Why are Americans apathetic?

Question

What would it take for Americans to stand up against our government? Are we all working 70 weeks? Is it because we are glued to our TVs, cell phones, music players, and computers , are we just lazy gluttons? I means really every day our government makes decisions in which we loss constitutional rights, and breaks the constitution in foreign and domestic standards (ie we no longer use real money (gold silver) we have no rights for the unborn, we give more rights to aliens then our own citizens, etc etc ) So what kind of calamity would have to take place for people to actually react against our government?

Answer 1

To see a dramatic change we would have to go through a major crisis like a pandemic. Right now the people are so distracted by all the entertainment that they often turn a blind eye to what's going on in government. If everyone realized just how much the Bush Administration has violated their constitutional rights, everyone would demand impeachment proceedings begin immediately.

Answer 2

This is a loaded question that assumes that Americans should already be in revolt. Nevertheless, I'll see if I can address the question on its own merits.

In the lesser sense, Americans DO stand up against their government when they feel the need to do so. Its done by elections. The results of Federal elections in 1932, 1980, 1994, and 2006 indicate that the voting public will rise to incumbents. Often the major issue will be economics as applied to the standards of living, but larger issues yield changes as well. For example, the Republican victory in 1994 Congressional races resulted from the perception of an ineffective legislative and executive over issues of health care and the size of government. Also, Democratic victory in 2006 was partially a repudiation of the military situation in the Middle East.

In the stronger sense, where it would suggest that armed rebellion occur, for most people the fear of what we would become as a people is greater than any perceived injustice by the government. I recall from 1995, after the bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City, there were a number of would-be militia leaders actually praising the actions of Timothy McVeigh. For goodness sake, he wasn't a revolutionary hero that was striking into the heart of government corruption; he was a mass murderer who killed 168 people just doing their jobs or were working with the government to better their lives.

What would it take to react? Well, I suppose that it depends on what the reaction would be. The civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's was a reaction against Jim Crow laws. Campus demonstrators reacted to U.S. presence in Indochina. Both pro-life and pro-choice groups crowd the Supreme Court whenever the Court decides on an abortion-related issue. I suppose what it would take to react in general is a perception of government interfering in people's lives. We react in the quieter ways, through the ballot box, by petition, and with letter writing and telephone calls to members of Congress. However, for us to rise to armed rebellion would require us to see the government as the monster that some see it, but that isn't how most view the world in which they live.

Answer 3

I think it's a bit the other way around....

but I see what you're saying...

let me explain...

you work 70 hours a week (which more and more are doing)... and all of a sudden... you don't have time to watch the news... you're tired... and want to enjoy some of the perks of hard work... like your ipod... during what little off time you have

keeping up with the world just kind of falls through the cracks...

so... as long as someone isn't hurting your or violating your rights... you have no clue what's going on in the rest of the world...

and the government can do whatever it wants... as long as the people are too busy to pay attention...

Answer 4

regrettably human beings have become further and added lazy and apathetic approximately each and every little thing different than issues that don't unquestionably count number like paying for, activities, super reveal screen intense def TVs, ipods, and the latest game structures. The stress, intelligence and motivation that have been given the U. S. to the right is lacking and something desires to ensue speedy to alter the path or we are all happening the drain. it style of sounds like different international locations understand extra approximately what is going on interior the worldwide, yet we're not as conscious, or care to word. As for the 1st answer you acquire--denial is a ingredient of the difficulty... I agree that it is something that desires to be seen and debated.

Answer 5

It's a good thing the Real America doesn't rely on that America you're referring to. Oh sure, they exist. But they're never going to be anymore than that cell phone babbling peoples that you talk about.

American politics isn't about those cell phone babblers. American politics are about people that are born and bred to take up the cause.

And about the gold standard? The US had to get on the world market. Do you think the world market was about gold or silver? Don't kid yourself.

Answer 6

Goodness sake, son, we do so all the time! Where have you been? We legislate, take legislation to court, protest, run for office, etc.

Now what you are asking for is unAmerican! We have tons of ways to react to and shape our government, more than any nation on Earth or in history. You want revolution from a bunch of actually fairly contented people.

Sorry, won't happen. We're not trading a standard of living that millions of immigrants travel thousands of miles to reach just to satisfy someone else's ideology!

Answer 7

Americans are more involved with what the government is doing than they have been in a long time. They just responded to us overwhelmingly with the immigration bill. There are no magic pills. Our country is on very solid ground. Live abroad for awhile and get your mind off of it.

Answer 8

um, your issue is how to get the apathetic interested. they whine all the time but oh, i forgot to vote. the ones you dont like are the ones who arent apathetic. so it's a conundrum.

the disenfranchised tend to stay that way and do not take the rights they are given very seriously. it's a responsibility that many people, for whatever reason, just don't care about. sure they have opinions, but they seldom try and effect change in anything. they just whine about fat cats and such.

Answer 9

I am very active in talking about politics, reading articles and the papers, and discussing matters with other concerned citizens. It is very frustrating though as many people my age aren't the least bit informed about any major issue going on.

Answer 10

I think it has a lot to do with our "instant" society.

take yahoo answers, for example. who needs real research?

I think things like the Internet, microwaves, quick cooking TV dinners, TV its self has made us selfish.

and when someone cares more about them self than anything else, that leads to apathy.