CONTROL, LACK OF

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision.

—Titus 1:10

840 Hard To Dominate Self

A college president not long ago made this arresting statement to a class of graduating seniors: “It gets easier and easier for man to dominate his universe … and harder for him to dominate himself.” He went on to say, “It matters little what you learn or express if in the end you cannot find some ways of working things out with your neighbors.” We cannot dominate the universe, but, with God’s help, we can dominate ourselves.

—Mrs. A. E. Janzen

841 Everybody Is Blunt In There

During the mid-1970’s, a new atmosphere of bluntness appeared in the United Nations. The United States was often under discourteous and often unfair attacks. As a result, US ambassador Daniel P. Moynihan made several blunt and frank statements. When questioned by the press, he said that his blunt UN speeches may be a new American style at the world body, but that this was the way “other nations normally behave.” His explanations:

“It has been thought perhaps, and Americans hope, that if we didn’t respond to attacks upon us, maybe they wouldn’t be made; it may perhaps unnerve some people that we are doing this, because it’s new. What we have said is … we will respond to untrue charges against us. We will, when attacked, defend the name of this democracy. Everybody is blunt in there.”

842 Everything Covered In Sign?

Sign by a flower bed in a park: “DO NOT PICK (twist off, sever, cut, clip, snip, snap off, pluck, pinch off, pull, bend, crush, pare, cleave, divide, break, touch or take, borrow, steal, remove or otherwise harm, mutilate or endanger) THE FLOWERS.”

—M. Martin

843 Coolness Under Real Fire

Thomas Higgins, of Quebec, deserves an award for coolness under fire. He calmly answered his phone and assured a reporter that his house was indeed on fire. “It can’t be a bad fire,” the reporter said. “Your phone’s still connected.” Mr. Higgins replied that the inside of his house was being gutted. The reporter could hear the crackle of flames and the shouts of firemen. After estimating the damage to his furniture at $3000, Mr. Higgins said he’d have to hang up as he had some things to attend to. “Oh, and before you go,” said Mr. Higgins, “would you call your circulation office and cancel my paper until further notice? I won’t be living here anymore.”

—Hamilton Spectator

844 Uncontrollable Laughter

A Tanzanian school has been closed because of an outbreak of “laughing disease,” a contagious form of hysteria. A total of 28 pupils of Mwenbeni Primary School at the Northern Lake Victoria port of Musoma were taken to the hospital. Victims suffer uncontrollable shouting, laughing and crying.

845 Epigram On Control (Lack of)

•     No conflict is so severe as his who labors to subdue himself.

—Thomas A. Kempis

•     Be severe with yourself but gentle with others.

—Sunshine Magazine

See also: Individualism ; Self-centeredness ; Stubbornness.