The Apathy!
Just the other day, as I endured another seemingly never-ending commute to the office, I witnessed yet another incident that only reinforced my pessimism .... about where the earth is headed ..... soon enough most people will not die and go to Hell .... they will be born into it! ... I guess death would only be a pause in the journey to the next Hell .... bleak times ahead ? I sure think so!
Well, I was seated towards the far end of the packed bus, when I saw them board the bus from the designated exit at the front of the bus, to avoid the crowd that thronged the entrance at the rear of the bus. There they were - an aged couple, frail, wizened and grey ... carrying oversized (and crude) walking sticks to compensate for their lack of balance ... they made their way into the bus with quite a bit of difficulty ... (their walking sticks were not helping matters) .... the crowd made just enough space for them to approach the seat reserved for senior citizens ... but ...
... far from immediately vacating the seat, the two middle-aged men (the imbeciles!) who occupied the seat, ignored the couple and flatly refused to budge ... they ignored all requests from the couple ... and when other commuters requested them, they asked them to stay out of it ... For a couple of minutes, the couple had a really bad time as they could not endure the throng, and were constantly jolted by the insanely plentiful potholes ... (while the two imbeciles were rooted to the seat that was not rightfully theirs). Finally, out of pity, two other commuters (God bless them) vacated their seats and stood up to endure the jolts and the throng that those two imbeciles should've endured!
The sad part is the apathy that I saw in most commuters. While the imbiciles (who were well educated, mind you!) were obvious villains, most of the crowd was no better. Many harsh comments were made ... suggestions that the couple should've taken a taxi if they couldn't handle the crowd (even when it was obvious that they were too poor to afford it) .... on how they were taking up so much space (due to their hunched posture & the walking sticks) and how they constantly bumped into nearby commuters (due to their lack of balance)
This apathy ... the jungle mentality - survival of the fittest ... now pervades all sections of society ... educated, uneducated, rich or poor ... no one cares for anyone else ... if someone has tripped, people walk all over him and view him only as a hindrance in their path ... people either step over him (the kind-hearted lot) or they step on him not even breaking their stride (the normal lot) ... but will anyone help him up? .... No way! No one has the time for that! ... everyone has got some place to go ... some place to be ... someone to meet .... some money to make ....
Well, will those imbeciles never grow old? Are they counting on the world to finish them off in their youth itself? Don't they have parents who are old? How about if someone treated them or their family members in such a manner? Are they ready to handle the apathy that they dished out to others?
I've been here for only 25 years .... but I know one thing for sure ... What goes around comes around ... You only reap what you sow ... hence, if you sow apathy ... you'll reap apathy .... Be sure of that!
.... I remember the (true) sad story of a couple who passed the site of an accident in their luxury car, without stopping to help. Other cars also whizzed by, drivers just giving the bleeding motorbike rider a cursory glance. Pedestrians gathered nearby, whispering amongst themselves, but not offering any assistance.... Apathy at its peak?... Read on ... Well, later that night, the couple got a phone call from the police. Their only son had bled to death after a truck rammed against his motorbike .... and then sped off into the night. He could have been saved, had he been taken to the hospital in time ... but no one bothered to stop and help ... no one had the time ... "let the police handle it" was probably what they were thinking .... Imagine the horror of the couple when they heard the location of the accident! .... They had passed their dying son, and had not bothered to help, just some hours ago.... Thus, they joined the throng of drivers and pedestians who killed the biker just by their apathy ....
I know that this was an extreme example of apathy and its consequences ... but this really happened ... and it saddens me to think of the world that awaits the coming generation ... but, all that could change ... if a few of us stopped living in selfish world and took the time to care for fellow humans ... after all, we may be the ones needing the help someday ....
----
Wow, I rambled a lot! But, I really think it's an important issue ... we need to remember that we are not the only ones who are flesh and blood and who have feelings ... we need a little empathy for our fellow humans ... then and only then is there any hope for the world!
---
I brought a lot of work home today as the office was evacuated today .... a safety measure when a fire broke out near our office building (probably a leaking gas pipe) ... traffic was blocked on the busy road opposite our office and so I witnessed the mother of all traffic jams as I started home ... I walked part of the way and then got a Rickshaw (a three-wheeler taxi cab) home ... guess I'll clear some of the piled up office work tommorow .... there goes the holiday I was so excited about! ... :) ... or is it :( lolz ... I think I love my work ... so it's :) !
