Is it wrong to be apathetic to the world’s problems?

[Red Ryder]

My apathetic meter is in the red.

Is it wrong to be apathetic to the problems of the world?

[Aware]

I think we're all weary with what's going on, and what we guess might be coming. I pray for the less fortunate, the fatherless, motherless, and those without companions, that evil will be exposed and confounded, and that souls will be comforted. Beyond that I just have to let it go, and hope the best for people.

[blazerb]

I think self-care is important. We can't survive if we are constantly worrying about all the world's problems, almost all of which are beyond our ability to affect. I try to adopt my periods of apathy with the intent to get more involved when I have more bandwidth to dedicate to bigger problems. There are some who would object. I'll do my best to help out where I can.

[wtfluff]

From one apathetic person to another: WHO CARES?





(Yes I'm just joking (apathetically).)

[Linked]

You've only got so much time and attention, and millions of people who want it. Many of those are good causes that are worthy of time and attention. But you can't care about/worry about/fix them all. Be deliberate in the things that you care about and care for them well. The only person you must impress is yourself.

[MoPag]

Sometimes you just need an emotional/mental break from the constant craziness.

[glass shelf]

Wrong? No, just human. Coming from a place of privilege to be able to do so? Yep. i mean, I have to just try not to care about gas prices currently because they're hitting me hard with my commute, but I also realize that for other people, it means they have to make really, really hard choices that I am fortunate enough not to have to make at this point.

It's overwhelming to realize how big the problems are.

[stealthbishop]

Compassion fatigue is a very real thing. Even secondary or vicarious PTSD sometimes. We have to take breaks and try to find peace and joy in our lives in the midst of so much suffering all around us. Humans have never been exposed in our entire history as a species to this much suffering bombarding us through 24hr news on television and now on our phones constantly. We have to protect ourselves and take breaks from the suffering and violence in the news. Most of our nervous systems can't handle what we are exposed to. So we need to unplug sometimes to recharge and give ourselves a break.

[Just This Guy]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

- Reinhold Niebuhr, 1932

It's a VERY big world and a person is a VERY small part of it. You an drive yourself insane caring for all the world's problems. Apathy is being realistic. You can't help everyone. If you can't do anything about it, it's perfectly human to not care.

[moksha]

Imagine all the angst it would cause gun supporters if they had to view the mangled corpses of the 4th graders in Uvalde, Texas. Best to maintain complete apathy to such suffering.

[Not Buying It]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

- Reinhold Niebuhr, 1932

It's a VERY big world and a person is a VERY small part of it. You an drive yourself insane caring for all the world's problems. Apathy is being realistic. You can't help everyone. If you can't do anything about it, it's perfectly human to not care.

I think all of us go through the "compassion fatigue" Stealth mentions at some point, it is natural. I think we can't be expected to be working to solve everything. And self-care is important, that is absolutely true. Everyone is apathetic sometimes.

But I have to balance that against the fact that the reason we live in a society with such incredible disparity and inequity is because the people with privilege have no incentive or motivation to change anything, and the people without privilege don't have the power to change anything. I think along with the periods of apathy we all feel - which is natural - we have to have some periods of being part of the change, or we condemn some of our brothers and sisters in this world of ours to always being "lesser than". Right now in the U.S. racism, misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia are more visible and aggressive than they been in literally decades, and there are powerful forces trying to drag us back into the 1950s. It shouldn't be considered political or controversial for me to say that we should be pushing back against those who seek to undo the gains made during the Civil Rights movement, and we should be supporting our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors as they are subject to unprecedented legislative attacks. In some ways, some of our friends, neighbors, and family need us to speak up now more than ever.

Is apathy natural? Sure. Do we all feel it sometimes? I know I do. Am I part of the problem if I stay apathetic all of the time? I'm afraid the answer to that question is yes.