Indifference is Futile
You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.
— Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Indifference is Elie's Effigy and the Opposite of Hate
Indifference is Futile
You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.
— Martin Luther (1483-1546)
The titled responsion is "Indifference is Futile." To understand the reference, you really need to understand Elie Wiesel's concept that the opposite of love is not hate; it's indifference. Now the futile resonance should emerge as something worth thinking about.
Martin Luther
I don't mean to elevate Elie over Martin and so let's spend a little more time on what was not said; it's my responsibility as a writer and quite possibly your responsibility as a thinker.
The biggest issue I can think of that is not discussed is overpopulation and what to do about it. Of course, the issue emerges from the context of climate change and the possibility of biodiversity collapse. Indifference to human suffering is simply a result of the staggering number of people on this planet. Last time I checked our global population was at 8.9 billion. What if we simply don't have enough resources to provide everyone with the necessities and basic dignity that they deserve?
Indifference is the Litmus Test
No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.
— Adam Smith (1723-1790)
As the titled responsion indicates, indifference by the few about the many is something that makes society sickly.
Testing for indifference is not necessary; the results are self-evident and divide society. As noted in the above meme, the reference to Elie's Effigy is a reference to Nazi concentration camp survivor and author Elie Wiesel, who said,
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.
Adam Smith
The poor and miserable indicate a failure of the state, personal responsibility or both. Most likely, a combination of both is this current political approach. Is there a better way? Snip away!
The scissors will provide the snip, snip, but it's up to you, my friend to decide what to parse. Prosperity lies on the other side of what is purged.
Indifference
The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.
One of John F. Kennedy's favorite quotations, which he attributed to Dante, was;
The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality.
— Oct 17, 2010
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies. To be in the window and watch people being sent to concentration camps or being attacked in the street and do nothing, that's being dead.
US News & World Report (27 October 1986)[1]
The planksip writers' cooperative is sponsoring a re-writing of this article (1,500 words) with $1,500 CAD in prize money for the best article as voted by your peers in the planksip writer's cooperative. Judged by your peers, your chance to join a community of creative thinkers and win over $750,000 CAD in prize money is your entry point into becoming a planksip journalist.
We want to change the way people engage. The planksip organic platform is dedicated to supporting your voice as a writer and a thought leader. Join today, membership matters!
Daniel Sanderson