Virginia Woolf - renowned author with severe depression[/caption]Carol Forsloff — The world's environment is said to be in great trouble in most of the world. The Catholic Church is torn asunder by allegations, and evidence, of sexual abuse. Great leaders fall from grace, while others, like North Korea, rattle the nuclear saber in terrifying ways. And the rest of us? We give our views in gatherings large and small, at cocktail parties and Internet groups. So what stands in the way of our personal progress and group advancement? Apathy, the killer of ourselves and others.
It has long been written about that during the time of the Nazi regime, Hitler was able to take over Germany primarily because people thought what Hitler said sounded good, sounded true, and besides, given the economic instability, it was easy to shift the blame for that instability onto the weakest members of the community: the disabled, the old, the ignorant, the Jew. And it had a multiplier effect so that millions of people were killed and still many more millions emotionally and physically disabled the rest of their lives.
While the example of Germany is often used for illustration, it is indeed true that the extreme nature of the apathetic response became so pronounced that history will always turn to it as a dramatic example of how inhumane people can be when they wish to dominate or deny a problem.
Few people, however, when thinking about Nazism know about the White Rose Society, the group of students and professors who defied the Nazi agenda. Many were martyred and knew they were sacrificing their lives when they took action against the Nazis through leaflets, speeches and other defiant behavior they knew would get them arrested, tortured, and often killed. Yet they did what they believed was right, not just speaking out but willing to take great risks in order to stop an evil. And what if their behavior was multiplied by many? How easy would it have been then for Hitler to continue his march of mayhem? Likely it would have been far more difficult, but for the apathy, which was widespread and formed the excuse for "not knowing" that became many of the statements individuals gave when faced with their lack of action against an evil.
That is the lesson. Apathy is an obstacle we often face in our daily lives, and how to overcome that apathy is a continuous challenge. I often do not openly use myself as an example, but a personal one affords an opportunity to illustrate it and reflect on how destructive it can be and how it can impede positive performance in ways that can cause great risks for others.
We live in a community of condominium owners. Two experts have agreed that the complex needs immediate repairs, including new siding because of dry rot, which is expensive and a process that could uncover many more problems. Most of the outside decks on the upper floors have been shown to have sufficient moisture damage to require supports and repairs. Ours is said to be the worse. The problem has continued for six months with no agreement on proceeding to make the urgent repairs. The people who live below us are renters and have not been told of the risks to their personal safety by just going in and out of their doorway, the only entry and exit into their apartment. We don't own the decks, as we are consistently reminded, and thus legally restricted from making the repairs. The landlord of the tenants just below us has not advised the tenants of the risks because he fears losing income he needs from their rents. We have neither their phone numbers or names to provide the information ourselves, and the only way to reach them is by going through a dangerous doorway.
We are not apathetic about the problems, but many are, still knowing the problems in the community. One person has managed to interrupt the repairs through lawsuits, disagreements, petitions and private meetings; but at public meetings where the major concerns are to be addressed, most people either don't attend or refuse to speak or be active in any way to allow the repairs to take place.
In 2009 we were accidentally locked out of condo when we had a light fixture put over our doorway, having moved into our place during the dead of winter. We stood outside the door to admire the new light, not thinking when we closed the door behind us that it was locked from the inside. There we were in 39 degree weather, two elderly people shivering and knowing no one in the complex. So we knocked on the doors of eight places in our immediate area, all of which had lights on and people inside. Some people never even looked out their windows near the doors where we were knocking. A few looked at us, drew the curtains, and did not go to the doors.
No money, no keys for our car, and no way to get inside, my husband and I decided we would have to walk the quarter mile to a convenience store to ask to use a phone, when a young man happened to be walking in the main area of the complex; and we ran and asked if he might help. Even though he too is an owner in the complex himself, he took us to the home of someone else, who happened to be home, who brought us a portable phone down the stairway, declaring we should only stay a few minutes please. We stayed just long enough to call a locksmith.
Is this a rare occurrence? It turns out not to be, although one might be surprised to learn of the particulars. Still it is commonplace for people to be stranded, for a brief time or for years, because of apathy. That apathy is translated into fear and a lack of willingness to be involved in anything outside the comfort zone.
Apathy can be evidence of depression on a personal level, on a group-wide way it can also reflect that feeling of being overwhelmed, so much that many people feel almost paralyzed by their emotions. So in not knowing what to do, they do nothing. And by doing nothing, the problem worsens.
Knowing when we are apathetic, and looking for ways to get past it, however can serve us well. It is often the knowing that makes the difference and the denial that keeps us entrenched.
So the next time you are faced with a problem that can impact many other people, think beyond yourself to the multiplication of that apathy that can eventually hurt you as well, either in the short or long term and get involved so that your problem does not become greater and you don't need to excuse your lack of inaction by the "I didn't know" excuse. In other words, take personal action as the life and health you save starts with you.
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