Apathy in Western Society and Why It Matters
In 1964, a twenty-eight year old woman Kitty Genovese was brutally murdered as onlookers watched. A reporter from the New York Times, Martin Gansberg, wrote an article on this tragedy titled “Thirty Eight Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call the Police”. Though not entirely accurate, this riveting piece touches on the apathy that plagues society. Why are people often complacent during a crisis? In the article “A Crisis of Empathy”, Farid Panjwani writes, “Lack of empathy or apathy is the disconnect with people considered to be the ‘other’ – ie, any individual or group that is considered to be ‘not one of us’.” He goes on to speak of this ‘self-other dichotomy’ that is prevalent in the world. The distance that individuals put between themselves and others by reducing people to singular identities despite the fact that many of us are similar. This lack of empathy coincides with the indifference that lead to the murder of Kitty Genovese. The witnesses may not have made a conscious decision to detach and be a bystander while Genovese was stabbed multiple times but their decisions still lead to the death of an innocent woman. In fact, the lack of awareness on most global tragedies correlates with Western society’s disregard for other humans. The causes and effects of apathy during a crisis are many and though not all causes are negative, every effect is detrimental and does nothing to cease crises.
Kitty Genovese was a young lesbian bar owner living in New York City in the early 1960s. Known in life only by loved ones as a talkative, sweet, and independent woman, her death remains infamous. Stephanie Merry writes an account of Kitty’s brother, Bill Genovese, and how her death affected him. “People don't remember the vivacious bar manager, the prankster, the beloved big sister. They remember a victim.” (Merry) Unfortunately, she is still best known for her grisly murder and the fact that no one aided her simply because of the article written by Gansberg. Her case led to the concept of the ‘bystander effect’ popularized by psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley. The ‘bystander effect’ is a theory that explains why people may be reluctant to intervene in an emergency. This type of apathy is highly impacted by social influence and diffusion of responsibility. Despite the fact that there were not thirty-eight eyewitnesses to her murder, there were definitely a few who did see her being stalked and stabbed in public. The accounts of her death differ so much from person to person; it is impossible to give an accurate depiction of what actually happened on that day. However, it can be argued that the people who convinced themselves that helping her was not their responsibility did have a part in her murder. Her eventual death was a result of a lack of empathy whether or not it was five people or thirty-eight; it is probable that her life could have continued had just one of them called the police.
Another popular case of apathy in Western society and media is apathy towards school shootings. Since Columbine in 1999, there have been over fifty mass school shootings. Mass shootings, in general, are something very specific to Western society though largely in America. Of course, the most recently known school shooting is Parkland. In some instances, especially this one, people have decided that it is no longer time to remain uninvolved and do nothing when faced with such an immense issue. There are so many questions as to why this is something that is very specific to America. Psychologists, news reporters, and many others all have different theories as to why these shootings continue and why nothing actually helpful is being done to prevent them. Many mass school shootings have happened before Parkland but in this case the students are determined to make people care. In the past, mass shootings seem to have been the news for a week and slowly filtered out until it was no longer something that troubled Americans. Disasters occur regularly and the media bombards us with tragedy after tragedy. Most Americans are guilty of pretending to be oblivious or having to for the sake of their mental and emotional health. Though understandable, it is dangerous to ignore these problems that only increase the longer they are ignored. Time writer, Jamie Ducharme, acknowledges the reasons why it has become easier to shut out mass violence in article “Here's Why You Can Shut Out the Shock of Mass Shootings”. Ducharme quotes psychologist, Jeff Temple, in which he states “…that steady exposure to violent news coverage and other media is likely contributing to mass desensitization, simply because it becomes so routine. What was shocking five or 10 years ago is now ordinary.” Our numbness to school shootings and other appalling events has only made it easier for it to continue happening.
Murder, mass and otherwise have been central to America since its birth. Although specific to the U.S., American apathy in terms of global and international crises continuously affects other countries due to a lack of knowledge and solidarity. American media is so often focused on only America that we remain ignorant of world affairs. Duke Chronicle, an independent news organization at Duke University, assesses the apathy within Western society and examines why there is little coverage on international tragedies. The article mentions a terrorist attack “…resulting in upwards of 300 civilian casualties and hundreds of others left with severe injuries from the blast. Families were destroyed and lives were irreparably changed in a matter of seconds after an explosive-laden truck detonated, causing what was the most fatal terrorist attack to occur in Somalia and one of the world’s largest since 9/11.” Even though it was covered by some popular publications, it still had to compete with front page drivel, like Taylor Swift’s eating habits. Western media has constantly disregarded matters that affect second and third world nations while focusing on trivialities. It almost seems to be deliberate but it could also simply be that we are often generally unconcerned about other countries as ours is in such disarray. Our lack of awareness affects those countries and leads to not only a skewed world view but also the inability to recognize their suffering. It is often assumed that non-Western nations are rife with constant devastation which is degrading and insulting. It is imperative that Western media does not ignore the world and keeps the public informed.
What lead to Kitty Genovese’s murder, school shootings, and the lack of coverage on horrific international events all have in common a distinct lack of general care for our fellow man. Had someone intervened before Genovese was stabbed a second time, she would have survived. Inaction and lack of guidance, parental and otherwise, has continually made school shootings possible. Parkland students are making themselves heard so that this will not continue to happen and it is imperative that we stand with them. Support can be quite simple but powerful which is why not only our country needs it but other countries too. Learning of their problems can offer insight to incidents within our own society. In every single case mentioned above, something could have or still be changed if people at least sympathized and did their best to assist. Nothing can change what has already occurred, yet many of us still have the power to keep ourselves knowledgeable and aware so that we can aid each other. As they say, “if you see something, say something.”
Works Cited
Ducharme, Jamie. “How Our Brains Shut Out Shock After Mass Shootings.” Time, Time, 24 Jan. 2018, time.com/5116457/kentucky-marshall-county-shooting-desensitization/.
“Examining Western Apathy.” The Chronicle, Duke University, 30 Oct. 2017, www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/10/examining-western-apathy.
Merry, Stephanie. “Her Shocking Murder Became the Stuff of Legend. But Everyone Got the Story Wrong.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 29 June 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/her-shocking-murder-became-the-stuff-of-legend-but-everyone-got-the-story-wrong/2016/06/29/544916d8-3952-11e6-9ccd-d6005beac8b3_story.html?utm_term=.d5631e9c3985.
Panjwani, Farid. “A Crisis of Empathy.” Opinion | Thenews.com.pk | Karachi, The News International, 14 Mar. 2018, www.thenews.com.pk/print/292021-a-crisis-of-empathy.