Well, I was seated towards the far end of the packed bus, when I saw them board the bus from the designated exit at the front of the bus, to avoid the crowd that thronged the entrance at the rear of the bus. There they were - an aged couple, frail, wizened and grey ... carrying oversized (and crude) walking sticks to compensate for their lack of balance ... they made their way into the bus with quite a bit of difficulty ... (their walking sticks were not helping matters) .... the crowd made just enough space for them to approach the seat reserved for senior citizens ... but ...
... far from immediately vacating the seat, the two middle-aged men (the imbeciles!) who occupied the seat, ignored the couple and flatly refused to budge ... they ignored all requests from the couple ... and when other commuters requested them, they asked them to stay out of it ... For a couple of minutes, the couple had a really bad time as they could not endure the throng, and were constantly jolted by the insanely plentiful potholes ... (while the two imbeciles were rooted to the seat that was not rightfully theirs). Finally, out of pity, two other commuters (God bless them) vacated their seats and stood up to endure the jolts and the throng that those two imbeciles should've endured!
The sad part is the apathy that I saw in most commuters. While the imbiciles (who were well educated, mind you!) were obvious villains, most of the crowd was no better. Many harsh comments were made ... suggestions that the couple should've taken a taxi if they couldn't handle the crowd (even when it was obvious that they were too poor to afford it) .... on how they were taking up so much space (due to their hunched posture & the walking sticks) and how they constantly bumped into nearby commuters (due to their lack of balance)
This apathy ... the jungle mentality - survival of the fittest ... now pervades all sections of society ... educated, uneducated, rich or poor ... no one cares for anyone else ... if someone has tripped, people walk all over him and view him only as a hindrance in their path ... people either step over him (the kind-hearted lot) or they step on him not even breaking their stride (the normal lot) ... but will anyone help him up? .... No way! No one has the time for that! ... everyone has got some place to go ... some place to be ... someone to meet .... some money to make ....
Well, will those imbeciles never grow old? Are they counting on the world to finish them off in their youth itself? Don't they have parents who are old? How about if someone treated them or their family members in such a manner? Are they ready to handle the apathy that they dished out to others?
I've been here for only 25 years .... but I know one thing for sure ... What goes around comes around ... You only reap what you sow ... hence, if you sow apathy ... you'll reap apathy .... Be sure of that!
.... I remember the (true) sad story of a couple who passed the site of an accident in their luxury car, without stopping to help. Other cars also whizzed by, drivers just giving the bleeding motorbike rider a cursory glance. Pedestrians gathered nearby, whispering amongst themselves, but not offering any assistance.... Apathy at its peak?... Read on ... Well, later that night, the couple got a phone call from the police. Their only son had bled to death after a truck rammed against his motorbike .... and then sped off into the night. He could have been saved, had he been taken to the hospital in time ... but no one bothered to stop and help ... no one had the time ... "let the police handle it" was probably what they were thinking .... Imagine the horror of the couple when they heard the location of the accident! .... They had passed their dying son, and had not bothered to help, just some hours ago.... Thus, they joined the throng of drivers and pedestians who killed the biker just by their apathy ....
I know that this was an extreme example of apathy and its consequences ... but this really happened ... and it saddens me to think of the world that awaits the coming generation ... but, all that could change ... if a few of us stopped living in selfish world and took the time to care for fellow humans ... after all, we may be the ones needing the help someday ....
----
Wow, I rambled a lot! But, I really think it's an important issue ... we need to remember that we are not the only ones who are flesh and blood and who have feelings ... we need a little empathy for our fellow humans ... then and only then is there any hope for the world!
---
I brought a lot of work home today as the office was evacuated today .... a safety measure when a fire broke out near our office building (probably a leaking gas pipe) ... traffic was blocked on the busy road opposite our office and so I witnessed the mother of all traffic jams as I started home ... I walked part of the way and then got a Rickshaw (a three-wheeler taxi cab) home ... guess I'll clear some of the piled up office work tommorow .... there goes the holiday I was so excited about! ... :) ... or is it :( lolz ... I think I love my work ... so it's :) !
posted by anup.777 at 4:30 AM
17 Comments:
very true and sad. seems to be everywhere. in every city. i wonder when ppl will change :|
yes, sad but true. one hears of such things all the time.
and yet there are some folks on the other end of the spectrum- a friend of mine who will offer her seat to any elderly or disabled person she sees with such a genuine smile that one cant help smiling back.
