And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor -- never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. You denounce it. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. And now, I stand before you, Mr. President -- Commander-in-Chief of the army that freed me, and tens of thousands of others -- and I am filled with a profound and abiding gratitude to the American people. Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger and hatred. Eric A. Friedman It is therefore not an act of courage to refuse to feel. Your email address will not be published. The Jewish refugees on board the St. Louis were turned away from Cuba, and then from the United States, before they were accepted into various countries throughout Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium. But indifference is never creative. If you are indifferent to something, it means that you do not care about it. What he does know is how many people suffered and died throughout the 20th century, and he also knows that a lot of the bad stuff seems to still be happening all around the world. I don't understand. In paragraph 6, Elie Wiesel states, Indifference reduces the Other to an abstraction. What do you think he means by this? In the place that I come from, society was composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims, and the bystanders. Its like a cancer which attacks the soul. In the place that I come from, society was composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims, and the bystanders. It doesn't relieve us of our duties or obligations, but it does make them harder to fulfill if we don't take care of ourselves first. Are peopleafraid ofa very challengedfriend and don\t know what to say or do? ), because they are criminals (and what combination of poor education, abuse, violent neighborhoods, economic hardships, contributed to their plight?). Hi speech lovers,With costs of hosting website and podcast, this labour of love has become a difficult financial proposition in recent times. nonobvious This means not acting like monsters toward others. I think I have done that bit', BAFTA acceptance, Leading Actress - 2019, Axel Scheffler: 'The book wasn't called 'No Room on the Broom! (7). Use of anguish brings out deep emotions of the character. Georgetown University Law Center humans are treated as humans. Whereas, 'pain' refers to a feeling of suffering caused by a damage. Indifference reduces the Other to an abstraction. Etymologically, the word means \no difference.\ A strange and unnatural state in which the lines blur between light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil. He doesnt seem to notice Floyd at all. answer choices . [I]ndifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. nonobvious Mr. President, Mrs. Clinton, members of Congress, Ambassador Holbrooke, Excellencies, friends: Fifty-four years ago to the day, a young Jewish boy from a small town in the Carpathian Mountains woke up, not far from Goethe's beloved Weimar, in a place of eternal infamy called Buchenwald. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Jeff Zelevansky/Reuters/Corbis. Perhaps no other feature of White attitudes is as cumulatively responsible for the pain and privation experienced by our nations Black minority at this point in our history as is indifference, he wrote. Is indifference, that state of being, Wiesel asks, necessary in order to cope with our rough world? They devote their lives to Adam\s maximum possible recovery and comfort in his body. Why is indifference tempting and seductive? The Auschwitz Pledge Foundation was established to fight indifference to manifestations of discrimination, especially racism, antisemitism, misogyny as well as discrimination against migrants and refugees and LGBTQIA+ people. 2. Oh, we see them on television, we read about them in the papers, and we do so with a broken heart. Are we less insensitive to the plight of victims of ethnic cleansing and other forms of injustices in places near and far? There was no superhuman strength because there is no such thing as a superhuman, prosecutor Steve Schleicher said in his closing arguments. One writes a great poem, a great symphony. It was his way of witnessing the genocide that eliminated his family along with millions of other Jews. Studies on historical episodes of intergroup violence and conflicts have underlined the complicit role of bystanders in extreme intergroup dynamics. How is one to explain their indifference? "Indifference," as Elie Wiesel defines it, is nuanced and complicatedand not at all innocent. You denounce it. On July 24, 1998 his son, Adam Dzialo, drowned. Drop by. The only thing that everyone forms of indifference has in common is that they all involve some type of neglect. One writes a great poem, a great symphony. They may appear cold to you, but inside they are still feeling as if you weren't important enough to matter to them. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another persons pain and despair. All of us did. And then, of course, the joint decision of the United States and NATO to intervene in Kosovo and save those victims, those refugees, those who were uprooted by a man, whom I believe that because of his crimes, should be charged with crimes against humanity. It is a type of rationalization that we use to justify our inaction. They widened in disbelief. And so, once again, I think of the young Jewish boy from the Carpathian Mountains. For 35 points: You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser. Their hidden or even visible anguish is of no interest. Indifference reduces the other to an abstraction" (Elie Weisel Nobel Peace Prize Speech). And, therefore, their lives are meaningless. Global Health Justice Scholar, Elie Wiesel speaks at a UN General Assembly special session in 2005 commemorating the Holocaust. According to Wiesel, our very humanity depends on doing whatever we can to help people suffering around the world, to protect them from governments and groups of people intent on erasing their existences simply because they are different. In a way, to be indifferent to that suffering is what makes the human being inhuman. Yet, for the person who is indifferent, his or her