Everyone is apathetic.
why does no one seem to care about anything?
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
Scroll to see replies
Apathy regarding social/political/economic issues is perfectly normal as the majority of the population is profoundly disengaged with the real world and that makes it a herd that can be easily controlled by those who wish to exploit these people. However, change is possible once a critical mass of activists comes about, as it can be seen with Occupy Wall St, which, despite ultimately failing, made lots of people think about what is actually going on.
It is natural for humans not to care about anyone but themselves and their offspring. It's evolutionary and prudent in a very animalistic sort of way. It helps individual survive to pass on their genes.
Humans do have emotions like guilt, and empathy towards others because we have evolved socially. If you support those like you your species will be more likely to survive and if your species is stronger you as an individual will be usually safer. That's the biological root of racism; supporting those most similar to you.
Humans often care about animals but think that's just a by product of our imagination and ability to anthropomorphise. It could be evolutionary prudent if it helped us use animals for tasks though. I don't know.
To summurise everyone hates everyone because the world a poop hole and we are all evolved to try and out compete each other to live in this poop hole a bit longer.
Edit: Dam you were talking more about caring about issues rather than each other. It's kind of still applicable. Evolutionarily it's best to only care about what effects you directly. That's why loads of people don't care about global warming. It's not effecting them. Yet. Dum dum dum!!!
Humans do have emotions like guilt, and empathy towards others because we have evolved socially. If you support those like you your species will be more likely to survive and if your species is stronger you as an individual will be usually safer. That's the biological root of racism; supporting those most similar to you.
Humans often care about animals but think that's just a by product of our imagination and ability to anthropomorphise. It could be evolutionary prudent if it helped us use animals for tasks though. I don't know.
To summurise everyone hates everyone because the world a poop hole and we are all evolved to try and out compete each other to live in this poop hole a bit longer.
Edit: Dam you were talking more about caring about issues rather than each other. It's kind of still applicable. Evolutionarily it's best to only care about what effects you directly. That's why loads of people don't care about global warming. It's not effecting them. Yet. Dum dum dum!!!
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by YOLOSwaggins
why does no one seem to care about anything?
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
Wow, your name rocks.
But hey there, don't worry. Not everyone is apathetic!
You'll find someone who'll you have heated/ exciting/ intellectual debates with soon.
People are self interested, deliberately divided in a pro capitalist society. Our masters do all the decision making we merely turn up 4 years to give us the illusion of democracy. All we care about is choice and increasing our own utility.
Maybe it's because you are relatively young. People tend not to take as much of an interest in politics and what not until they are a little bit older. Obviously most TSR users are an exception, but there you go.
Also if you keep implying that everyone is less clever than you and whatever they are interested in is not worth your time, they wont want to talk to you about anything, let alone start up a philosophical debate.
Also if you keep implying that everyone is less clever than you and whatever they are interested in is not worth your time, they wont want to talk to you about anything, let alone start up a philosophical debate.
haha i don't tell people I'm smarter than them to their face. I'm not a heartless bastard or that smart. to be clear i do have friends with similar interests. just losing faith in democracy in a country where ignorance is celebrated.
I notice the same thing. I blame oversaturation of information. Everybody can get whatever they want whenever they want it, and we are so bombarded with info now that it's often hard to know where to look. Also, look at where entertainment media is going – everything's bitesize now (short videos on Youtube, microblogging on Twitter, easy access to info on Wikipedia). People just don't want to invest much time in these things any more.
However, very few people on this site seem to be apathetic about anything...
However, very few people on this site seem to be apathetic about anything...
Original post by tjf8
However, very few people on this site seem to be apathetic about anything...
It would be interesting if everyone on this site got together and made a country or something. Or a county. There would be far more passion and deep discussions going on at least.
Original post by leannesagoodman
It would be interesting if everyone on this site got together and made a country or something. Or a county. There would be far more passion and deep discussions going on at least.
Yeah but election time would be brutal.
Original post by YOLOSwaggins
why does no one seem to care about anything?
