Friday, March 11, 2011

What are we thinking?

Or, are we thinking at all?  That is the question that is weighing heavily on my mind lately.

I want to talk about something that I see going on more and more around us that constantly has me questioning, what are they thinking?

I am referring to the growing surge of apathy in our society.  I have discussed this with several friends and family who are also seeing this in many different ways from others in thier own circles. 

 Most recently, the judge in Maryland who overturned the conviction of those protesters who picket military funerals shouting obscenities based on their religious beliefs.  I just cannot wrap my head around how this can be allowed under the freedom of speech.  Isn't there a law somewhere that allows someone to be convicted of slander or defamation of character?  Surely, as a Christian this is not the character of Jesus that I know!  Obviously it was also an attack on the character of the soldier they picketed too, even though it was a backhanded approach.  Why couldn't this judge find it reasonable and in good judgement to find a law that would apply to this case to stop this madness?  Or was he only able to hand down the judgement on whatever specific charges were filed?  I cannot help but wonder was there much thought given to this case at all by those involved or was it just another example of our ever increasing issue of apathy in this world.

It seems to me more and more we are living in times where the more outrageous or popular the behavior the greater the voice it is given.  Why?  Have the rest of us lost our voices?  Are we all just too busy minding our own business to pay any attention to another?  Are we so afraid of getting caught up in the drama of any given situation that we often avoid it at all costs?  It sure seems that way to me! 

I am not just thinking of the situation with the judge and these protesters here. I am thinking of our society as a whole lately.

  I recently was sent an invitation on FB to join in on an event called RED FRIDAYS.  It is basically a group of people who are choosing to wear red on Fridays in order to show their support for our troops.  There were many comments on this group ranging from, "I am in!!!" to "Don't believe it, this is an old group that has been circulating since 2005 starting in Canada!".  I quickly scanned the comments and decided, why not?  Would it kill me to wear red this Friday?


Obviously it did not, as this was the photo I posted on my FB page last Friday.

I took the time to also post why I was dressed this way with a link to RED FRIDAYS.   I only received a handful of comments about this picture.  I wasn't surprised by that either.  Continuously,  I am seeing a growing trend towards people who are only connecting with people only when it's beneficial to them or deemed positive.  

  I believe our advances in technology and the changes in society as a whole may be to blame for this.  Don't get me wrong know one wants to be around a Debbie downer all the time, but sometimes people need to be heard during difficult times in order to be lifted.  Have we all accepted it's okay to trade in compassion for apathy?

Did we learn nothing from these ladies on the Stepford Wives?  It would seem more people are seriously trying to live this way in a strange robotic world void of real emotion.

Love means looking beyond differences and working together instead of tearing each other down. If we don’t strive for this, all our social circles will begin to look frighteningly like the strange town of Stepford.
--Michael Ray



On FB there are hundreds of those copy and post status's to join in, groups, events, causes, etc. There are often so many that one can easily become apathetic towards them and ignore them along with everything else. 

 But what I keep wondering is, are we letting everything in our lives become that way?  Are we choosing to ignore things which we should be addressing?  Are we doing anything to help anyone other then that which makes ourselves feel good?  You may not choose to support the same things as me but are you supporting anything?  Or are you more comfortable just not getting involved or not responding? 

In our ever growing world of technology it is amazing and frightening to me the amount of people who choose to continue to take an apathetic approach and hide behind technology.  Here's what I am talking about.  Have you ever had an email or invitation ignored?  A phone call left unanswered?  Perhaps you are on the other end and just do not have the desire to speak to so and so right now, no matter that she may actually need to speak with you. 

  This ever increasing trend of avoidance and apathy is staggering.  Trying googling it if your not convinced by me.  I am not the first person to write about this.  Why should we have to bothered when we can simply ignore, erase, delete, and move on to that which is more pleasant or enticing, right?  I've done it and I know you have too! 

