Combating Apathy and Hypocrisy

Flavus Aquila

Flavus Aquila

Finding My Place in the Sun
Banned
MBTI
INTJ - A
Enneagram
10000
I don't know about where everyone else lives, but where I live life is getting shittier and shittier every day.

There's more crime, domestic disputes, vandalism, racism, hedonism, puritanism, don't give a shit-ism. It's getting so that neighbours don't even greet each other any more when they see each other.

On top of that, whenever I vist old aquaintences I am worried because everyone I know is giving up their hobbies, giving up going out (in both the social and recreational/sport&exercise senses), etc.

Basically, it seems as though apathy is rife.

Worse than that, everyone is becoming hyper-critical about international affairs that don't really have anything but a very, very indirect bearing on their lives. Everyone complains about a politician who did this, or a Church leader who said that, or a disaster here, or a famine there... but no one is willing to lift a finger to do anything about it. - Hence the hypocrisy.

What do people here do to get loved ones / people you care about out of total apathy about their lives?.. and maybe start doing something about things instead of just bitching about them?


(I am a hypocrite, by the way... but I want ideas to get out of the rut).
 
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I'm apathetic enough that most people in the rut I just leave in the rut. :ohwell:

But some people I'll start nudging. I have a friend irl who's rather apathetic about changing his life situation (under-employed). I bug him about it now and then. He knows how crappy it is, but isn't doing a whole lot to change things. I'll needle him about it to get him to take action. And in doing so, it reminds me that I need to live life and not merely watch life go by. Sometimes the best thing a friend can give is a good kick in the butt.
 
I know what you mean.

I don't nagg people because it is usually counter-productive. A good kick in the butt, but someone who cares sometimes gets me going.

Nagging seems intrusive when people do it to me, but when someone shows they care (without nagging) it makes a difference.
 
Yeah. Nagging is disgusting. But a good swift kick - a verbal push from someone who cares, but not constant like dripping faucet - is needed sometimes.

Do you find that apathy and creativity exist at opposite ends of the spectrum? When I'm apathetic I know I need to be creative - to find some outlet. But I loathe it at the same time, and resist doing anything creative. It's like both ends of the spectrum each have their own pull. If that makes sense...
 
Ah, depression again. Yeah, that's the link.

And going back to hypocrisy - the only other INFJ I know in real life has called me on it several times. And since I trusted her to begin with, I listened seriously to her. And now I see it. And I hate being hypocritical. So I try to see it wherever it exists, and I fight against it when I see it.
 
It seems that the best way to eradicate a bad tendency it to exercise the opposite tendency.

But what's the opposite of hypocrisy?

Sincerity is one thing, but most hypocrites are sincere. Is it doing things? That seems the opposite of apathy.
 
We all lead lives of hypocrisy. If I flat out refused to live my life as a hypocrite I'd probably be broke and maybe even in jail.
I'm not a hypocrite at heart and detest the whole concept but the way I live makes me one.
To live a life of non-hypocrisy I'd have to be alone on a desert island and even then I'd probably find ways to be a hypocrite!
 
Hypocrisy is a fact of human life. We judge others for the things we least like about ourselves.

Apathy can only be combated by action. Somebody has to get up and get the ball rolling. As such, apathy is the natural sign that there isn't effective leadership around.
 
Sumone: that's the frustrating part.

Dragon: I think things definitely are worse now than they used to be. As a kid I could go to the corner store unaccompanied without danger. Kids can't do that any more. Just five or six years ago, people would still greet each other when passing on the street. What I've noticed now is that almost no one walks anywhere and if there are people walking, they very carefully avoid making any sort of eye-contact.

Satya: Do you think INFJ's could be good leaders in the sense you are speaking about?









Edit: reading Satya's response below: it's so true it's shocking.
 
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Flavus Aquila said:
Satya: Do you think INFJ's could be good leaders in the sense you are speaking about?
Click to expand...

INFJs are highly calculating when it comes to effort. They usually contemplate beforehand how much effort a task is going to take and how likely they are to succeed and then they determine whether or not they care to go forward with it. As such, INFJs talk themselves out of things like leadership positions where their talents would be especially useful.

So to answer your question, INFJs could be good leader's if they decided it was worth the effort.
 
Heh. Satya, you're a guru among zinger answers...that's scary. Maybe that's why we procrastinate, sometimes, because we know the project requires more effort than we're willing to exert.

Either that or we're being lazy. :P
 
arbygil said:
Heh. Satya, you're a guru among zinger answers...that's scary. Maybe that's why we procrastinate, sometimes, because we know the project requires more effort than we're willing to exert.

Either that or we're being lazy. :P
Click to expand...

Ah thanks. :m129:

I think it's a laziness that is programmed into the INFJ personality. The way to overcome it seems to be externalization (Se) for the sake of opportunity. In other words, INFJs who do things simply for the experience that is gained in doing them, without really caring about failure or success. Those kind of INFJs are natural and extraordinary leaders.
 
Question: If INFJ's are so prone to apathy/hypocrisy, is there a type which
isn't? Or at least, is there a type that's not prone to apathy? And would they make good leaders?
 
Satya said:
INFJs are highly calculating when it comes to effort. They usually contemplate beforehand how much effort a task is going to take and how likely they are to succeed and then they determine whether or not they care to go forward with it. As such, INFJs talk themselves out of things like leadership positions where their talents would be especially useful.
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Ha! :D Perfect!
There's nothing I can't justify myself out of doing, given enough time.:m083:
 
Satya said:
INFJs are highly calculating when it comes to effort. They usually contemplate beforehand how much effort a task is going to take and how likely they are to succeed and then they determine whether or not they care to go forward with it. As such, INFJs talk themselves out of things like leadership positions where their talents would be especially useful.

So to answer your question, INFJs could be good leader's if they decided it was worth the effort.
Click to expand...

Satya said:
Ah thanks. :m129:

I think it's a laziness that is programmed into the INFJ personality. The way to overcome it seems to be externalization (Se) for the sake of opportunity. In other words, INFJs who do things simply for the experience that is gained in doing them, without really caring about failure or success. Those kind of INFJs are natural and extraordinary leaders.
Click to expand...

Milon said:
Question: If INFJ's are so prone to apathy/hypocrisy, is there a type which
isn't? Or at least, is there a type that's not prone to apathy? And would they make good leaders?
Click to expand...

I agree with the above two post, and the third post i'm not really all to sure about. Wouldn't most ES's be less likely to be apathetic than others? (I'm not big on the mbti thing, i'm just brainstorming)
 
Hey! what's wrong with hedonism?
 
Milon said:
Question: If INFJ's are so prone to apathy/hypocrisy, is there a type which
isn't? Or at least, is there a type that's not prone to apathy? And would they make good leaders?
Click to expand...

NTs tend to be the most highly productive of all the types.

NTJs in particular tend to hold strong views of personal responsibility and work ethic.
 
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