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
agree 100%.
Hopefully things will change when I get to uni.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by YOLOSwaggins
why does no one seem to care about anything?
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this* - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
I've noticed throughout my school years and now at uni a worrying trend of not giving a ****. at first i thought it was just because mostly everyone at my school was stupid (another topic for another day) so they perhaps found it hard to talk about current affairs or science or philosophy.
I thought maybe low socioeconomic standing contributed to this* - i am on benefits from a deprived area. however it seems even middle class intelligent people at sixth form and university still don't care about anything. it is so hard to get a political debate going with anyone - except daily mail readers who's views aren't really worth dignifying with a response.
i understand not everyone wants to constantly drone on about religion or free will or austerity or whatever but i wish someone else had a view on at least some topics. it seems topics that 80% of people want to talk about are limited to celebrities, latest stupid science/health and safety story in the sun or how wasted they are/were/will be. am i the only person who feels this way?
TL/DR; no one cares. people make me sad
Good name reflecting mainstream interests and what is a present-day counter-enlightenment.
Personally, I spend my life caring. Since my enrollment to LSE I devote my whole time "to understand the causes of things". It reached the point when I cannot sleep adequately until I discover the laws of cause and effect, while at the same time I'm trying to remain an apolitical objective law student.
*If only all of such background shared your interest: today we would be in another evolutionary stage of the commodity producing society.
To be brutally honest, a fair number of people just don't try to contemplate things outside of their sphere of influence. It's not that they can't, more that the idea of thinking about those things just doesn't occur to them, since they're bombarded with all the inane chatter you mentioned.
Though I think it's also the case that different people have different interests, and therefore place more importance on discussing different topics. So whilst we're correct in saying that celebrity gossip is a waste of time, they might not think the same. So they find it very hard to improve themselves to a state where they consider more meaningful things. For example, what constitutes a 'meaningful' topic of conversation?
Though I think it's also the case that different people have different interests, and therefore place more importance on discussing different topics. So whilst we're correct in saying that celebrity gossip is a waste of time, they might not think the same. So they find it very hard to improve themselves to a state where they consider more meaningful things. For example, what constitutes a 'meaningful' topic of conversation?
Original post by EvilOfficer
Good name reflecting mainstream interests and what is a present-day counter-enlightenment.
Personally, I spend my life caring. Since my enrollment to LSE I devote my whole time "to understand the causes of things". It reached the point when I cannot sleep adequately until I discover the laws of cause and effect, while at the same time I'm trying to remain an apolitical objective law student.
*If only all of such background shared your interest: today we would be in another evolutionary stage of the commodity producing society.
Personally, I spend my life caring. Since my enrollment to LSE I devote my whole time "to understand the causes of things". It reached the point when I cannot sleep adequately until I discover the laws of cause and effect, while at the same time I'm trying to remain an apolitical objective law student.
*If only all of such background shared your interest: today we would be in another evolutionary stage of the commodity producing society.
leave my name alone! ha, fair play i guess. not saying there isn't a time for being an idiot. it's great fun. just seems like people care too little these days about anything other than low brow topics.
as for the socioeconomic comment I didn't mean to generalize but you haven't met my extended family
Original post by tjf8
Yeah but election time would be brutal.
I laughed. We'd all get horrendously passionate and end up in a fist fight.
That's why its important to surround yourself in an environment that encourages such debate. Heck yeah its near impossible in an environment like you suggested, which I know it is, but only you can change that
Plus, you always have the internet and the countless forums... TSR being the best obviously
Plus, you always have the internet and the countless forums... TSR being the best obviously
It is hardly surprising to be honest. Just look at the main stories in the most popular newspapers, popular TV shows and the general magnitude of inane and trivial crap people readily consume on a daily basis. It is almost like it has been designed to keep people docile and apathetic.
Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons
I laughed. We'd all get horrendously passionate and end up in a fist fight.
Yeah, and there'd be too many people that would end up fighting and forgetting to actually vote
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