Rudyard Kipling, the renowned British author of classics like “The Jungle Book” and “The Man Who Would Be King,” was not just a prolific storyteller but also a keen observer of the human condition. One of his lesser-known works, “The Gods of the Copybook Headings,” published in 1919, has been gaining renewed attention for its uncanny prescience in today’s ever-changing world. Kipling’s poem reminds us of the enduring wisdom encapsulated in the timeless “Copybook Headings,” and the significance of these principles in our contemporary society.
**A Lesson from the Past:**
“The Gods of the Copybook Headings” speaks to the cyclical nature of human history. The “Copybook Headings” were traditional maxims and proverbs that taught moral and practical lessons to generations of students. These were the enduring values, the truths that stood the test of time, and the lessons that have been passed down through the ages.
**Prescience of Kipling:**
In the poem, Kipling contrasts the age-old wisdom of the “Copybook Headings” with the shifting beliefs and trends of contemporary society. He suggests that as society rushes to embrace new ideas and ideologies, the timeless truths embodied in those old proverbs will reassert themselves as fundamental aspects of human nature and behavior.
This foresight of Kipling is remarkably relevant in today’s world. In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, evolving cultural norms, and shifting political landscapes, it’s easy to lose sight of the enduring principles that have guided us for centuries.
**Applying the Wisdom Today:**
The wisdom of “The Gods of the Copybook Headings” calls for a reevaluation of our values and priorities in the modern age. In a world where traditional values sometimes seem overshadowed, Kipling’s poem urges us to consider the time-tested principles that have helped civilizations thrive for generations.
Honesty, responsibility, and the consequences of actions have always been at the core of these timeless teachings. The reminder that “Actions speak louder than words” is particularly apt in a time when rhetoric and grand promises often take precedence over practical results.
**Conclusion:**
In a society where trends and ideologies may shift like the sands of time, Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Gods of the Copybook Headings” serves as a reminder of the enduring relevance of traditional wisdom. It encourages us to look beyond the momentary allure of novel ideas and instead embrace the enduring values that have guided humanity for centuries. Kipling’s prescience is a testament to the enduring nature of these “Copybook Headings” and their unwavering importance in navigating the complexities of our ever-changing world.
The Poem;
As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.
We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.
We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.
With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.
When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “Stick to the Devil you know.”
On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “The Wages of Sin is Death.”
In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “If you don’t work you die.”
Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four—
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.
As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man—
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began:—
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;
And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!
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