Apathy

[EnragedSephiroth]

Is the U.S. full of apathy? What happened to the people who took a stand for human rights in the 60's and 70's? How come this generation doesn't seem anywere near as concerned as the previous? Have we lost our way? If we have, then how?

Is it a product of social conditioning, cultural values, media messages, political environment, societal pressures or certain combinations of all these?

How did the Military Commissions bill get passed by congress? How did we end up going to war with a country which had no means or plans of attacking us? How come for a while, people forgot about Osama Bin Laden? Why has the the Taliban returned to Afghanistan per the military's permission? Why is Bush still in office, despite being a worse president than Clinton? How come he was not impeached? How is it the gap between the rich and poor has become larger? How do we remain divided on issues such as Stem Cell research, abortion and gay rights after years of debate and have not been able to strike a compromise? Why are there so many questions and so little answers? And most of all, why does nobody seem to care?

The answers for the apathy are simple ones yet many. Later on in the topic I will discuss the reasons for apathy but right now I want to know why YOU think people are not phoning their representatives/senators, governors and other government officials and how they have become so desensitized. Discuss, please.

[ImmoralLibertarian]

Apathy is this generations form of rebellion.

Amongst other things.

[MortifiedPenguins]

At 10/18/06 08:07 PM, EnragedSephiroth wrote:

The answers for the apathy are simple ones yet many. Later on in the topic I will discuss the reasons for apathy but right now I want to know why YOU think people are not phoning their representatives/senators, governors and other government officials and how they have become so desensitized. Discuss, please.

Simply put, freedom and liberty is appreciated by those that have to fight for it.

Blame this on the relative peace, calm and sucess our country has had. The citizens feel that thier input is no longer needed in our government or that we have little say in it.

There's a reason why so many people voted in Iraq in the last election.

We simply do not appreciate our freedoms.

[EnragedSephiroth]

At 10/18/06 08:14 PM, ImmoralLibertarian wrote: Apathy is this generations form of rebellion.

So what you're saying is this generation is saying "I DON'T HAVE TO CONFORM, I'LL SHOW YOU! ... but I won't do anything to stop you..." some rebellion that is :( That kind of rebellion would have been a sight to see in history.

Imagine that kind of rebellion in the American Revolution. The U.S. didn't approve of the crown but they weren't willing to do anything to stop it, and that was their form of rebellion. Or the blacks did not approve of being condescended upon and segregated by caucasians in the early-to-mid 1900's and they weren't gonna take it anymore! But they didn't do anything about it and that was their form of rebellion... No, that isn't rebellion, it's lethargy. It's because something was done in histroy that things changed.

There's even a law of physics for it: an object in motion will remain in motion unless it is affected by another object. An object not in motion will remain not in motion unless it affected by something. if we don't do something to affect things which are in motion... how can we expect them to cease or take a different course for that matter?

[ImmoralLibertarian]

At 10/18/06 08:19 PM, EnragedSephiroth wrote: So what you're saying is this generation is saying "I DON'T HAVE TO CONFORM, I'LL SHOW YOU! ... but I won't do anything to stop you..." some rebellion that is :( That kind of rebellion would have been a sight to see in history.

They way I see it, you had the ‘War’ generations of the 10s, 20s, 30s, and 40s. All very patriotic, all very happy to take part in the democratic process because the real threat of loosing that was still in most people’s living memory.

Then came the civil right movements in the 50s and the hippies, punks and other rebelling factions who were still very political in the 60s and 70s.

So when their children, the Generations X, Y, and Z wanted to rebel, the only feelings they had left to call their own was apathy.

[EnragedSephiroth]

At 10/18/06 08:32 PM, ImmoralLibertarian wrote: So when their children, the Generations X, Y, and Z wanted to rebel, the only feelings they had left to call their own was apathy.

That's an interesting theory I had not considered. It seems pretty difficult to prove though :/

The way I see it: Apathy is so prevalent because people are too concerned about their own lives and no one else's. That would seem selfish to some and perfectly fine to others, it depends on the person really.

[IllustriousPotentate]

At 10/18/06 08:07 PM, EnragedSephiroth wrote: Discuss, please.

I don't think the voters are as apathetic as much as they are jaded of the whole political process.

You're thinkin' so complicated/I've had it all up to here/But it's so overrated—Aerosmith

Look at the number of scandals. Look at the partisan bickering. Look at the overwhelming incumbency rate. Look at the 2000 election. Look at the Democrat primary in 2004, with 11 bozos trying to be the head bozo. Look at the goobernatorial election in California. Look at the circle jerking, the power grabbing, the money dealing, the bloviating, the camera whoring, the fund raising, the lobbying.

People wouldn't mind caring, but when they see the government as a freak show full of failures, losers, morons, grandstanders, whores, creeps , has-beens, never-weres, and outright demonic psycho lunatics, people see no reason to take it seriously. Why should they? We've been taking politics seriously for 200 years and this is where it's gotten us?

