It’s easy to turn a blind eye to the problems in our society and lose ourselves in superficial activities. Whether it’s obsessing over celebrity gossip or staying glued to our phones and social media feeds, many of us opt for escapism and mindless entertainment over engaging with substantive issues.
This tendency toward apathy and ambivalence is understandable – reality can be ugly and overwhelming. Focusing on “fluff” provides a refuge, a way to avoid anxiety. But this comes at a cost. When we retreat from healthy values and ignore societal problems, we allow those issues to perpetuate and often worsen. Widening inequality, political polarization, climate change – these intensifying crises require civic awareness and participation to be addressed, changed, resolved, and healed.
Too often, we seek the comfort of indifference. We change the channel when images of suffering appear. Walking down the street, we keep our eyes forward, pretending people aren’t sleeping in doorways, smoking meth, or shooting up as they stand nodding in our path. We scroll past news of injustices or controversies, unwilling to have our peace disrupted. But this peace is an illusion that requires intentionally looking away from reality and living in a fantasy land.
Escapism has its place, but not at the expense of withdrawing completely from the world. We can allow ourselves to be entertained and recharged while also making time to be informed and engaged citizens. Apathy may seem soothing, but it distracts us from making a difference. We owe it not just to ourselves but to future generations to balance frivolity with awareness, to be moved by others’ struggles, and to elevate substance over distraction. The problems we ignore today will likely be the problems our children inherit tomorrow.
Our tendency toward indifference is natural, but we must challenge it. We can still enjoy lightness while committing to our shared work of fighting injustice, spreading compassion, and enacting positive change. The well-being of our relationships, communities, and society depends on each of us doing our part.
For those who are believers in God, let me tell ya... God isn't codependent. God will not do for us what it's our responsibility to take care of when we very well can. We just need to get our shit together and stop majoring in minor things and live with deep purpose. We must take responsibility for making this world a little better rather than waiting for divine intervention. By getting our priorities straight and living purposefully, we can create the change we wish to see.
一Dignity and Grace
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