The Startling Disconnect of Humanity: How Corruption and Injustice Roam Free

Details: Parent Category: News; Category: Activism; Published: 02 March 2012

An attitude of self preservation pervades modern society today, disconnecting the overall power of the human spirit. Often people are taught through various media outlets that life is to be lived with a ‘dog eat dog world’ philosophy. Struggling to survive in current times has given rise to a more apathetic and sometimes ruthless humanity. Of course these testing times are majority-wise not a result of the common man, but those at the top of the proverbial pyramid; the common man is the one that is most affected.

Some individuals are satisfied with a ‘just getting by’ attitude — a severe lack of personal contribution based on their desire to make sure that they themselves are fully content. This is the individual who sits idle as atrocities are committed across the globe, saying “it can’t happen to me.” Many people may not be inherently bad, and they may not go out of their way to cause others loss or pain, but while not going out of their way to contribute something meaningful either. This ‘idle’ mindset allows for widespread corruption as there is not a large body of individuals ready to resist it.

“First they came…” is a famous saying that was attributed to pastor Martin Niemöller regarding the lack of action taken against the Nazis during the World War 2 era. The statement accurately sums up how a lack of action can result in mass corruption, pain, and even death.

The saying goes like this:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

This in turn also means that people hardly ever lookout for their fellow man (or woman). As a result, people often find themselves without help when their own times of trouble come.

It’s important to recognize that life is something we all uniquely experience together. Without social classes or ideologies to guide us, we would find that most of the things we place value on in society are actually not important. Appearances, money, material things – energy wasted on empty pursuit in the form of expensive hobbies, entertainment, and especially meaningless endeavors governed by money.

Don’t be afraid to use your influence to make a difference in the lives of others. It means a lot more to help a person — or an entire population — with their life than it does to satisfy a more carnal desire. These kinds of decisions are often overlooked in the hustle of daily life, though they are some of the most important we can ever make. In a world where love is increasingly being taken out from interaction, life can become impersonal and cold. This won’t be the case, however if you have a wish for preservation.

It’s no crutch or weakness to rely on other people, but many people are unreliable because of their desire to help only themselves. Where does the solution start? With you. Your actions can prove to be a positive influence on others to the point where they will begin to do the same. It all starts with an injection of positive energy.