Apathy

Recently I went on a little rant to my students - pobrecitos! they really have to put up with a lot sometimes - about how we don't appreciate our abundance. I continue to think about that. Last night I was with a friend who told me that he's not really into politics. Hence, the title of this post. I think we have a responsibility to try to be politically active. I feel like a hypocrite because there is so much I don't know. However, I really think we have an obligation that many of us ignore to take an interest in our government. Otherwise, the historian in me says, like the cliche, history is doomed to repeat itself.

I think that our generation has been so blessed in having our own needs met (and even a lot of wants) that we selfishly don't think we need to worry about anything. And then there are people in dire need in places like Haiti. It makes me so mad at us. We have so much, even during these hard economic times. A lot of people in the world would probably much rather be in our "hard" times than in their current situations. If we don't take an interest in our government, how are we going to feel if things go south? And maybe it won't affect us too much. Maybe we won't have to reap the rewards of our apathy, but I kind of think somebody will - like maybe our children, or theirs. Why are we okay with doing that to them, especially when there have been many generations of people before us, working so that we could have this abundance that we enjoy?