When you hear the word Nemesis, what comes to mind? Maybe you think of a storybook villain like Sauron or Voldemort. Maybe you think of a certain someone who makes your blood boil the minute they walk into a room. The word itself originated in the late 16th century from the Greek word, nemein which means 'given what is due' or literally, retribution. So perhaps our nemesis isn't someone evil that we've got to fight, but rather something we deserve if we don't overcome it. It's a chilling thought, but even more disturbing is the thought of a nemesis that we don't even recognize is at work in our lives: Apathy.
Apathy is not the nemesis of storybooks. In fact, it's so subtle that we don't even realize it's existence at first, and perhaps not even until it's too late. We have seen the results of this apathy on a daily basis, and perhaps more than ever in this past year. How many times do we hear pessimistic jokes about the direction our country is headed or just bad situations in general? And yet we know that deep down, we aren't joking when we say these things. We know that terrible things are happening in the world, we know that governments are corrupt and that injustice is being done every day, but we cover our eyes and treat it like a hopeless cause. I'm not saying that this describes every American. No, there are those who are most affected by and fight against hopelessness and injustice, and there are those who are profiting from it. But in between are those who see and hear what is going on, but ignore it because it doesn't affect them. I know because I am guilty of it too.
The majority of America knows that things are going downhill, but does nothing about it because we are privileged enough not to have to fight for our rights, antipathic enough to ignore other's needs, and hopeless enough to even try. I know because I am one of them. I'm a small town, white, lower-middle class, college girl. I do not know what it is like to have my basic human rights abused. I do not know what it is like to be without the chance of a good education and job. I have never really had to fight for anything. Simply put, I am privileged. However, my privilege and inexperience are not an excuse for turning my gaze when I see others suffering and suffocating my conscience. My privilege should make it inexcusable to ignore the injustice towards others who are less privileged.
We could blame all the horrendous things that are happing in the world and in our country on the Government or the Rich or any other institution or group of people that deals out wrongdoing. It's always easier to blame someone else, after all. But really, who's to blame, if not each and every one of us who allows Apathy to take over and does nothing to stop evil. You may call me an extremist, but this is the exact same thing that happened in Nazi Germany. The people's apathy was their undoing and by the time they realized that something was horribly wrong, it was too late. They didn't take a stand against injustice because it didn't affect them. Take a look at the horrible things that are happening now and the direction we are heading, and tell me, how are we any different?
If we stand by and watch injustice being done to our fellow humans, we are just as guilty as if we were hurting them ourselves. It's painful to think about, but true. Our nemesis, Apathy, will have won by stifling our consciences and we will be the villains of the story. But don't take this as a message of hopelessness, it is simply that there is no nicer way to put it and still getting the point across. Just this month we heard how a group of peaceful protesters stood their ground against overwhelming tyranny at Standing Rock, and one. It is living proof that there is hope, and we can overcome injustice. But first, we must start by conquering our nemesis, Apathy.
