The Brother of Ignorance: APATHY

There is an old joke that I have always thought really funny:

Reporter: Excuse me, sir, but I'd like to get your opinion on something. What do you think of ignorance and apathy in this country?

Sir: I don't know, and I don't care.

This is a great example of what apathy is. It is a lack of care.

The problem with apathy is that it perpetuates a misguided feeling of separation from the whole. If, for instance, someone is in a problematic situation that you could help them out of, apathy stands between you two and prevents you from caring about the well-being of that other person. It doesn't effect me, so who cares?

There is an excellent parable in Luke that, while probably not it's intended meaning, expresses the trouble with apathy:

29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

While I believe Jesus in this passage was actually displaying a feeling of good neighborship for men between each other, only a blind man could see past the obvious implications here. Priests, considered to be men of God, and Levites - God's servants - are the characters in the parable who show the apathy. This shows that anyone can feel apathetic towards a situation.

What we must be careful about in practice is being mindful towards humanity. Why don't more people give blood? Why is there so much poverty in the world? Why does anyone, in the modern world today, suffer beyond any extreme?

The problem comes from apathy. If more people cared what happened to others, obviously, there would be fewer problems. It doesn't necessarily mean that NO ONE would have problems, as this is a fact of life, but we could definitely allow an easier way to survive.

Apathy doesn't even have to stop with poverty. Our school systems suffer because we lack resources (or a better appropriation of resources). Why? Because fewer people care about the process of education. It doesn't effect them, so they don't feel a need to do anything about it. This breeds more apathy.

Most people can recall with joy an instance in their life when someone showed an act of kindness towards them for no reason. This, also, can breed and populate more kindness within humanity. How much more do you think we can spread the feeling if we TRY to be mindful towards others as often as possible?

Go to blood drives, donate money...and if you're broke, donate TIME. You have your own currency to help the rest of humanity. Spend it.

Do not fall in love with apathy. We all live in this world together - so we must help everyone else survive. If you only help those who help you, what reward is there in that?