 The question is when will all this apathy catch up with us?  Where will we be when our world is full of those who espouse hate and there is no one to champion them or to answer thier calls of grief or anguish.  My heart goes out to the family who had to endure these protestors at their sons funeral!  It is horrible what they had to endure!   Do we really believe this world would be a better place if everyone would just be quiet and mind their own business? 

What about you?  Have you noticed a growing trend towards apathy?  Have you even given this any thought before?
I would love to know!  What are you thinking? Thanks for stopping by!
Mary

14 comments:

  1. You are so right. Thanks for bringing awareness to this problem. I will be sure to wear my red on Fridays in support as well. Have a wonderful weekend!
    xoxo,
    Kim
    p.s. One of the protesters got a flat tire in MD and nobody in the entire town would fix it! That's justice.

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  2. Friend, I'm one that was so bull-headed,I had to leave my job(politics-Magistrate), because I stood up for what was right, and came face to face daily with these lazy, spinless, apathetic people.
    And I'm going right now and put on some red!!!
    ~JO
    LazyonLoblolly

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  3. I don't think that it's a growing trend that people are apathetic. I think people have always been apathetic. Look at how many people don't vote! How many people don't even know who their representatives are in their state and in Washington. It is so easy these days to make your voices heard with email and FB. Even politicians have a FB page now.
    Ah, I could go on and on regarding people sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring the rest of the world because they don't think it affects their little corner of the world.
    "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
    -- Edmund Burke

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  4. Thank you ladies for your support, it is so wonderful to hear your voices! :))) Pam, you may be right. Perhaps our advances in technology only highlight the problem, but I'd like to believe when I was younger it sure seemed like most people seemed to be alot more concerned about doing their part and stepping out of their comfort zones. Not so many these days! :))

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  5. I was thrilled to read your blog today! If more of us would speak out and voice our opinions, it would certainly allow our leaders to know how Americans "really feel" ! Being a senior citizen and retired for many years now, I recently stood up and scolded our Speaker of the House......the conservative leader of Congress.......that I was unhappy with his decision not to allow the body of the last surviving soldier of WWI to lie in state in the Rotunda of the Capitol. It would have shown the world that we value the men and women who have served our country and fought for our freedoms ......not to mention the lessons that school children could have been taught. This was WRONG.....very wrong, and I let him know it. A few years ago, I would have been quiet, but not now. You are so right. The time has come to speak up and let our feelings be known. I give you a standing ovation!!!

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  6. Well, I could write a whole post in answer to your question and you know how long my posts can be.

    First, let me address the court case involving the protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church. In 2009, the Federal Court of Appeals in Virginia had overturned the 5 or 6 million dollar judgement awarded to the father of this soldier who was buried in 2006. This was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last week in Snyder v. Phelps in an 8 to 1 vote. Alito was the only one who dissented. What the court held was that the issues the picketers were protesting were of a public nature, not a private one. This is why they are protected under the First Amendment. That church has been doing this for about 20 years because they believe that God hates the U.S. for its tolerance of gays, especially in the military. They were on public property, located 1000 feet from the church where the service was being held.

    Sad, but true, the First Amendment protects them.

    About five years ago, a group of bikers formed the Patriot Guard Riders and if they are invited by family members of a deceased soldier, they use their bikes and large U.S. Flags to block the view of the protestors from the family members. There motto is "We stand for those, who stood for us" and nationwide they now have well over 200,000 members.

    Yes, many of us are apathetic, but many are not, it's just where you choose to look. I don't do the FB groups, I never see anything that makes a difference (but thank you for supporting our troops). However, you may be surprised to learn that before my current blog, I ran one that was very political. I wanted to connect with others and discuss politics in a rational matter. Honey, the comments were horrible! After more than I year I gave up and moved on. I run a sweet little blog where I never discuss politics or religion. Part of the reason I blog is for a distraction, I am a news and political junkie! The news is on at my house from 5:30am until 6:00pm. I send emails to my elected officials on both state and federal levels. When I feel it's urgent, I pick up the phone and call. I am on their mailing lists as well. Then there's the environmental groups I belong to, you know I'm all about ocean conservancy. In California, I was on the streets, but here in Florida, some people scared me real bad when they drove up on the sidewalk to scare us off and shouted profanities. I exchanged emails with a blogger friend whose husband is a teacher (30 years) in Wisconsin. Wish I could have been there to stand with her.

