Page:Hermione and her little group of serious thinkers (1923, c1916).djvu/193

Stimulating Influences Of course, even Modern Thought couldn't do it, unless the subjects belonged together, anyhow, could it? Unless they were—er—er——

Well, you know, Affinities. Though I don't care much for the word.

Affinities have quite gone out, you know. You don't hear much about Affinities this autumn.

Nor Soul Mates, either, for that matter.

Though I always will say there's an Idea behind all the talk about them.

Isn't it odd about things that way—how Ideas come and go, you know, and become quite old-fashioned, and yet all the time have a quite profound Idea back of them?

There's Cubist and Futurist Art, for instance—one doesn't hear nearly so much about them now, though everyone admitted there was an Idea behind them.

Of course, no one knew what the Idea meant.

But it was stimulating.

And why should an Idea have to mean anything if it is Stimulating?

Stimulation! Stimulation! That is the secret of Modern Life!

One should be receptive to Stimulation–one should strive to Stimulate!

One owes it to the Masses to Stimulate! It is the duty of the leaders of Advanced Thought!