[19]

"STOP THESE MUNDICIDES!"

Under this title Dr. Nandor Fodor, psychoanalyst, author, and RR friend, takes vigorous exception to the age-old practise of predicting disasters, especially world's end for everybody. Occasion for this was a forecast by F.G.H., in RR, of an 'atomic war' about the year 1960. We should say in his behalf that he by no means thrust this prediction upon us; he made a reference to the "coming destruction" and we asked him to explain - and printed his reply.

Dr. Fodor thinks that people who have visions of coming catastrophes 'should investigate the motives of their own unconscious fantasies of aggression.' "In Nuremberg they coined a new term, genocide, for those who tried to exterminate a race or nationality. We have witnessed genocidal fantasies in the outpourings of anti-semitic, anti-negro, and anti-communist propaganda, but barring such historic events as the massacre of the Hugenots or the Armenians, they have seldom been translated into action - certainly not on the scale the Nazis did it against the Jews and other 'inferior races'. It seems to me the term genocide is too narrow to cover human murder fantasies. We need a new term, Mundicide, to describe the pathological condition of people who love to predict the end of the world. Mundicidal fantasies differ from homicidal ones only in degree. They are freer from internal censorship. One would be arrested for calling on people to murder the President, or perhaps for demanding the extermination of a racial, religious or political group, but there is no law to hold the mundicides. When a psychiatrist comes across a patient who wants to destroy the whole world because the devil incites him to do so, he certifies the patient. But when a 'prophet' predicts the same event we are helpless. An agitation to suicide on a world-wide scale can be handled in very subtle disguises; all we can do is to speculate on the damage arising from sowing the seeds of a national psychosis. We witness such psychosis after the end of the first thousand years of the Christian era. Our modern prophets of gloom include such eminent men as the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who in 1928 in the London Daily Express predicted the impending end of the world by earthquakes and tidal waves. The discovery of the atomic bomb has given a new lease of life to these seers. No longer do they have to rely on Nature alone, man himself has come to their aid. To predict the end of the world is the safest way to indulge in sadism on a world-wide scale, or change fears of persecution into defensive aggression. An initiate would surely know that nothing could do more harm than revealing to anybody his impending doom. What the world needs today is Hope - of despair we have enough. The psychiatric defenses of the nation are hopelessly inadequate. You, Mr Editor, should fill the gap and stop these mundicides!"

- - - - -

As to Dr. Fodor's final exhortation, the Editor feels, regretfully, that he is not bulky enough for a gap like that. But the general issue raised is a real one. If the "end of the world" were foreknown, say as a scientific certainty, and the problem were put to you, personally - would you speak or keep silent? If it were foreknown to others, but not to you, would you want to be informed? From an occult standpoint, sudden and unexpected death is a misfortune: on the other hand, the belief in imminent disaster might produce world-wide panic and great suffering. Doubtless there are sane, wise and courageous people who would make wise use of such knowledge - and also a multitude who would die a thousand deaths in anticipation. But then, speaking practically, very few people indeed would pay any attention to such forecast unless, perhaps, it was scientifically vouched for, whereas a wise minority might profit by it... Well, do you-all want RR to print such predictions or not? The question is not wholly a simple one.

[20]

- F.G.H. Replies to Dr. Fodor -

To the Round Robin Editor:

Perhaps I should feel honored by Dr. Fodor's imputation of such a regal quality as "mundicide". But alas! I have to refuse such high honors. Having lived amongst too many peoples, and having found sincere friends amongst all of them, and having seen too many wars and revolutions, their causes and results, at too close quarters, I find it beyond me to hate anyone. I may refuse to have anything to do with someone or try and block their schemes, but warning and boycott are the only weapons at my disposal.

I would have mistrusted my vision except for several factors:

Dr. Fodor is a great and articulate psychologist. But he and his brethren have many things to learn yet in their relatively young science, - among them, not to generalize too much. He should also recognize that I did NOT predict the end of this world or humanity, as so many others have done. I also offered the location of safe areas for the asking. I also classified the results as relatively minor and the re-emergence of a new and better civilization in short order. All things I would not have done if mundicide had been in my heart. Besides I hate sticking my neck out in predicting anything, and verify the probability before I open my mouth and lay myself open to ridicule.

Fraternally,   
F.G.H.

* * *

(Buffalo Evening Express, Friday Dec. 27th, 1946. Page 20, Col. 4)

Lightning Lays Ghost

London -- The 1000-year-old St. Mary Abbey, near Bedford, is for sale, but its celebrated hooded monks ghost will not be included among the effects. The monk has not not been seen since lightning struck two trees in the grounds a few weeks ago.

(Contributed by W.C. Baker)