When Do We Care?

Written by Barbara Erochina

I was on a plane about a week ago and decided to watch the “on-flight” television. While flipping through channels, I was surprised to find myself glued to a report on the war in Afghanistan. In the past, I have never been one to really focus on war or pay attention to the military. However, I recently made a close friend in the military, and even though they are currently in-country I caught myself newly interested in the combat occurring overseas.

It is a common phenomenon that most people care only about that which affects them or their loved ones directly. When I saw this same reaction in myself in relation to the war, I was at first disappointed. It seems sad that I care so little about people and their suffering until I am somehow directly connected to the situation. This really spoke of the growing disconnect between people for me.

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However, then I considered the issue from a micro perspective instead of a macro one. I only started caring about the war once it involved someone I cared about. Doesn’t this actually speak to the existence of human connection? It was after all my relationship with the soldier that made me care about the war in the first place.

Do you think we are growing more connected or disconnected globally? What about in our own communities and relationships?

Image credit: una cierta mirada