Indifference - The Silent Epidemic

Walls covered in graffiti. Streets filled with garbage. People walking, oblivious of their surroundings. Children running and playing at will in hallways and stores while their parents are elsewhere. People carelessly blocking sidewalks, stairs and doorways. 

Regardless of where you live, chances are you see these and many other examples of neglect on a daily basis.

"I don’t care". "Whatever". "It’s not my problem". "So what?". "Why should I care?". 

We hear similar statements everyday, and we’re getting used to hear them more often, specially from the young. Apathy, insensitivity, indolence, disconnection - they are all one and the same thing: indifference. 

Not caring has become the standard of our societies. We seem to live in a world where no one cares anymore.

Part of the problem resides in the ever-growing expectations of modern society, pressing us to do more, achieve more, consume more, have more, reach impossible levels of ‘perfection’, be more competitive, perform always better at a faster pace - until we collapse, unable to do or care anymore. 

At the same time, not all parents teach or enforce caring attitudes in their children, while the media that is supposed to inform and entertain us, feeds us a continuous barrage of violence and sensationalism that only numbs us even further.

Moreover, we are taught that indifference is polite. Not ‘interfering’ and not ‘meddling’ are the socially accepted behaviour. 

But indifference is more than merely allowing others the privacy to solve their own affairs.

Indifference is a silent, invisible poison that is quickly corroding our societies, breeding permissiveness, ignorance, corruption and anarchy, which in turn foster all the wrong values to thrive and multiply at a faster rate than virtues.

Indifference installs in us the false concept that, ‘so long as I’m fine, everything’s fine’ - the rest doesn’t matter. 

Technology has only furthered this illusion of detachment, to the extent of numbing our sensitivity and even our common sense.

Of course, it’s natural and even necessary to leave certain things out of our concern. But when we ignore the world around us, when we fail to act in a time of need, when we fail to defend our rights, values and good principles, when we turn our backs to abuse simply because ‘it’s not our problem’ - then, we have a problem. 

And yet, we all have done so at one point or another.

Years ago, I lived in a building where I could hear clearly what went on in the upstairs apartment. Believe me, it was pretty bad. But one night, I heard a baby crying. 

It was well past midnight - surely somebody would come soon and take care of the infant, I thought. But minutes went by, and nothing changed. The baby’s crying went on and on desperately. It was evident that he/she had been left alone. 

Then, at around 2am, I got dressed and went downstairs to tell the building’s watchman about this. "So?" He retorted. "That’s not my business!".

I have no idea what happened to the baby or my neighbors, but up to this day I can’t forget the baby’s desperate cries and the absolute indifference of someone who was supposed to be there to help. 

He could have gone to inspect the place and see if there had been an accident. He could have called the police. He could have at least promised me he would look into it. But instead, he chose to do nothing. He couldn’t care less.

In his speech "The Perils of Indifference" given at the White House, holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel stated:

"Indifference [...] is more dangerous than anger or hatred. Anger can at times be creative. Indifference is never creative. Even hatred at times may elicit a response. Indifference elicits no response. Indifference is not a response."

We also should be careful not to confuse Indifference with ‘Tolerance’. While the latter protects the individual and collective freedoms, the first is an expression of egoism. 

As Elie Weisel declared in his speech: "Indifference reduces the other to an abstraction."

Cartoon by Bagley

At its core, indifference is lack of love in any of its forms. 

We don’t appreciate our belongings, our surroundings, the people around us, the activities we perform, and sometimes we don’t even like ourselves! 

Indifference stems from deep feelings of despair and emptiness, which are hallmarks of emotional and even psychological imbalance. 

Indifference can also be born from sustained disappointment, but most of the time it is a learned attitude that can be unlearned, if we wish to do so.

Part of the culprit of indifference is the feeling of powerlessness - the belief that nothing can be done so it’s best not to even try. Or that it is better not to compromise, so as not to suffer unwanted consequences. 

Most of us don’t take action as a response to social pressure (‘What will they think of me!’), or merely due to plain laziness (‘I’ll do it next time’).

We may not act because we may think it’s not necessary (‘Someone else will do it instead’), or because we assume the problem will solve itself without our intervention. Maybe - or maybe not. We can’t be sure. The only thing we can be certain about is that we didn’t do anything about it.

I’ve been lucky to live in several cities, each one with its own levels of empathy and social interaction. In some, people back up each other quickly when any one of them suffers an accident (like tripping on the stairs), raise up against an injustice or face a problem. In others, people pay a deaf ear and a blind eye to whatever goes on around them. 

Not surprisingly, people in societies with a higher level of support look and feel much happier that those who decide to ignore each other.

The good news is - anyone can care. It’s in our human nature, and it doesn’t even cost a penny.

History is rife with common people who cared and who, by taking one simple action, changed the course of history. 

Like Rosa Parks, whose simple act of not giving up her bus seat spurred a national movement; Piru Huke, the native in Easter Island who decided to clean the plastics from beaches on her own; Jadav Payeng who decided to reforest the land in his native India, or Wangari Maathai, whose reforestation crusade in Kenya started a global movement. 

They are all now deemed as ‘heroes’, but the only difference is that they cared enough to do what most of us is afraid of. They stood up for their convictions and did the right thing. 

It may take courage but caring makes us feel alive.

However, it’s not enough to say that we care - we must manifest it daily through our actions and attitudes.

Now more than ever, the world needs us to care, to participate, to act and become involved. Our lack of action is affecting the planet and our societies in ways we could never imagine. We’re all part of one single chain. 

Our ‘untouchability’ is a myth. What we do or don’t today will come back to us sooner or later, in one way or another. So, get involved! Pick an area that sparks your interest, however small, and act on it whenever you have the chance.

Recycle. Feed the birds. Stop to help a lost passerby. Treat your belongings gently so they last longer. Adopt a tree on your neighbourhood or plant trees. Help the elderly and the disabled in small chores, like crossing the street, opening doors or reading small type. Give your seat to those who need it most in buses and trains. Report any crime or suspicious activity you may witness. Rescue the use of good manners and kind words. Teach children respect, kindness and tolerance. Contribute to food banks. Buy local produce. 

And if you’re feeling more participative, volunteer, embrace a cause, join a club or association, organize activities around it, lobby and recruit for it. Use your creativity! There are endless ways to show you care.

It really doesn’t matter how big or small your action is. What matters is not giving up to indifference. Every bit counts to make a difference. 

If you do it constantly and with conviction, your actions may inspire others to follow your example, and thus, little by little, contribute to make this a better world.