I watched the movie Soul Surfer with my youngest the other evening. For those of you who have not seen it, it is about inspiration, hope, and perseverance. We watched not knowing what to expect. But in watching, we saw how being indifferent impacts others. Elie Wiesel talked about this in his speech that we listened to last week. He discussed and explained how indifference is about inaction. Doing nothing. Watching. In the movie Soul Surfer, indifference would have cost Bethany her life. If her friends stood by doing nothing she would have bled to death. Had she herself been indifferent to the needs of those affected by the Tsunami, she would have lost hope and denied hope to those who knew and met her.
Indifference is the friend of the enemy as Wiesel explains. It permits the enemy to have power. Undeserved. I want you to look around you. Where do you see indifference? Describe a time you watched indifference occur.
When I was eleven, I was riding with my grandmother in her car. We were on our way to breakfast. This was my favorite part of spending time with my grandparents. Going out to dinner was not something my family did often. We did not have an abundance of money and for seven people to go out was costly. So this was something special my grandmother and I did. On our way to breakfast, we saw an elderly woman fall forward and face plant on the concrete. People did not stop. My grandmother, stopped her car in the middle of the road and told me to get out. I was to go to the woman's side and help her. I was eleven and clueless. I jumped from the car and ran to her side. I helped her turn over and her face was covered in blood. As I sat there helping her, a man came over and said he called the police. I held this woman's head on my lap while we waited. Once she was taken by ambulance to the hospital, my grandmother and I headed to breakfast.
My grandmother was a woman who took action. It would have been easy for her to keep driving. People were waiting for us. But, she was not like that. It was something she taught me. She refused to be indifferent to the fallen woman's pain.
This is what I want you to do. Describe a time where you chose to not be indifferent or a time when you witnessed indifference win. (Please protect the identities of those you describe. Do not include names in your answer.) What were you thinking in the moment?
112 comments:
I was once indifferent, I was coming back from a baseball game in Cleveland. As we were walking there was a poor man holding the door open for people so he could get some change. When I saw him I felt terrible so I decided to give him five dollars. When I gave him that five dollars I felt great. I didn't want to be indifferent and just walk by like the rest of the people.
Some places that i always see indifference are: School, around town, occasionally at my house, in the stores, and many other places, sadly.
I remember one day i was walking down the hallway in my middle school. These people were making fun of one of the special education kids. This mad me really really mad. I walked up to them and I told them how rude it was. I told them that the special ed. kids not not ask to be like that and it was not their fault. That they were just like us, only they had more troubles. They were shocked. They did not expect someone to actually care about what they said.
I remember my feelings really well. I was mad, really mad. I was also dissapointed. How can someone actually make fun of these people, they have feelings too. One of my other feelings was pride. I was sort of proud of myself for not letting it go. That is not something you should do, make fun of special ed. people.
I have come to realize that indifference is everywhere I look. At school, at the barn I work at and even in the comfortable atmosphere that I call my home. There are so many places that I've witnessed this terrible crime committed. The most recent incident I've seen was at a local restaurant I go to often.
There are many different races and political backgrounds of people that work at this restaurant. I never noticed this place to create a certain authenticy, so when this incident occurred it shocked me. Everyone at this place, I've noticed, are very peppy. They keep up their spirits and help customors very quickly. I've always like them for this and that is one of the many reasons I remain loyal to them.
It was just my average visit there and I was enjoying a quiet evening with my friends when all of a sudden an outburst of noise exploded directly to my left. All of us turned to see what had happened and quickly realized what had. We were all staring down on a waitress, full of pity, because the floor and herself were wearing some person's meal.
Covered in head to toe with food, she started to pick up the broken glass and food particles. I am and was in a cast so I didn't do anything. The sad part was a broken leg doesn't stop the use of your mouth, but still I said nothing. I part took in the role of being a bystander.
The worst part of it all was when a large male walked by and called this innocent, young colored woman the cruelest of names. My friends and I still said nothing. You don't realize how many opportunities you get to make a difference until you look back on your deepest regrets and realize you can't change any of them. I listened to Elie's speech and was horrified with America for it's indifference.I am only proof that he was right.
