Apathy has become a norm in our society. People are "comfortably numb" because everyone around them is. Most people hate to be too different from the people around them because then, they stick out, and it opens them up for criticism or judgement from their peers. We voice our opinions or concerns for issues, but that's all we do. We 'raise awareness', not that there's anything wrong with that, but 'awareness' is not going to put food in the bellies of starving children if no acts on it after they become aware. I feel that people can be divided into groups based interior reasons for apathy. Some people are too lazy to do what needs to be done because "Becoming an activist takes practice..."(Callwood 444) and "For this ...We are out of tune" (Wordworth,The World is Too Much With Us). We are out of tune with the feelings of our fellow human beings. These people often believe that issues happening outside their immediate lives are none if our concern. We should let them sort their own issues out. How on earth is it not our concern when women in Afghanistan are being treated like property and have to hide their skin at all costs? (Veiled Threat: The Women of Afghanistan 429). Those women are people in need of help, and it shouldn't matter that they aren't from Canada. People are people, no matter where their drivers license says they are from. We need to put ourselves in the position of others in need and see the world from their point of view. But instead we see it from the five O' clock news perspective. Media really influences our opinions and perspectives, more than we think actually. It portrays tragedies and something that just happens, awful yes, but inevitable. So people accept what is happening as awful but feel helpless in doing anything about it. The media has connected money and status with activism in our heads and so people without money or status, feel like they can't make a difference. The media also distracts us and gets us angry about the wrong things or the right things for the wrong things. So while people are outraged, they barge in head first without any preparation (Callwood 444) and quickly get discouraged and give up. Which in turn makes the victims feel as though there is an international "...wall of silence..." (Armstrong 429) and that on a global scale there is a lot of "...talk and no action..." (Armstrong 429) Then there are people who aren't apathetic at all. They are passionate about helping others in need and do something about it. But the majority of the world feels threatened and defensive. It's as though they feel personally attacked by this persons activism, because they are guilty. So the activists actions are scrutinized and one miss step and the whole world is pouncing on it. People are disappointed but not surprised. This lack of surprise is a sure sign of how cynical we as a society have become. This newfound cynicism only fuels our apathetic attitudes. We expect horrifying news reports because it is the norm. It is only the norm because we are apathetic and do nothing to change it. It is an endless cycle we must break.