:)
If you're relatively young and healthy, would it really be that much trouble to give up your seat?
To call these people selfish or lazy would be an understatement.
Anup, Very good post!! I came here hopping around blogs and I couldnt help but switch off the TV to read the complete post...
Now coming to such behavior/attitude of people it is not fair for us to expect such herd mentality to change overnight...but as Caffeine-Addicted pointed, if we change and be more human and 10 others may too and thus we may slowly bring these situations to where developed countries today are...Stopping for pedestrians to greeting each other on your way to respecting their and others space. It is not that people of developed countries do it of their own will, but law enforces such basics into its citizens...So lets hope for a slow but steady change.
In general dont stop bringing such things to light, even if you reach to 1% of bloggers out there and 1% of those change themselves or people around them, your job is well done! Good work...sorry for the long comment:)
very few bloggers publish posts that'll bring me to tears..
and you are one of them..
nothing more to say
=am000nie=
that story of the young boy is very saddening..
i would not stop to help if i see an accident on a nearly deserted side of a road. insetead, i will call the police immediately and alert them.
why? recently, there have been cases of people pretending to be involved in accidents. once you get out from your car to help, they beat you up and rob you of your belongings.
we have been requested to alert the cops immediately instead of offering personal assistance.
true.the world's a bad bad place many a time!
@Lady
the sad thing is that ... most never will!
@CAddict
Absolutely! ... such people are required for some sort of balance in a world that's tilting more and more in favor of ruthlessness, apathy and worse, malice
@d
I agree ... they'll get what they deserve someday ... either in this world or the next ...
@the untrodden
I just found a news item on that incident u mentioned ... the things that 'lack' drives people to ... it's really sad ... BTW wish u a Happy Valentines Day too! :)
@vamsee
Thanks 4 stopping by ... and ur comment ...I loved it ... say all that's on ur mind ... why hold anything back? Don't ever apologize for speaking up girl ... not here, anyway .. :) Thanks again ... and I read ur recent post ... very good ... Keep up da good work! ... that 1% thing applies to u too! ... so keep writing! :)
@amu
I'm sorry I made u sad Amu ... yes, it's a senti-type of post ... (lately all of my posts are getting like that) ... But, someday I'll make u laugh with a whacky and cheery post too ... :) Till then ... Hugs .. ;)
@SFO
Absolutely! One must use common sense at all times ... So, on a deserted stretch, ur approach is required! Thanks for steering the conversation towards some practicalities that I may have ignored ... But, at least u would call up concerned authorities ... many don't bother doing that either! ... If people would at least do such basic things to help someone ... things would be so much better!
@xInsane
I agree ... thanks for dropping by ...
That was a loooong post, but worth the read.
You are an amazing soul. I just want to express my appreciation of your entry today. I too get so frustrated I could scream about the lack of compassion that has seemed to take over our society and when I vocalize my frustration I tend to get called over sensitive which lends itself to the origional problem of lack of compassion. It is a very devastation state of affairs. Thank you for bringing this issue up...
In love and light,
Jocelyn
Great post and observation.
Love your site. Thanks for stopping by...
@N_waves
:) Thanks. I appreciate it ... I know I tend to overdo it ... it's the same problem at work .. everyone asks me to cut short on my reports ... lolz ... :)
@jocelyn
Thank you so very much! ... I'm reaching out ... and so many have reached back ... its heartwarming to know that there are others who feel just like me ... :) Thanks for that jocelyn!
@michelle
thanks ... I really appreciate u dropping by ... :)
oh i can allow malice once in a while (evil grin) especially to thine enemies :D but i agree on the whole.
Wow, just read your comments on the elderly couple. Powerful, and so sadly true.
Your images are so clear and touching, bring tears to the eye.
Jesus talks about this in Matthew just before He separates the sheep from the goats.
Keep the images coming.
Skittishkat
hi anup....yeah, people can be so mean. since i work in geriatrics, i have heard nurses cursed and swear at the the older people. wait til they grow old!!!!
@CAddict
:) .. lolz ... good .. :)
@SKat
thank u very much ... i'll keep trying ... :)
@elisa
thanks for dropping by... thought i'd never hear from u again ... hope u all do well in life ... God bless ya all!
@elaine
yeah! what goes around ... comes around ...
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