I see indifference all around me. At school, in stores, at parks, and even in my own home. One time I refused to be indifferent was, one day during school, i was walking to class and I see my friend in the hallway. He is not very popular and a little bit awkward, but it does not matter to me. As we are walking a kid behind us starts making fun of him, walking with a hunch and trying to imitate him talking. I knew my friend heard because he stopped smiling and lost all happiness. I would not take it. I turned around and said "I suggest you mind your own business and worry about your own life. Not someone else's." I turned around and never looked back again. My friend turned to me and said, "Thanks kevin, that ment a lot to me." I could not be indifferent and watch my friend get harassed.
When I saw indifference it was actually today in the school hallway. A kid had shoved me out of his way and I fell into another kid making me drop my books. I bent down to pick them up thinking I was going to be late but was surprised to see two or three people coming to help me.
They helped me pick up my books and one of the girls walked over to the guy I had been shoved into. She asked him why he had shoved for no good reason. "She didn't do anything to you" she said. I was very thankful for the help but I told her he wasn't the one who shoved me, I was knocked into him. I'm glad there are people out there who care.
I see an example of indifference from last year when I was walking down the high school hallway. I had needed to dress up for my debate and I was wearing high heels. Naturally, I was also carrying a lot of extra things needed for that school day and texting.
The floor was wet from people's wet shoes and I slipped. In the process, I dropped all my stuff and it was spread throughout the hallway. People walked around it as if there was some kind of barrier between my things and them.
"Jerks," I thought of them.
As a result of my being an eighth grader and scared enough, I frantically started trying to compile my things. Unexpectedly, a student bent down and started picking up my stuff and others followed. I remember thinking," Wow.I guess there are some nice people in these hallways."
I see indifference almost everywhere i go whether it is at school, around the neighborhood, around the town, just everywhere. Do I always stop and help though? Sadly, no, but there are times when I do.
For example, there were some girls in my neighborhood who really liked to start drama. One day two of them decided they were going to make fun of a younger girl who they knew was afraid of them. When I saw them making fun of the younger girl, I got really mad because I have known all these girls for a while and I was getting tired of them making fun of people. So I went up to them and just straight up asked them why were they making fun of people when it wasn't funny, it was just mean and stupid. They had no answer, so I told them to go away, and they actually stopped messing with people.
I remember this so much because I realized that when I refuse to be indifferent, good things come out of it. The younger girl wasn't made fun of anymore and now she is practically a sister to me.
Bekah H. 7-8
About a year ago I was sitting in a huge group of people. Everybody had there little groups of friends all sitting in separate circles only talking to people they knew. I looked around and found one person sitting all alone. I felt so bad for that person. Everybody was pointing, laughing and saying "Look at him sitting by himself." I knew I had to do something, I couldn't just sit there and watch him be made fun of. I stood up and everybody stared at me and asked me what I was doing. I slowly walked over there and sat down next to him and started talking to him. Eventually my friends realized what I was doing and came and joined us.
I wasn't going to stand by and let him get made fun of. I felt so bad for that boy. He didn't know anyone there. I felt good about myself that day. I had made a new friend and made someone a little bit happier.
Indifference is everywhere around us, it's in the times when we see someone get made fun of and say nothing. It's also in the times when we get a not-so-great grade and we just brush it off and say 'whatever'.
I've experienced indifference in the cruelest of ways because when someone with special needs gets made fun of, it's nothing to stand back and gawk at. Two of my cousins have special needs so I may be partial to this subject but, that's no reason for someone else to stand and watch. In the fall of the 2010-2011 school year we had a choir concert. My cousin had a solo! I was so proud of her! Considering she had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, this is a very big feat. At the concert, we hooped and hollered for her when she finished. She nailed it! At school the next day our choir director had us do a reflection on how the concert went. When it got to my cousin's part I was beaming but, some jerkish boy in my class had to make a comment about her.
He said "Oh wow, this was the worst part of the concert!"
I thought to myself, how dare he! So I said something to him.
I said "That is my cousin and I am not going to sit here and take you harassing her! She had special needs and you know it! She can't help what she has anymore than you can. She has feelings and emotions just like you or I do. So I suggest you shut your mouth."
