Abstract

EDITOR can develop themselves Mark on Twain, “greatly exaggerated.” That995 acan depend.RICHARD E. TROY, M.D. Grand Junction, Col.SIR:I wishthe editorial byto commentDr.1967 RueschRuesch,issue. This has broughtarticulate statement by Dr. to our attention the dilem-ma posed by the fact that, on the one hand, we have been reared in the tradition in which social stability was based on personal relationships between individuals, families, and small groups; and yet, on the other hand, we feel almost overwhelmed by the awful andwonderful technological ments of the space-age. and social develop-It may well to be remindedbe that we psychiatrists need of the snowballing realities ofbut I doubt it. Granted, changes could hardly consolution. But the enormitiesthese developments, our denial of these tribute to a possiblepsychiatrist should by implication announce the demise of the individual person without a backward glance or an apparent regret seems unbelievable. Dr. Ruesch says of the psychiatrist, “willy nilly, he has become a change agent Change with the times we must, but let us hope not willy nilly. Alfred Whitehead said, “The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order.” I am an old-fashioned psychiatrist-apparently, hopelessly reactionary-who makes his living largely