XPREFACEHesees further that themost remarkablesinglefeature in that progress has been the evolution ofman. That innumerable single has made possible not only changes, but a change in the very method of changeself-consciousness in the development ofitself; for itsubstituted the possibility of consciousthe blind chances of variation aidedmechanism of by the equally blind sifting process of natural selection, a mechanism in which consciousness had no part. Most of mankind, now as in the past, close theircontrol of evolution for the previouseyes to this possibility.responsibilityTheyseek to put off their�on to the shoulders of various abstractions which they think can bear their burden well enough if only they are spelt with a capital letter: Fate God Nature Law Eternal Justice and such like. Men are educated to be self-reliant and�����enterprising in the details offlective, laissez-fairelife,but dependent, unre-aboutlife itself.Theidea thatthe basis of living could be really and radically alteredisoutside most people's orbit; andif it isitforcedupontheir notice, they as often as not findinsomeway immoral.Closely connected with this, in a senseitscorollary,we havethe fact that ninety-nine people out of ahundred are concerned with getting a living rather than with living, and that if for any reason they areliberatedfromthis necessity,they generally have nottheir time withthe remotest ideahowtoemploy
