Think about this definition. Look at the synonyms. Analyze what you do everyday and how you can relate to this one, small adjective. You soon will realize indifference is everywhere and in everything. It seems that there is no escaping the wrath kid uninterested, nonchalant, uninvolved, indifferent people. I'm not the first to notice it either. We recently analyzed "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau in class, and the whole period of time I used to read this essay all I could think of was the speech Elie Wiesel gave that we first analyzed at the beginning of the year titled "The Perils of Indifference". Both of these compositions have been some of the best known in society today. To say that indifference is irrelevant and just an opinion is ludicrous.
Wiesel centers his speech around the problem of indifference in society not only in the holocaust, but what it has made the people into; hypocrites. He uses many examples to help build his cause that we as a society have successfully recognized problems, but have failed miserably in actually doing something about them. Wiesel uses pathos and logos to make the reader feel guilt and sorrow for what they've done and to be well aware that it isn't just Wiesel's opinion on society that makes it indifferent; it's plain facts. By using different examples he can invoke a motivation in the reader to try to finally make a change and not just state the problem and stand there.
These thoughts were running through my mind when reading Thoreau's essay. Thoreau exemplifies the problem of society today by using many different cases in which it occurred. He, like Wiesel, focuses on the problem of indifference in society and how it has made us into machines that he claims don't even have a conscience because of how deep we are in the predicament. Thoreau's main argument may focus more on the government, but his overall message is to convince the people that the way they are acting and wrong and it's actually hurting our society. By using examples and sharply stating what the people are doing wrong, Wiesel and Thoreau convey their message and their thoughts on society very clearly and effectively.
After I finished reading Thoreau's essay I began to ponder on Wiesel's speech and it led me to evaluate what I've been doing my whole life: being indifferent.
When you take into consideration how many variables are thrown at you on a daily basis and how you react to them you can begin to see how truly lazy we become; not physically, but mentally also. For example, take a simple situation you face on a normal day: you just got your government test back and see that you got a C on it. You are well aware that one of the main reasons you did poorly was because the teacher was moving on with the chapter too fast for you to comprehend anything. What do you do? That's right, you go to your friends and complain about how bad of a teacher they are, you complain to your parents that it isn't your fault you performed so bad, you complain to even your other teachers when frankly, they don't care. But the problem is, when do you actually approach your government teacher face-to-face and tell them the real problem? You don't.
Indifference or human nature? Whatever it may be, you can't argue the fact that we are indifferent every day of our lives in too many ways. I believe the main reason is because indifference has been so overused that no one would ever attempt to just stop and think about what they can do to change what may seem like a small situation at the time. Instead, they bring up the problem and expect someone else to finish the job.
The truth is, there is no one else to finish that job for you. We are all part of this world for a reason and maybe that reason could be to help others be aware of their actions and not only take note of them, but tackle the situation. We need to make a voice of ourselves and use our consciences, use our extraordinary hopes, and be the humans we were made to be.
Let's be involved. Let's be caring. Let's be spontaneous. Let's be anything but indifferent.
This post was really deep and could be very effective to many people, especially to society as a whole. The way you ended your post, "Let's be involved. Let's be caring. Let's be spontaneous. Let's be anything but indifferent," is extremely effective, states a call to action, and brings your entire post together. The parallel structure of "Let's be" is effective in the way that it stands out and your audience is able of noticing what they need to do. You emphasize throughout your post that we need to be involved in what is happening around us, just like Thoreau and Wiesel wanted to the citizens to be involved in the wrong doings that were taking place in their society at the time. By saying "Let's be caring. Let's be spontaneous," you are calling out to your audience and encouraging them to be active ad how to be active. In order to be spontaneous and make a change, one needs to have the feeling inside of them urging them to do so. People need to fine the proper inner feeling instead of the indifferent one that is doing no help and will not lead to any spontaneity. The final sentence about being anything, but indifferent is powerful because of the examples you use to explain the point. By showing how two prominent people, such as Thoreau and Wiesel, spoke of indifference and that their speeches are still so popular today shows and enforces the fact that indifference is everywhere and people just become so accustomed to it that they do not know any different. It is something our society needs to change, so that we can become more prosperous and better people. My favorite thing about your post were the pictures you used. The opening picture with the definition of indifference was so effective because it really got your reader thinking. It was just enough for something to pop in their mind, like it did mine, and make them want to read more. The organization of you blog was excellent and the way you used the definition of compassionate at the very end was perfect. It was just enough. It did not need any explanation. It was a way for your audience to compare their actions, to think about the way they act, and to encourage them to act more compassionate towards other. I know that I have been trying to be more compassionate towards others after reading some of our essays and noticing the people and events that take place around me. I am so glad that I clicked on your blog and was able to read this post! It really stood out to me!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your blog in many ways. I agree that the two essays do parallel each other and the fact that you picked that up is very advanced and sophisticated. I also agree that us humans have become very lazy and indifferent from wars to the simple issues that we face daily. I liked how you told of each author using different rhetorical devices to get their messages across. We have been standing by for years and letting things like the holocaust and Japanese internment camps happen. We have watched millions of innocent people being killed over ideas that someone comes up with in their head to blame their issues on someone else. Another thing that humans do way too often is blame something on someone else because we don't want to own up to it ourselves and that's what leads to these events that cause people to become indifferent. I also really liked the parallel structure that you used in your call to action in the end. It was definitely effective. I really like the message of this blog.
ReplyDeleteThe parallelism between the two essays that you picked up on is very logical and sophisticated. I liked how to stated that each author of each essay used rhetorical devices effectively to help convey their messages. You also effectively ended the blog by using a call to action to end these horrible actions happening all around the world. We've been indifferent all this time, standing back and watching the world destroy itself. We need to to take action against these inhuman ideas and people like the Holocaust and Hitler. These destructive things keep destroying our world and the promising futures that we wish to see one day. Your blog really helps point out this problem and that we need to start taking a stand rather than being consistently indifferent about everything. We watch the world around us destroy itself hoping someone else will make the stand against this disastrous force, however we need to realize that we need to make the stand. We need to break the chain of indifference, to stand up against the horrible forces destroying our beloved world.
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