neighbor are of no consequence. (81-85). When we talk about racism, we often focus on spectacular acts of cruelty. Why have American presidents refused for decades to use the term genocide in describing the atrocities committed against Armenians by the Ottoman E The Psychology of Ignorance What causes "indifference" as a psychological condition? Imagine their collective sense of betrayal when they realized that world leaders had known what was going onand did nothing. Communicate it with a card. Racism needs indifference like a plant needs water and sunlight. Over there, behind the black gates of Auschwitz, the most tragic of all prisoners were the "Muselmanner," as they were called. In particular, indifference is "more dangerous than anger and hatred." It is "not a beginning, it is an end." It is "not only a sin, it is a punishment" (par 11-13). My expectationsare different. Indifference not hate may be the biggest obstacle to police reform. Why is it so hard to ask for forgiveness? White indifference is why its harder for Black and brown people to vote in some states than for White people. Much of the progress on police reform, though, will boil down to this: Will enough lawmakers and judges see Black and brown people who are being brutalized by the justice system as fellow human beings? What is the best description of originality? indifference, in the mathematical theory of probability, a classical principle stated by the Swiss mathematician Jakob Bernoulli and formulated (and named) by the English economist John Maynard Keynes in A Treatise on Probability (1921): two cases are equally likely if no reason is known why either case should be the preferable one. Never just remember someone. elicit Even hatred at times may elicit a response. Use of anguish refers to stronger pain one might feel. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. Indifference reduces the Other to an abstraction. They are us', Address to Parliament following Christchurch massacre - 2019, Dolores Ibrruri: "No Pasarn!, They shall not pass! "Even hatred at times may elicit a response. Indifference is more dangerous than anger or hatred, as it reduces others to an abstraction and never elicits a response or creates anything positive. In fact, it exacerbates the problem because by ignoring the victims and what they're experiencing, you're making their suffering worse. It is indifference that can "reduce the other to an abstraction" (par 8). It originally appeared on Phil\s website, and he offers this in the hope that it helps others. (20-22). Liberated a day earlier by American soldiers, he remembers their rage at what they saw. She wants to share herstory with thosewho have experienced life altering events andwith the people and the communities who surround them. The author describes what indifference means to him as well. Indifference. Elie Wiesel is a big fan of rhetorical questions, but they always serve a purpose. What is indifference? Given the promotion of the book, articles and photos in our hometown media (where Adam spent his first 21 years), announcementsthrough social networking, I expect a resurgence of humans into Adam\s life. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugeesnot to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. (2835). As activists press for more changes in the wake of the verdict, Chauvins face could serve as a sober reminder. appreciated. Indifference reduces the other to an abstraction" (Perils of Indifference). He once said: "Indifference is the enemy of human dignity. Indifference is not a response. (109-111). Elie Wiesel does acknowledge that the 20th century wasn't all bad. We will not be hiding from suffering, but confronting it. Yet, for the person who is indifferent, his or her neighbor are of no consequence. Losing that means losing touch with what humanity really means. The Rev. In the place that I come from, society was composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims, and the bystanders. Why did some of America's largest corporations continue to do business with Hitler's Germany until 1942? It is knowing that thousands of people die every day of easily avoidable causes, but living your life as though oblivious to that reality, except perhaps an occasional gift to charity. Is there a philosophy of indifference conceivable? They say hindsight is 20-20, and it's a clich for a reason. Allow a caretaker to go out to supper once every so often. He believes that ignoring a person's misery makes it easier to look at that person as something less than human. I don't understand. This can lead them to feel worthless or uncared for. One day, when he refused to bow down to a Nazi dictator, he was arrested and imprisoned for three months. Over there, behind the black gates of Auschwitz, the most tragic of all prisoners were the "Muselmanner," as they were called. It's White indifference that allows so many Black and brown students to go to. (13-16). 2023 Cable News Network. Your article challenges me on many frontsmy initial gut reaction was to think back at promises I may have made that I didnt follow through with. . (62-63). Our team has experience in preserving and safeguarding the . An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Indifference is using another person as a way to escape your own problems. They're unbelievably difficult to look at, and the part of your brain designed to protect you from unpleasant things probably has you wondering if the pictures could really be real. You denounce it. ABSTRACT. 