings, odd hours, and holidays. Those who did not do this
had to work hard all day, then help themselves along in business by
seeking profitable and advantageous social contacts in the evening. They
were often too tired, yet they and their families had to force themselves
to it.
The visitor from Mars asked why people punished themselves in such a way,
struggling to get in another hour, earn another dollar, see another
prospect, or sell another customer, before quitting for the day; denying
themselves and their families the joy of companionship; driving on when
they longed for blue skies, green fields, laughing waters, and roses.
“They must make money,” was the answer. “There is a standard of living to
be kept up, family position to maintain, children to push along. The
country is developing. Skyscrapers are going up. Science, invention, and
discovery are putting all kinds of new and wonderful things at our
disposal. Its weight is upon us. It increases, for each year we think we
must do better and have more. The competition is keen and fierce.
It drives us hard.”
“I see,” said the visitor from Mars. “And what do you call this giant
thing you have built up with which to crush yourselves?”
“Civilization,” was the reply.