The Humanistic Approach
Theory of Apathy
· 3 min read ·
‘Theory of Apathy’.
This is an apathetic approach to problems of all forms.
It is also a humanistic approach.
Apathy is just a reaction to the problems that occur in life, and also an overarching philosophy.
It could be defined as ‘a lack of interest in one’s surroundings’.
Apathy may be the root of all problems in society.
For example, apathy leads to people being unwilling to take part in communal activities or contribute to their community.
It leads to people not caring about each other and not willing to contribute to the greater good.
Apathy leads to people being unwilling to help each other or others.
In the long term, it may lead to the decline of society.
This way of thinking may lead to less productivity, more crime, and social inequality.
If apathy is the main factor causing problems in society, then it should be discouraged at all costs.
However…
The Humanistic Approach
Apathy is also a humanistic approach because it focuses on the individual and makes them more introspective.
Apathy is a philosophical position that can be summarized as, “I don’t care” or “What difference does it make?”
In practice apathy often leads to disengagement with the world and avoiding situations where one would need to take an action.
This may lead to a sense of dissatisfaction in life. However, at the same time, it may also lead to less stress and therefore better health.
Aristotle Philosophy: Godly or Devilish
Aristotle’s philosophy can be seen as directly opposed to apathy in which he believed that man was inherently political meaning they were social creatures by nature and made to care about their surroundings.
He stated that humans with no attachments are either ‘godly’ or ‘devilish’.
The key point here being mankind’s ability for rational thought separates us from animals and gives birth to reason — something no animal has ever demonstrated.
A man can make a conscious choice not to care.
A moment of not caring about the going ons of life can be a powerful tool anti-stress.
A human who has the flexibility to care when it’s important to care and to be apathetic when it’s better to ignore has reached god-life characteristics.
The issue when the apathy reverberates ignorance and blinds the person to important matters. I believe that this can be a source of issues in our society.
Reward
The reason we may feel apathy towards others is that we have been raised in a society where our actions are not rewarded directly by doing something good.
For example, charity work is often seen as an activity to help others but it also comes with tax breaks and other incentives that encourage more people to participate.
On top of this many charities ask for donations or volunteers but offer nothing in return — no recognition, no thanks, and so on.
In this way, we can see how some altruistic acts may be brought about through self-interest rather than pure empathy.
Because humans are inherently selfish and it is the only way to ensure our own survival, we need some motivation in life.
This means that altruistic activities must be rewarded by something — either from within or without.
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Self-Interest
The flip side of this is that when an activity is rewarded, it loses its altruism and becomes self-interested.
This can be seen in politics where politicians may argue for a cause with the belief they will gain something from it — either financial or political.
By doing so their actions are no longer ethical but rather selfish and therefore must be motivated to do what they’re doing not through empathy but greed.
However, it is possible for altruism to remain ethically motivated as long as the reward is not directly linked to the activity.
For example, in academic research, there are no rewards for publishing papers other than self-satisfaction and perhaps recognition from peers.
Learn how to induce ego death:
Awareness
Understand that being apathetic without reverberating ignorance is to be flexible enough to be conscious and care when it really matters.
This takes practice.
Do you wish to be devilish or godly?
The choice is really yours. What separates us from other beings on earth is that we can make the conscious choice to ignore or care about something.
Apathy can be helpful to support us in a lighter stress-free life. But it may also be a source of problems in our society.
Knowing how to “turn on and turn off” your apathy takes a lot of conscious practice and wisdom to know when it’s important to care.
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