'Anguish' means 'severe pain' or anxiety. ', Illustrator of the Year, British Book Awards - 2018, Tina Fey: 'Only in comedy is an obedient white girl from the suburbs a diversity candidate', Kennedy Center Mark Twain Award - 2010, Sacha Baron Cohen: 'Just think what Goebbels might have done with Facebook', Anti Defamation League Leadership Award - 2019, Greta Thunberg: 'How dare you', UN Climate Action Summit - 2019, Charlie Munger: 'The Psychology of Human Misjudgment', Harvard University - 1995, Lawrence O'Donnell: 'The original sin of this country is that we invaders shot and murdered our way across the land killing every Native American that we could', The Last Word, 'Dakota' - 2016. What is the speaker referring to in lines 21 and 24 of the poem "If? Indifference reduces the Other to an abstraction. (107-108). Over there, behind the black gates of Auschwitz, the most tragic of all prisoners were the "Muselmanner," as they were called. Using anguish instead of pain makes the suffering more intense and adds a more intense tone to the whole passage as well. Chauvins eyes darted about in panic. Copyright A.D. 2018 Catholic Stand | Powered by Astra, Like a Rock: Pope Francis Takes the Kepha Approach. At least the racists recognize that they exist they see them, even if their vision is clouded by hate. A strange and unnatural state in which the lines blur between light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil. You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser. King later spent days in solitary confinement writing his "Letter From Birmingham Jail," which stirred the world by explaining why Black people couldn't keep waiting for fair treatment. This time, we do respond. This time, we intervene. The late Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel once said, The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference., Wiesel said that to the indifferent person, his or her neighbor are of no consequence Their hidden or even visible anguish is of no interest. Our definition derives from being our word. When the ship of Jewish refugees arrived in Cuba and was turned away, the captain turned to the United States for help. Anguish also means a kind of pain, but it denotes extreme, almost unbearable pain. It is so much easier to look away from victims. Thus, its use raises the intensity of the language used by the author. Expectations drive our lives. Is it a philosophy? Indifference can also be a sign of mental illness. Can you give 3 things about what to write in each paragraph? And the prosecutors at his trial recognized that it was his indifference, not just his cruelty, that was a big part of why Floyd died. Its hard, though, to dramatize White indifference. ', Defense of 2nd Spanish Republic - 1936, Jimmy Reid: 'A rat race is for rats. Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger and hatred. Never wonder if it\s permissible to visit. There is social indifference, which means ignoring other people's needs and desires. There is emotional indifference, which means failing to care about someone's feelings. What causes the psychological condition of indifference? Wiesel says this experience made him aware of the danger of being indifferent toward other people's suffering. And throughout it all, they believed the rest of the world had no idea what was going on. Keep writing, you and his mom are Adams voice to the world and I have a feeling that his impact on the world is far from complete. abandon We felt that to be abandoned by God was worse than to be punished by Him. (104-106). Does it mean that we have learned from the past? And that ship, which was already in the shores of the United States, was sent back. convergent Caring for others is difficult. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair. The devotion and care that you and your wife give to your son is beyond admirable. The depressing tale of the St. Louis is case in point. History suggests that this will be a huge challenge, because the resiliency of White indifference is often underestimated. It is so much easier to avoid such rude interruptions to our work, our dreams, our hopes. And, therefore, their lives are meaningless. Does it mean society has changed? For us to be ignored by God was a harsher punishment than to be a victim of His anger. Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc. to refer to anything or anyone originating in Africa? 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. Perhaps Exhibit 17 of the Chauvin trial will change that. Are we less insensitive to the plight of victims of ethnic cleansing and other forms of injustices in places near and far? There are people in all of our lives to whom we should be offering more of our attention and compassion. That will go down as one of the defining images of our era because it tells a story about racism that many people dont want to hear. Elie believes indifference is worse than hate because it implies that someone's suffering isn't worth rumination and consideration. It is doing something that denies or removes their importance or value. It's a static feeling because nothing changes. And the illustrious occupant of the White House then, who was a great leader -- and I say it with some anguish and pain, because, today is exactly 54 years marking his death -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt died on April the 12th, 1945. You could be indifferent to someone you love or something that concerns you. elicit It doesn't involve actions, so it is much more difficult to fight. It is so easy for one to simply take feeling out of all perspectives in life. Is it because (12 years ago)many promised to walk by our side for as long as it takes and disappeared? Can one possibly view indifference as a virtue? Indifference reduces the Other to an abstraction. Even hatred at times may elicit a response. Even anger, according to Wiesel, is a more positive action than indifference. He was eventually released without charge. They acted when they saw bad things happening around the world, and even though it didn't put a stop to all the trauma and suffering, taking action, on a small scale or on a large scale, will always be incredibly important. Indifference reduces the Other to an abstraction. In fact, after the Americans liberated Buchenwald in 1945, they forced locals to march through the camp to see what had happened there and what they'd ignored. Indifference is both individual and societal. But indifference is never creative. