How do we rid our world of apathy ?

Question

In this consumer world we live in , the bottom line is the dollar . For an individual who cares , it is becoming harder to pick up the pieces , for example family , caring amongst strangers and litter . A Buddhist monk said to me once to use intent to influence people's actions into positive motion . What do you think ?

Answer 1

I think we need to feel that we can make a difference. For example, we could look at global warming as a wonderful opportunity as individuals and communities of people to be creative problem solvers. We could think together about ways for our communities to somehow become more self-empowered and self-sufficient. We're in what geographer David Harvey called a time space compression that is based on short turnover of goods and temporariness of worldwide goods and services as the primary means to make a profit. That carries on into our lives. Our living situations and relationships tend to take on a feeling of temporariness, the short term etc. What's to truly care about? We come to think we can always replace what we don't like with something new. And then we lack something, but we can't quite figure out what ... We can creatively think around some of these conditions -with other people - once we identify what's really important to us.

Answer 2

You're only citing the bad results of apathy. But in addition to the absence of "love", apathy is also the absence of hate. I'd rather have someone, or some nation, not care about me than to have them hate me.

The monk failed to point out that what may be positive to you may be negative to the receiver. In fact, that's one of the bigger problems in the world right now.

Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.

Answer 3

I don't know if you can. Some people will never care.

To make people care, you have to engage them, make them aware that we are all part of the same family (the human race) & are in it together. It's easy to be apathetic if you feel that people are strangers & mean nothing to you. Once you know someone, know their story, you begin to care about them. But all the education & counselling in the world may not open the hearts of some bitter people. I think it starts with loving yourself. Love yourself & this naturally becomes a love for others. Hate yourself & you'll hate the world. Apathetic people aren't happy with themselves & they close their hearts to others to protect themselves from pain.

Answer 4

I completely accept as true with you. even with the actual undeniable actuality that traditionally warfare has quite frequently been fought between 2 aspects of opposing religions i trust it truly is frequently only a fashion of justifying it. the authentic motivation for warfare must be political causes, no matter if or not they be antagonistic to what they trust to be a 'tyrant' ruler, or to do with organic elements etc also, per chance in medieval circumstances no longer a lot now, Governments ought to declare to bypass to warfare with yet another united states by non secular adjustments so as that the low practise ought to understand and help the warfare, even as in reality the warfare replaced into being fought because of political causes. And yeah I agree that warfare is human nature. As a race we delight in violence, its no longer inevitably a nasty element, its in basic terms the way we are.

Answer 5

I say throw a hammer at your television, this will force people to focus what's in front of them instead of someone else's voice telling them what to feel, buy, love, what's sexy. I'm giving up my t.v. I think I'll stick with the internet, that way I will have control over the information I'm receiving.

Answer 6

I think that the quote from Mahatma Gandhi applies very to this (as to so many other) situation(s).

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

To me, this implies taking personal responsibility, rather than focusing on what others' may or may not be doing, or should or should not do. It means taking personal responsibility rather than looking to place blame.

Answer 7

I think anything a monk suggests is usually harder than they make it sound.

Answer 8

If the bottom line is the dollar...then show people how it will effect their wallet.
example...adultery can be terribly expensive....divorce lawyers, child support, alimony, loss of assets/income, new furnishings/house......not to mention if you catch a disease and the large medical bills.

Answer 9

Don't care.