And will these god-like beings with their infinite wealth and power,
in their perfect rationality, be any happier or even morally better
creatures than ourselves?
The formula for happiness is a fairly simple one. Its relative
components form a vulgar fraction. The denominator is constituted
by that towards which we aspire; the numerator is the number of our
achievements. There is a law by which these two vary almost in unison.
Any augmentation of achievement sends up proportionally the number
of our desires, whilst great losses are followed by resignation. It
is just for those fleeting moments in which the balance is disturbed
that we experience bliss or misery. But the moments are very fleeting,
and the normal ratio is restored. Happiness is the carrot before the
donkey’s nose. Therein lies the moral of Tantalus, so grievously
misinterpreted by Dr Schiller. Tantalus is the symbol of human
progress. The only danger is that under Scientific Management man may
see through the trick.
And will he be better then than he is to-day? That, however, is a
question for the moralists of the future to decide.
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).
――Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.
――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.