Apathy

How do you get someone who is politically (and generally) apathetic to show an interest in the world around him/her?

Give him friends from people all around the world. As the world becomes flatter and communication technology becomes more advance, it is easier to get into contact with people from all around the globe.

Right now, I have the distinct privilege of being stuck in a godforsaken land with people from all around the region. And in this dang place, there is always time for exchanges of stories through the many cold, dark nights. I believe that there is magic in stories. A good story changes things, changes people, changes reality. So, hearing them talk about having their colleagues and loved ones killed by terrorists recently. Hearing about the survival guilt that one of the only reasons they are alive now is because they are stuck in this god forsaken land. Hearing people worry about how some political protests back home might turn ugly. Hearing them talk about the seeming futility of the political situation. Hearing how useless they feel about being here while their families are stuck in their houses back home with almost no communication with the world outside. Hearing them talk about the anxiety they feel after hearing gun shots in the background during the (no doubt) numerous calls back home. Hearing about the sudden terror and panic that grips them when this fragile connection is suddenly taken away due to the newly enforced communication policy back home.

Hearing all this, it cannot help but change you. Most of us are not extremely active politically, nor are we very proactive in finding out news that “does not affect us”. I might not be able to do much about anything at all. But, I do hope that I can tell a good story and through it, hopefully, change your perspective ever so slightly and find out more about this or this . Be warned. Some of the images for the second link can be pretty graphic.

And why shouldn’t they be?