The Danger of Indifference

“You have before you unlimited possibilities⎯do not wast a moment in indifference,” pleaded one observer on the subject. “Indifference is not wisdom. More often than not it is moral laziness…life is so short, and youth the shortest…of all…Think of the daily waste of [indifference]…Indifference is one of the greatest dangers in a [young person’s] path.”

“Indifference never wrote great works, nor thought out striking inventions, nor reared the solemn architecture that awes the soul, nor breathed sublime music, nor painted glorious pictures,…” “I find it necessary to pint out,” said Pascal, “the sinfulness fo those…who live in indifference…”

Indifference, the dictionary suggests, is “lack of feeling for, or against; apathy; neutrality; inertia; carelessness; negligence; lack of interest…cold or unsympathetic detachment.”

“We are cold to others,” said William Hazlitt, “only when we are dull in ourselves.” One cannot learn much in indifference. Indeed, one can scarcely imaging living life and be indifferent to it.

The opposite of indifference is interest, involvement, desire to learn, to improve, to be a participating part.

“Whatever you may do or leave undone, try never to say ‘I don’t care,’ or at least try not to thing it…[the] ‘I don’t care’ attitude is a waste of life.”

“…with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” said our Savior.

“God grant us the gift of involvement in life, enjoyment of it, use of it, interest in it, appreciation for it, contributing to it, and getting the best from it, and help us avoid the dullness of indifference.