Apathy, America’s Number One Killer. Apathy Takes More Lives Than Anything Else In America. Not Depression.

Apathy does not just deal in the negative and apathy does not just deal in the positive. Apathy effects all economic positions and all social groups. Apathy effects all age groups and knows no racial or gender barriers. It most definitely is a silent killer. Apathy is an equal opportunity mass murderer.

Apathy is a state of uncaring and/or a space of inaction and usually both. Apathy precluded every great war that the world has ever known. Apathy is the leading cause of genocide and starvation.

Let us just use an easy definition. Apathy is a lack of concern and enthusiasm.

We all know that often there is very much concern but no action. We recognize that apathy is often a case of not knowing. But truthfully that not knowing is normally an apathy toward learning. Our worst scenario for apathy is that it is truly a chemical depression. So while they are not the same truly they are very close cousins of the same disease. And we can learn much from differences and similarities.

Also we should be mindful that there is both individual apathy and a kind of societal apathy. Which also reminds us that some apathy is healthy and good. Probably a healthy dose of apathy toward tabloid gossip would be a good thing. On the other hand there may be matters going on there that are destructive of our culture and we should not be apathetic to that or the fact that it is huge business.

Try to conjure up a religion that promotes apathy. Do not mistake a serenity and pacifism for apathy. Do not fall into the trap of accusing hypocrisy for the problem of apathy. A very wealthy religious group may not give all they have for the poor but if they give a lot to the poor then clearly it is not apathy but rather a concerned choice. And we must remember that a well informed choice is not apathy at all. Not feeding the hungry over there so the hungry over here have food is not apathy.

So our most common and notable religions preach some form of helping others. Some even promise great works produce great eternal life. Again a negative approach to this notion still rivals apathy even though we may wish the zealot sometimes were apathetic ;-)

The subtitle line here was made just so to emphasize the idea. Marxism suggests that the opiate is strictly a depressant that keeps people from being active. Perhaps in the industrial revolution times and under monarchs there is some truth but not likely. The US which was founded on revolution had “In God we Trust” splattered everywhere and still does to this day as a rally cry not to trust in government. In other words not to be apathetic. No serious thinker would suggest that the suggestion is to do nothing and just sit back and trust. Although sadly that does happen.

And the reverse is so true. For instance “show me an apathetic Christian and I will show you a hypocrite”. Blind eyes and ears can lead to a blind heart and a heart blind cannot see or know God and that is sad indeed.

Apathy toward Apathy.

This is perhaps our greatest threat. “just leave him alone, he does not care” – Oh my! What a hateful notion. If one does not care is it not his sister’s required love to help him care again? What greater challenge and what greater love is there? Truly the opposite of love is not hate but apathy. Truly the great defeater of apathy is love. Let us hope it starts with loving yourself. But if it is not, find a sap like me that will love you until you can love yourself.

“For I do not know apathy for if I did, I would change it. What good is a light that shines if it does not shine bright enough to let others follow it through darkness? How could I care and not care if you care? If my light shines so dimly, love me please for it is the cure to dimness”

Apathy toward our health

It is incredible the amount of people who just do not care enough about their health to exercise for 20 minutes 5 times a week. Just incredible! And we know that this apathy leads to two major killers, colon cancer and heart disease which combined kill more people than anything else in America.

Not spending the extra dough for proper diets. Not just getting up 20+ minutes earlier and walking is apathy about our health. Apathy about our health is horrible.

But what of the greater health of you and I? When we care not about our health we join people who cost our entire civilization a hateful emotional and economic burden.

Our health is at risk due not to global climate change or pollution all about but that we do not care for our bodies.

(unattributed are author's)

Apathy is our denial. Denial of our true caring nature.

Apathy is a state of mind. A state that can make other states lie dormant.

Apathy is contagious it absolutely will, if left unchecked, infect a whole household, community and so on and so forth.

Apathy is sloth and is a sin against our creator.

Apathy can be from being overwhelmed, that is why friends were invented, and not family.

Apathy and children, rearing and teaching apathy is the greatest of all enemies within and without.

There is not a kinder gentler way. Apathy kills. Apathy must be killed first!

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.”
― Elie Wiesel

“If I look at the mass I will never act.”
― Mother Teresa

“It's a disease. Nobody thinks or feels or cares any more; nobody gets excited or believes in anything except their own comfortable little God damn mediocrity.”
― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
― Abraham Lincoln

(Thanks to the good folks at http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/apathy )

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