Look at the Daily Show, the Colbert Report, etc. Political satire hasn't blossomed to the extent it has because people are apathetic about politics, they're just jaded. They're tired of the gargantuan amounts of BS that spew from our nation's legislatures every second of every minute of every hour of every day—and the only refuge is to make fun of it, or go out and work around it. Why would they even try? Their representative is too busy IM'ing teenagers; their senator is too busy waiting for the internet he sent his staff to make it through the stuff that was dumped onto the tubes; their president is too busy falling off bicycles and Segways and worrying about nuke-you-lur weapons to care.

Moreover, if you could get to them, you wouldn't have any effect on the issues, just on their campaign. When politicians are doing nothing but promoting themselves for re-election using PR, franking privledges, pork, and partisan hackery, instead of solving problems and creating solutions to issues, why would you go to them to solve problems or create solutions? Why take up issues you care about with someone who doesn't care?

[EnragedSephiroth]

At 10/18/06 10:16 PM, IllustriousPotentate wrote: I don't think the voters are as apathetic as much as they are jaded of the whole political process.
Why take up issues you care about with someone who doesn't care?

That is the smartest thing anyone has ever said at any time... ever. Lol seriously though dude, bravo :D I didn't click on any of the links you provided to any of the politicians I just dragged my mouse over them to see what the bottom left of the browser said. I just HAD to click when I saw Larouche's name on there though, that was hillarious! A group of larouche supporters campaigns daily on my campus. It's just 3 people usually, extreme leftists who hand out propaganda saying "Cheney is Devil, Impeach Bush!" and things of that nature. It's annoying, I think I'll go pick a debate with them someday if I'm not too busy :D

You do have a point though dude, perhaps the U.S. just isn't all that concerned with politics. From what I see though I think people are concerned, but they just are not concerned to the point to want to do something, know what I mean? Kind of a state of helplesness if you will. "All of our politicians are idiots, but what can we do about it? What me worry?"

[Ravariel]

I'd respond, but what's the point?

[Jose]

Apathy is as much a political position as is activism.

But we as a nation are more concerned on who is the next american idol or dancing with the stars champ than we are with how the country is being run.

Why are we like this?
We as a nation are ignorant as hell as how the country works. If the public actually knew about gerrymandering or under the table money and how widespread corruption is at the captial, they would be much more likely to demand change. What we face as a country now is politicians who use buzz words to mask what is actually being debated. We use "cut and run" and "flip flopper". Liberal and conservative have been turned into insult words. If things look black and white, there would be no reason to look into an apparent grey area.

People are so jaded on the subject nowadays. In some districts, 90% of all political ads are attack ads. 90 fucking percent. How can we as a nation stand idle while this goes on? We don't care. Only a few states actually have any chance to change the political outlook, and it would be to change it a small amout. No matter who you choose for a political office, they will be swallowed by a corrupt system. Incumbent protection rackets run rampant. Why bother with a political system that will give you the same upper class white male who doesn't give a flying fuck about how their decision in congress will affect your life.

Racism and bigotry runs rampant throughout the government. Racial slurs are used in election speeches, and a muslim running for the senate was recently accused of supporting terrorist groups. Why should we as a people vote for bigoted politician?

Polarization is massive in today's culture, and it will only get worse.

Tell me, why should I care? I can't do a thing in today's political climate. I'm not going to yale, I'm not wealthy. My vote counts a very small small small fraction of my county, and thats if its not a packed district to ensure a district seat for a specific party.

This is not a democracy as of say. I really wish we would stop acting like it actually was.

[JudgeDredd]

At 10/18/06 08:14 PM, ImmoralLibertarian wrote: Apathy is this generations form of rebellion.

True. Apathy aka Escapism.

We've been told that power (decision making) moved up from elders in the local community, to district statesmen, to national representatives, but parallel to this is the growth of financial powerhouses. Can this trend continue? Besides a world government, haven't we reached the limits of centralized decision making?

I think everyone here, jointly participating in the online revolution, sees there is an alternative way forward, and want's to contribute in ways the current system doesn't allow.

[Begoner]

It's partially because people are, in general, quite affluent. They have big-screen TVs, computers, etc. They don't need to worry about politics if they already have basically all they could want in life. Conversely, the poor are not politically active because they tend not to have the time to partake in political activism. Also, the fact that there is no blatant unfairness plaguing society like there was in past decades has greatly increased apathy -- as long as policy decisions cannot influence you or anyone you know, why care?

[Camarohusky]

I'm sorry, but I just don't care what the governmetn does, and even more so, what you have to say about it.

[White-hole]

At 10/18/06 08:19 PM, MortifiedPenguins wrote:

Simply put, freedom and liberty is appreciated by those that have to fight for it.

There's a reason why so many people voted in Iraq in the last election.

We simply do not appreciate our freedoms.

Good point, its been a while since any real difficulties developed.