apathy

it currently has no title. We live in a era of of widespread apathy and disempowerment among the American public, a fact which has rightly caused a great deal of distress for many social justice activists. In public meetings, in forums, and now in the newly explored territory of internet blogs, we hear the word "apathy" uttered with a great deal of concern. Yet, for the amount of energy that is spent within the movement talking about the negative effects of apathy, only rarely is it discussed as to where these feelings come from, and why in many ways, they could be considered reasonable sentiments for non-activists to hold. Granted that apathy should not be reinforced or viewed as something that is necessarily positive, it remains none the less true that in today's society it may be considered a warranted notion. Carl Davidson, a member of the Students for a Democratic Society in the early 70's, and author of The New Radicals in the Multiversity, examines the response of students – or lack of one – to political events. In it he writes: "… we should view that apparent apathy among the majority of students with a certain qualified optimism… people's experience tells them nothing changes. Furthermore, if and when change does occur, students fully recognize that they were powerless to effect those changes. " He goes on to say that this apathy "reflects the reality of their powerlessness." When that reality confronts official rhetoric, it becomes readily apparent that one is living under a lie. This lie, based on the false notion of being able to participate in the running of our own lives, is not only present within the university, as many of today's students are fully aware, but also in society as a whole. In essence, apathy is the logical reaction to the fact that the institutions that are supposedly set up to represent and serve us, don't. It is the daily confrontation with this contradiction, this lie, along with the possibility of a viable alternative which can create the conditions for a revolution. This fact is true not only for students, but for society in general. (It should be noted that Davidson does not mean that students are literally powerless. This is because our role as students in any capitalist society is a vital one - the future working class - which gives us in fact a great deal of power both within the university and without.) It is the lack of understanding of apathy and its roots in modern society that, in my view, has led many activists to take on counterproductive attitudes in organizing. Often one hears the frustration in activists voices with the state of the American public, which to date has been less resistant to the Bush administration's policies than many would like to see. This frustration is not without basis; it is understandable as to why a politically impassioned individual would become discouraged by this seemingly disinterested majority. However, through feelings of superiority over the unenlightened (i.e. non-active) majority, this frustration can often lead to sentiments of elitism among activists, and can create a tendency toward isolation from the very society we wish to organize. Activists should instead, as Carl Davidson says, view the public's perceived apathy with a "qualified optimism," and replace the view of ourselves as enlightened and the rest of society as its opposite with an understanding that we are all in a process of political development. In actuality, what many perceive to be ignorance on the part of non-activists in fact demonstrates their intelligence in interpreting their role in society's institutions. Yet in recent moths, the apathy of the general public has to some extent dissapated with the effort of many young people to elect Illinois senator Barack Obama to the presidency. And while those on the far Left (myself included) have decried Obama as a sell-out, a wolf-in-sheeps-clothing, and so on, his election has nontheless put activists in an advantageous position. The election of a candidate who represents hope and change (regardless of the accuracy of this representation), due in no small part to the activities of community and ad-hoc organizations, has energized many previously disinterested individuals. Now, with Obama's seat secure, the energy which was used to get him into office has no where to go, leaving activists in a unique position as the most logical next-step for these proto-activists. We can now make the argument that since Obama has promised us all these positive things, and with our knowledge of to what extent politicians usually follow through with their promises, it is going to be our job for the next four years to make sure that change happens. What this demands of activists is a complete about-face in the organizational tendencies of isolation and marginalization. Activists should instead make every attempt to reach out to these newly-found leftists with messages of positive affirmation of their hopes and desires, and provide them with a new outlet to make change. Participating in the struggle will do the rest. Jake Allen Students for a Democratic Society

<p>it currently has no title.</p> <p> We live in a era of of widespread apathy and disempowerment among the American public, a fact which has rightly caused a great deal of distress for many social justice activists. In public meetings, in forums, and now in the newly explored territory of internet blogs, we hear the word "apathy" uttered with a great deal of concern. Yet, for the amount of energy that is spent within the movement talking about the negative effects of apathy, only rarely is it discussed as to where these feelings come from, and why in many ways, they could be considered reasonable sentiments for non-activists to hold.</p> <p> Granted that apathy should not be reinforced or viewed as something that is necessarily positive, it remains none the less true that in today's society it may be considered a warranted notion. Carl Davidson, a member of the Students for a Democratic Society in the early 70's, and author of The New Radicals in the Multiversity, examines the response of students – or lack of one – to political events. In it he writes:</p> <p>"… we should view that apparent apathy among the majority of students with a certain qualified optimism… people's experience tells them nothing changes. Furthermore, if and when change does occur, students fully recognize that they were powerless to effect those changes. "</p> <p>He goes on to say that this apathy "reflects the reality of their powerlessness." When that reality confronts official rhetoric, it becomes readily apparent that one is living under a lie. This lie, based on the false notion of being able to participate in the running of our own lives, is not only present within the university, as many of today's students are fully aware, but also in society as a whole. In essence, apathy is the logical reaction to the fact that the institutions that are supposedly set up to represent and serve us, don't. It is the daily confrontation with this contradiction, this lie, along with the possibility of a viable alternative which can create the conditions for a revolution. This fact is true not only for students, but for society in general.</p> <p> (It should be noted that Davidson does not mean that students are literally powerless. This is because our role as students in any capitalist society is a vital one - the future working class - which gives us in fact a great deal of power both within the university and without.)</p> <p> It is the lack of understanding of apathy and its roots in modern society that, in my view, has led many activists to take on counterproductive attitudes in organizing. Often one hears the frustration in activists voices with the state of the American public, which to date has been less resistant to the Bush administration's policies than many would like to see. This frustration is not without basis; it is understandable as to why a politically impassioned individual would become discouraged by this seemingly disinterested majority. However, through feelings of superiority over the unenlightened (i.e. non-active) majority, this frustration can often lead to sentiments of elitism among activists, and can create a tendency toward isolation from the very society we wish to organize.</p> <p> Activists should instead, as Carl Davidson says, view the public's perceived apathy with a "qualified optimism," and replace the view of ourselves as enlightened and the rest of society as its opposite with an understanding that we are all in a process of political development. In actuality, what many perceive to be ignorance on the part of non-activists in fact demonstrates their intelligence in interpreting their role in society's institutions.</p> <p> Yet in recent moths, the apathy of the general public has to some extent dissapated with the effort of many young people to elect Illinois senator Barack Obama to the presidency. And while those on the far Left (myself included) have decried Obama as a sell-out, a wolf-in-sheeps-clothing, and so on, his election has nontheless put activists in an advantageous position. The election of a candidate who represents hope and change (regardless of the accuracy of this representation), due in no small part to the activities of community and ad-hoc organizations, has energized many previously disinterested individuals. Now, with Obama's seat secure, the energy which was used to get him into office has no where to go, leaving activists in a unique position as the most logical next-step for these proto-activists. We can now make the argument that since Obama has promised us all these positive things, and with our knowledge of to what extent politicians usually follow through with their promises, it is going to be our job for the next four years to make sure that change happens. </p> <p> What this demands of activists is a complete about-face in the organizational tendencies of isolation and marginalization. Activists should instead make every attempt to reach out to these newly-found leftists with messages of positive affirmation of their hopes and desires, and provide them with a new outlet to make change. Participating in the struggle will do the rest.</p> <p>Jake Allen<br /> Students for a Democratic Society</p>