    Up until last year when I moved, I worked every election we had here in Florida. I can't tell you how many people came to the polls and had no idea who was running for anything less than the president or senators. Most never knew anything about the issues and would even ask me how they should vote! Strictly against the law, but they didn't even know that. Honey, I could tell you stories about my experiences that would have your hair standing on end.

    I do love talking politics, especially with those who have opposing viewpoints, but I stick with folks I know are rational human beings with a brain. This is how we learn, not by rejecting each other, but by listening and compromising.

    Okay, off my soapbox…for now.

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  7. First of all I TOTALLY agree that we MUST have some law that would stop these ridiculous, SO CALLED Christians who are picketing soldiers funerals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is unfathonable to me how they justify their actions and THANK YOU for posting about it! WHEW, sorry for the mini rant:):) I also have seen another disturbing thing going on now. My hubby and I went out to dinner one night and at another table there was a couple and BOTH of them had their heads down and were TEXTING the entire time, never said 1 word to each other!!!!!!!!!! WTHeck????? Personal interaction is dying and children are not learning social skills. To me this is a big tragedy. XO, Pinky

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  8. I truly enjoyed this post and after so many years of trying to fight this very issue, I admit I got tired of always feeling like I was out on a limb and all alone so I just stay quiet now. No excuse I realize but , thats what I did.

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  9. Hi Mary! I agree so much with what everyone else has said so I won't reiterate it all but I will say this...and I might sound like a Debbie Downer :-)...as a Believer, I know that my trust and hope rests in Him and Him alone and that in my little corner and in my little family I CAN and DO try and make a difference. Sometimes that is in small ways and sometimes in bigger ways. I also know that there will never be peace on this earth until my Savior returns and that brings me comfort in a very unsettling time! This world will pass away and no amount of recycling can stop it! LOL! But, that being said, we are doing our best to model for our children that we do stand up for what we believe and we do it in the most loving and Christ-like way possible..and Jesus was no sissy! I'm reading a book right now called Radical and it speaks a lot to what is on your heart right now. Thank you for having the courage of conviction to share this with all of us!
    You are a blessing to me Mary!
    Vanessa

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  10. Hi Mary,

    What an interesting topic & one that I've not given much thought to, I must admit. I HAVE been aware of the lack of manners in society & I think this plays into it somewhat. People just don't care about others like they used to!! I hear you on the un-returned phone calls & invitations. So rude!

    I want to tell you I love your Irish background & music!! Also, your table from last week was darling. I look forward to seeing what you'll have up for St. Patrick's Day!

    fondly,
    Rett

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  11. Mary, I cannot agree with you more. It is shameful these so-called Christian people are being allowed to do what they are doing. Apathy, sure ... but their are far more not apathetic.

    It appers in bloggyville if you voice your opinions about anything controversial, it will cause a giant tir & loss of followers ... sadly so.

    I believe deeply 'what goes around, comes around'. I will continue to say what's on my mind, when I feel like it ... you may do the same ... I respect another's opinion but when I feel they are living in a cloud of muted shades of gray or black of misinformation, I will surely inform them correctly.

    Do you get tired of the fluff & stuff, the "I's" & "me's" of life, brand names & labels ...

    Your write is wonderful, you are right on the money.

    Have a beautiful day, my friend.
    TTFN ~ Marydon

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  12. Mary, please feel free to capture this ... I'll have to send it to your email, tho, as we have our pictures blocked because of theft.

    TTFN ~ Marydon

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  13. I'm just reading this now since I missed it. I couldn't agree with you more about the problem with apathy in our society. It's in EVERY segment of it too. It isn't just the acceptance of things against which we ought to take a stand, it's the way people won't commit to anything or do more than the minimal unless they personally can benefit.

    I could write a novel, but I won't.

    I'll just AMEN the other comments.

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