The corn-merchant was a man of many anxieties. His heart was weak. He had certain grievances. Such as:
(i) His nephew was cheating him
(ii) his wife had the strange idea of spending 10 pounds on a holiday,
(iii) Altogether the pace of life was getting too much for him still in a moment of despair he uttered a great cry from the heart. “They tell me there’s aeroplane now that goes at 1000 miles an hour. Now that’s too fast.” It seems as if he is, not satisfied with his own affairs. The complaint of the corn-merchant seems to be absolutely irrelevant.
The aforesaid statement signifies the pacy life of today. The world is running fast. Science has made a life full of action and fast movement. The sentiments of the corn-merchant throw the light on the tremendous change in the life of mankind. There is a comparison in the pacy life with the fast speed of an aeroplane which goes even 1000 miles an hour. The com Marchant feels it (such speed) too fast. He seems to be somewhat desperate. Thus, it glorifies the pacy life of the people in the modem time.
The aeroplane flies at a very fast speed, even at 1000 miles an hour. The bus also runs fast at ninety miles an hour or even more than that. Whereas bus-journey provides pleasure and a sort of fun, the aeroplane gives us a sort of excitement. To dine in London and lunch in New-York next morning is really most enthusiastic and pleasant. Our ancestors did not enjoy such sort of excitement, because there were no fast-moving means of communication like bus and aeroplane at that time. They had the slow-running vehicles like cart and horse-carriage.
There are advantages and disadvantages both from such sort of excitement. The fast running vehicles either plying on the road and track or flying in the sky covering a long distance comparatively in much less time any other means of communication. It saves us so much time. But sometimes it becomes unfriendly, when the mental activities are directed in a particular direction, to follow the pace of machines.
Slow thinkers mean, persons possessing slow-mind fee, They lack in the presence of mind. Such persons do not give the proper answer to the question put before them due to inadequate commonsense and smartness. Sometimes they fail to even answer it. They lag’ behind in the pace for living. Slow thinkers are awfully handicapped, so far the act of getting a living is concerned. Time is moving fast. There has been a tremendous change in the lifestyle of men. Science has changed the mentality and activity of mankind. As such we must think and act much faster than people in the past did to fulfil our commitment. Slow thinkers are bound to remain handicapped in the business of getting a living.
The writer seeks his wife’s assistance in finding out the difference between the female artists of a film. He has gone to see the cinema. The writer is a slow’ thinker. As such he thinks that all the three female artists are the same and one. His wife narrates the differences among them telling him about their complexion, and appearance.
It very well suggests the plight of the modem man. First, it throws light on the mental ability of men who cannot make difference between right or wrong, who are unable to experience the reality of life. Secondly, it throws light on the plight of the modem society. Many people fail to understand the main objective of life and as such they deeds indulge in the wrong. Thirdly, it suggests that an intelligent person possesses fast thinking. The pace for living will enable to achieve business to earn a living. But it will not provide the practical use of one’s mind to be utilized for enjoyment.
The essay “The Pace For Living”, illustrates the characteristics of modem life. There are certain sarcastic remarks on the lifestyle of modem times.
R. C. Hutchinson in this essay nicely demonstrates the plight of the modem man. He has thrown light on the pacy life of the present time.
The writer has very well explained the advantages and disadvantages of slow and fast lives. Those who are fast thinkers will achieve the opportunity of getting a living but not the practical use for enjoyment For more details see a summary.
There was a time when life was an art of living and was an art of mind too, but now life is speed, and speed is life.. Living is all marked by speed, which has taken out much of the joy of life. The rash and the haste keep people always on the run, frantic and verging on the ridiculous (हास्यास्पद) condition. A businessman, a senior executive rush to office in the forenoon, and rush back home in the evening by the fastest and quickest means of transport all because of the gripping conviction that everything must be done with great speed. Thus life has become too pacy today no doubt.
In western society, fast life to have become an obsession in the modem age in real sense. Everything must be done quickly and expeditiously as if the test of man’s progress is the speed at which one travels and the pace at which one works or gets work done in one’s house, office or factory. The hectic life at breakfast speed that people lead in today’s world symbolises pace and progress no wheras in the olden time’s people used to have plenty of leisure and apparently endless time to do things, to rest and relax, to stand and stare they chose to undertake. At that time hurry and fustle were almost unknown. Consequently, life was calm, unruffled and peaceful which seems to have gone for good. In such a situation, western society is compelling the westerners to turn to India. For this very cause, yoga has now become very’ popular in the west.
