The Stresses of Modern Society

On 16th July 1935 Dr Alfred Cox of the British Health Resorts Association addressed the Royal Sanitary Institute Health Congress at Bournemouth. Although he joked at the end of his speech that his, “diatribe will of course be pityingly regarding by many of them as a sign of senility,” I submit that he hit the nail on the head. His description of the stresses of modern life are as relevant (and correct) today as they were 75 years ago. Dude was ahead of his time.

Dr Cox argued that, “we talk a lot about the stresses and strains of modern life, and try hard to convince ourselves that we work harder because we make more fuss about it. But many of these stresses are self-inflicted and I cannot raise any sympathy for the folk who voluntarily continue a noisy and alleged strenuous city day life into an equally noisy and strenuous time to amuse themselves at night.

Many can no longer amuse themselves. They must have a crowd to help them do it - and we are in real danger of so Americanising our lives that homes may become a mere adjunct to the garage with a bed to sleep in during the early hours of the morning.

Fashion is a tyrant which of course must be obeyed but the human body being what it is, we shall have to pay the price of fashion.

The price of always doing something or going out somewhere is a restless neurotic life in which an increasing number of people do not know what they want and will not be happy until they get it.”

Amen!!