Citizens versus consumers: the rise of apathy

I've recently joined a local reading group. Currently we are reading Robert Bly's Sibling Society. In a nutshell, Bly argues that the destabilization of the nuclear family, particularly the absence of a stable father figure, has created a society of "half baked adults"; frozen in adolescence and unwilling to grow up. This can be seen in the recent trends of hyper-capitalism, declining wages, corporate irresponsibility, environmental degradation, and a reckless adherence to literalism and fundamentalism.

Although there are some problematic assertions in this book--namely Bly's unrealistic faith in traditional patriarchal values and his idealistic belief that poetic and mythological masturbation can save humanity from itself--there are some compelling points.

I've been particularly intrigued by his explanation of the propensity of contemporary adults to embrace selfishness and apathy. Bly explains this situation in the following paragraph taken from the book Sibling Society:

"In the suburbs and small towns, parents are subtly modeling for their children non combative speech--which the CNN anchors have already modeled for them. Many college teachers tell me stories of the strange silence in their classes; and the silence has an economic orgin. They are in college in order to get a job. The literature of social protest--Dreiser, Steinbeck--produces no resonating passions for justice. Many columnists recently have detailed the rapid decline in citizen participation, in fraternal orders, church sodalities, parent-teacher associations, and so on. The heat for public welfare is cooling."

According to Bly, this lamentable situation is the direct result of the sibling society creating adults who lack impulse-control and who indulge in unrestrained ego-gratification. Empathy cannot flourish in the hearts of individuals who are obsessed with acquiring material possessions while simultaneously alienating themselves by acquiring the newest technological gadgets.

Focusing on material possessions, gaining wealth and shirking public responsibility creates a nation of consumers rather than citizens. Whereby citizens see themselves as part of a community and feel some responsibility for the public welfare,conversely--consumers are predominately concerned with the self. Social justice concerns, empathy, creativity, ingenuity, poetry are all spurned in favor of the superficiality of the consumerist society.

I see this infiltration of selfishness and apathy in the college classes I take. When there is mention of social justice issues, immigrant or gay rights, race issues or whenever American exceptionalism is questioned there is often an unsettling silence that ensues. It feels as if there is an invisible authority in the room shushing any dissention from popular ideology.

I am also aware of this epidemic of apathy occasionally when I am engaged in the subject of immigration. Some people will merely shrug their shoulders and say "discrimination has always existed and there is no way to get rid of it." This illustrates apathy at its most dangerous. Imagine if women suffragists had succumbed to apathy--women would have never gained the right to vote. What if Paul Rusesabagina had turned his back on the thousands of Tutsi refugees in Rwanda who were facing extermination? Suppose the Allies during World War II had never battled against the Nazi tyranny because--well they just didn't care what happened to innocent people in the throes of unimaginable horror?

Yes, discrimination, in one form or another has always existed and probably always will. However, when we engage in apathy, we are allowing the basest and most destructive elements of human nature to reign supreme and unrestrained. By becoming engaged and active citizens, rather than passive consumers, we can encourage the structures of society to promote and encourage more positive and constructive behaviors rather than encouraging the destructive ones.