Just wanted to say hello and to clarify something: When you refer to Apathy as a sin, are you talking about being apathetic towards personal development in general?
Apathy is subjective and inavoidable.
Interesting stuff from what I've read so far. I generally prefer to lurk and read than participate, but it's nice to be here.
Just wanted to say hello and to clarify something: When you refer to Apathy as a sin, are you talking about being apathetic towards personal development in general?
I mean apathy in general. Not caring.
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Apathy is subjective and inavoidable.
I respectfully disagree (depending on what you mean of course).
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Interesting stuff from what I've read so far. I generally prefer to lurk and read than participate, but it's nice to be here.
Re:The sin of Apathy
« Reply #2 on: 2004-12-08 17:14:46 »
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Apathy is subjective and inavoidable.
I mean there's no such thing as apathy in general - it relates to every individual thing. Apathy towards the human rights crisis in Sudan, the state of your own government, the state of your own career, the state of your neighbours career, your best friend's dress sense, the way the woman in the post office looks at you, the way your children look at you.
I sense that I might have misunderstood it though, that's what I was asking originally.
I sense that I might have misunderstood it though, that's what I was asking originally.
You make a good point. It is not reasonable or desirable, let alone possible to care about everything equally (except for the degnerate case where you don't care about anything at all). So what *should* you care about? I think your suggestion of personal development is an excellent start. If you don't care about your own well being then why should anyone else care about your well being?
Re:The sin of Apathy
« Reply #4 on: 2005-08-27 03:35:15 »
It's apathy that makes me sorry for people who are unhealthily overweight. For me, if there is one thing worth caring for, it is my body and mind. I don't let paranoia get in my way of eating food I enjoy, but I try to balance with what I need for nutrition.
I think you guys are both right, just taking things from opposite ends. I cannot care passionately about everything that grasps my attention, but I care about some things. I think apathy is leaving ones energy undirected. Some people seem to direct their energy towards causes I find pointless, but they could see me the same way.
I was pleased to come across this site, I'm looking forward to reading through all that I can find. Some of it is a little over my head, but I enjoy a challenge.
Re:The sin of Apathy
« Reply #5 on: 2005-09-02 11:36:12 »
Good point. Perhaps the first step in avoiding apathy is to start caring about what you care about. How many people give it much conscious thought at all? Our resources are inevitably finite and we have to allocate our time and attention carefully, so the question is how?
Re:The sin of Apathy
« Reply #6 on: 2005-11-03 17:54:25 »
A Buddhist once told me compassion was the inability to tolerate the suffering of others. Perhaps apathy could be seen as the inability to tolerate the potential intensity of engaging with the world, a sort of existential fatigue. Just playing with words...
A Buddhist once told me compassion was the inability to tolerate the suffering of others. Perhaps apathy could be seen as the inability to tolerate the potential intensity of engaging with the world, a sort of existential fatigue. Just playing with words...
Interesting spin. I might also include "willful ignorance". It is kind of an indirect or 2nd order apathy when you would care if you know about something but choose to avoid learning about it.
'Caring' about apathy or being apathetic about 'caring'?
Hello all...
Is the subjective contents of one's caring (unless one's 'caring' is some sort of a meme and not a rational 'choice' in the Here/Now) relevent? Is the 'form' of that 'caring' relevent? The Xtians 'cared' to the extent of using the sword to propagate their 'cared-for' meme. Still do, as do the Arabs! I don't want someone 'caring' for me like that!
Is 'caring' not evidence of 'imbalance'? When one is not 'residing in one's center', there are aparent imbalances all over, hence, 'this' to care about and 'that' not to care for. Take this 'cause', not that one. Is it ok to just arbitrarily pick something to be 'passionate about' for a moment and then pick something else the next? With perhaps a century or a milennia between, to Be without having to 'Do'? Like a good discussion, it really matters not a whit what 'side' one chooses to support, the 'fire' is in the process, no? and the 'process' is but a 'game'?
Sorry, I really just don't care about apathy. *__-
A Buddhist once told me compassion was the inability to tolerate the suffering of others.
So he believed that compassion is an effect of a 'defect'? An 'inability' to tolerate what is?
I have found that compassion means (to me, anyway) that we recognise their need for their present condition, and give them our love and understanding.
Apathy is in many ways a heightened form of conceit. An aloofness of sorts. Apathy can also be viewed as self-protective (lack of social involvement) and self-deceptive, (doubting the veracity of one's passionate goals or ideals).
Apathy as a sin, in simple terms, not getting on the bus simply because it's painted a color you don't care for. Just one small opinion.
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. - Steven Weinberg, 1999
Re:The sin of Apathy
« Reply #13 on: 2007-10-20 15:39:39 »
ah , liturgical matters.
I also sometimes have major problems with apathy, my most lapsible virian moments. Apathy being the greatest sin my 18 year old self would have angrily spat about, my middle age finds me prioritizing slack and a quiet life, caring but unenthusiatic.
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