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. Is it necessary at times to practice it simply to keep one's sanity, live normally, enjoy a fine meal and a glass of wine, as the world around us experiences harrowing upheavals? Images and soundbites from the Derek Chauvin trial will linger in peoples memories for years. But in at least posing, struggling with these questions, we will no longer be a society of indifference. Catholic Doctrine and the Sunday Readings for May 2023, The Chosen: Lightness and Letting Jesus Laugh, What is AI and Where is it Going? Aremy expectations unrealistic or hasty? He understood those who needed help. In a way, to be indifferent to that suffering is what makes the human being inhuman. indifference: [noun] the quality, state, or fact of being indifferent. We are on the threshold of a new century, a new millennium. America was built by folks searching for religious freedom, and Wiesel doesn't understand how such a place could turn its back on 1,000 people looking for that same freedomespecially when they'd heard whispers about the kinds of horrors happening in the Nazi-controlled parts of Europe. ", Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Nobel Laureate, and author (most famously known for Night), gave this impassioned speech as part of the Millennium Lecture series, hosted, Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus, Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines. The look on Chauvins face is one of bored disinterest. There was one moment, however, when Chauvins look of indifference broke. His sunglasses are perched on his head and his hands rest in his pocket. Indifference is the inability to feel deeply; it is the lack of sensitivity that allows some people to treat others without compassion or remorse. Elie Wiesel is talking about FDR's response to the St. Louis (which we discuss in the "Timeline" section). The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Better an unjust God than an indifferent one. And together we walk towards the new millennium, carried by profound fear and extraordinary hope. This is why indifference is such a dangerous trait. Yet, for the person who is indifferent, his or her neighbor are of no consequence. Indifference elicits no response. Will it discourage other dictators in other lands to do the same? D. Only Why was there a greater effort to save SS murderers after the war than to save their victims during the war? (86-91). Finally, indifference can hurt society by keeping suffering hidden. Indifference is not a response. Indifference reduces the other to an abstraction. Sixty years ago, its human cargo -- nearly 1,000 Jews -- was turned back to Nazi Germany. Indifference or apathy is a state in which we do not care and/or do not act on what is going on around us. Even hatred at times may elicit a response. So much violence; so much indifference. They said Chauvin and other officers at the scene talked about the smell of Floyds feet and idly picked stones from a vehicles tire while Floyd died in front of them. I was here and I will never forget it. We have no value as human other than as much as we are true to our word. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair. He was finally free, but there was no joy in his heart. The only flicker of emotion on his face is his annoyance at the crowd that has gathered to plead for Floyds life. . Wrapped in their torn blankets, they would sit or lie on the ground, staring vacantly into space, unaware of who or where they were, strangers to their surroundings. History is going to judge us for our actions, so we better be sure the legacy we leave is the right one. Wiesel believes that indifference is on par with what the Nazis didsure, the bystanders might not have killed anyone, but they also didn't try and stop it. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees -- not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. He thought there never would be again. People who are indifferent can be seen as cold, aloof, disinterested, unmotivated, and lacking in passion. Those non-Jews, those Christians, that we call the "Righteous Gentiles," whose selfless acts of heroism saved the honor of their faith. Wiesel wants to be clear that, in some cases, people did learn from the Holocaust and World War II. What are its courses and inescapable consequences? What should you do when you get a rejection letter? They were dead and did not know it. Copyright 2020 - 2023 Authors Cast Inc. What did Elie Wiesel say about indifference? Indifference distorts a person's perception of others and the dignity that each person possesses. Thank you. There is physical indifference, which involves not feeling any pain or pleasure due to illness or injury. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Their hidden or even visible anguish is of no interest. But the look of disinterest in Chauvins eyes is a reminder that indifference not just hate is a critical part of how racism works. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair. What will the legacy of this vanishing century be? White indifference is why it's harder for Black and brown people to vote in some states than for White people. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. And this is one of the most important lessons of this outgoing century's wide-ranging experiments in good and evil. Elie also believes that indifference causes others pain and suffering. They focused relentlessly on Chauvins casual body language during his arrest of Floyd and the lack of concern on his face as he pinned Floyd to the ground. And that ship, which was already in the shores of the United States, was sent back. "Even hatred at times may elicit a response. There is no higher place in the universe than that reserved for those who honor the lives and the value of the resilient spirit of the profoundly affected by trauma at birth or by accident. When he was 12 years old andat a summer camp,he was under water for twenty-five minutes which eventually resulted in a disabled body but produced an indomitable spirit and brilliant soul. Which of the following best supports the claim that indifference is tempting? "The Perils of Indifference" is a call to action, to remind everyone that they have a duty to respond to indifference and intolerance because their legacyas well as their humanitydepends on it. Indifference makes Black pain invisible just as it did with Floyd. In a 1999 White House address raising the perils of indifference, Elie Wiesel offered these reflections: Of course, indifference can be tempting more than that, seductive.
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