Apathy Kills

Quite often you'll hear someone you know say "I don't really care"

And quite often they don't. Sometimes, however, all that person is saying is "I really don't want to think about it right now" - who could blame them? In times like these, everyone finds it difficult to face their problems when there are so many.

But as far as my own personal experience goes, Apathy never really solved anyone's problems. In fact, apathy may be the biggest killer out there in the world at the moment.

With regards to starvation, for example, one of these two occurrences with apathy may be uttered by the common person. "I don't care if they starve", "I don't care who is starving so long as MY family are all right". Imagine the whole world felt that way? When your boss doesn't care whether you're family starve or not, when the company fortune is at stake you will soon care whether someone starves or not.

Imagine a Solicitor who doesn't care who they cross so long as they make their fortune. They strive, they beat down and defeat all of their competition. Soon enough, they are at the top, trying, as most do, to find out how to dodge what little tax they are paying. Now imagine that for whatever reason their huge salary is threatened by a 10% hike in tax. They are paying slightly more than they used to, they protest it. Imagine no one else gave a shit and said Solicitor had to protest alone... how would they feel? Thankfully for them, they are in a small margin or high earners who the government will not hit. This is the problem you see. people aren't trying there best any more for each other... they are trying for themselves. Trying to be in that small percentage who don't have to worry about anyone else, because the fellas in charge will do it for them. The people striving at the bottom, they try their hardest to keep everyone's head above water because we all know, if we don't that once the Jones' down the street are hit, soon enough we will too. The solicitor, lucky for them, will find someone to protest along side them you see for every margin of wealth, there are supporters to help them get back on their feet and fight for their rights. And I'm pretty sure their competition, who they once beat down will share the "I don't care" approach of this once lucky rival. Why should they care? You only cared for yourself!

Tax though.. isn't it horrible being forced to care about your common man??

So you see apathy is a trait only few can afford to have. "I don't really care about the bailouts because right now I have dinner booked at the Ritz and wear Versace suits". You may be the next person to lose your job mate, unless you are a high ranking bank official, that is. If you work in unskilled, semi-skilled or even a private or public job, your foundations are just as ropey as the rest of us, soft stepping across a rickety bridge over a deep canyon of poverty. Saying "I don't care" will only get you so far unless you are so rich you do not have to live here.

If apathy were a dominant human trait, you may not have the job you treasure so much for your designer clothes, footwear, handbags, fast cars and jewellery. Someone has to want to give you that cash. Someone has to support your rights to earn, to work and to succeed. If it were every man for himself, we'd all be fucked, tired, broken and starved. Slavery, greed, corruption, rape and torture would be every day occurrences on every level. If no one cared, you'd be on the street, eating a dog turd with every infection known to mankind because you were just trying to get by.

Every time you say you don't care, think of those around you who care enough for your basic rights then say it again. Think of those braving the cold and rain, out protesting, to support you devil-may-care attitude.

You may be eating at the Ritz tonight, but it may well be a soup kitchen tomorrow