"APATHY": The Destroyer of Man

Apathy-Greek > a-without + pothos-emotion

Apathy is a silent creature, slowly creeping in to eat away at the very core of our beings. Without a word, it infiltrates our defenses, leaving us numb and complacent. Once it is entrenched within our psychies, the real fun begins. Left alone, it will eat away all desires and our ability to care about ourselves, let alone anyone else.

I have watched this silent killer in action. Each time I see the news, go online to my groups, or go to meetings in my area, I watch it’s insidious progression. Wherever people gather, I can see it on their faces. They sit and talk about world events, and how tragic things have become. Yet, there is no emotion showing on their faces or in their eyes. They talk of major catastrophe as if it were a daily occurrence, such as reading a paper, or going out for coffee. All the ‘right’ words are there, but they are devoid of feeling or emotion.

"What makes this guy such an expert on apathy?", you may be asking yourself. Each day, as I arise from slumber, I ask myself the same questions, over and over: "Why bother to get up?" If I don’t accomplish something, maybe someone else will. "Why should I post on a group, when no one else bothers?" My message won’t effect anyone. "Why should I waste my time advocating for the rights of people with disabilities?" No one will listen to my tiny voice anyway.

It is truly amazing how we can justify almost any answer. If we think about it long enough, we can always find an escape route to run from any sense of duty to our fellow man. There are plenty of well educated, politically inclined people around to speak on our behalf. Never mind their lack of knowledge concerning our real needs. We assume they already know what is best for us. They are the ‘experts’ after all! Right?

Wrong!!! No matter how educated they may be, they cannot read our minds, or know how we feel without our input. We must speak up and let them know what is necessary for us to survive, and live as normal as we possibly can under our circumstances. We must pool our knowledge and share it with those we would have represent us. Without combining our efforts, we cannot hope to be represented in a responsible manner that will benefit ALL people with disabilities. If we cannot speak up for ourselves, how can we expect others to do so?

Let us stop all the seperatism, and unite our voices toward a common goal. The time for secrecy and arguing among ourselves is over. It is time for a change within our groups, organizations, and most of all, in our hearts and minds. We are worth the extra effort it may take to get things changed. Let the work begin!

Avery Ray