Not only was I angry with this boy, I was feeling sad, too. How can someone be so indifferent to how their comments can make someone feel? Nevermind the fact that he felt he had to say it behind her back. In times like this, I never let indifference win.
As many people know, Christmas is the busiest shopping season of the year. All around, there are sales and discounts in virtually every store one walks into. Well, it was one of these sales that brought my family into Wal-Mart that day. I don’t remember exactly what we were shopping for, but it’s not really important to the story anyways. Anyhow, my Dad and I were checking out of the store that particular day, and an older woman was in front of us. When she had finished checking out it was our turn, as we were next in line. As I stood there watching the worker scan and bag all of our goods, I noticed that something had fallen out of the women’s pocket. Well, I figured it would be best to not make a scene and just ignore it; maybe it was just a receipt of a crumpled up tissue. When we were done and on our way out, I inspected the item further. In reality, it was not a receipt or a crumpled up tissue, but a twenty dollar bill. At the time this took place, I was probably around eight, so twenty dollars was quite a bit of money. However, I decided to go looking for the lady. Unfortunately, she was no longer in sight. However, something else was. As we were looking, we passed one of the folks that ring the bell for the Salvation Army donation. At the sight of this, I decided to not be greedy and keep the money for myself, but rather make a donation. I walked right up to the red bucket and dropped the twenty dollars in. After that, I felt so good about myself. There is something that is just so rewarding about making a donation to someone in need. Though that day I may have chosen to not be indifferent by ignoring the woman losing something, I was also indifferent as I donated to someone in need and overall decided to do the right thing.
-Ryan M. 2
If i look around right now i see indifference in my moms face. I see that she is making dinner and she doesnt really feel like doing that.
The time i chose not to be indifferent is in school/class. I was thinking about what we needed to think about. Also that i was answering things.
Back in 8th grade I was sitting at lunch with my friends we were laughing talking and having fun like usual. Kids were coming out of the cafeteria with their lunch trays. A new boy who had just moved to our school walked out with his tray and wandered around for a little bit. He asked to sit at a few tables but no one would let him, they had "saved seats". I felt so bad for the new kid, I know what it feels like to be the new girl from moving to a different country. I wave my arm and yell out to him, "Hey what's your name? Do you want to sit with us?" We had 2 open seats so it was no trouble. I wasn't indifferent and instead of watching the new boy struggle I decided to help him out.
~Jacqueline K. 7/8th period~
Understanding the cruelty of indifference can only be attained when the individual is the victim of this crime. A crime that many silently participate in when they see another being bullied. Bullying is a traumatic situation that forced me to feel scared and afraid. Talking about indifference in class, I look back and feel incursion and anger. My experience of bullying took place when I was five and I was attending a day camp. The bullies were at least two grades ahead of me and they harassed me on a daily basis. No other peer helped me and I do not blame them. My peers were the same age as me at the time, so they lacked understanding and experience to confront the situation. What angered me was the group of "advisors". Each was obviously beyond high school. They were supposed to oversee the attendees of the camp, yet they could not see my daily torment. Finally, the head of the camp (not an advisor) saw my situation and abetted me. I am glad someone saw, but angry that no one took action when the conflict began.
Indifference in my opinion is a terrible thing that can sometimes be tough to avoid. About a few years ago I remember one of the people I talked to was getting made fun off, we weren't that close but this person was visually upset so I decided to step in and tell the bully to stop. They did but then continued this time messing with me. That same so called "friend" that I had just helped out simply laughed at the bully's jokes against me, was indifferent although I had just helped them, and then walked away. I was astounded by this lack of a heart and from that point on knew that I would always try to not be as low as that person whom I had just rescued moments ago. To not just return the favor permanently carved that person in my head as a big red x, with whom I would avoid contact with in the future.
I see indifference when I am at the store, in school, at restaurants, and around town. I remember when my family and I were on our way home and we were behind a motorcycle. We were driving through the twists and turns of our neighborhood when we heard a noise. I turned my head and then I saw it, the motorcycle was on its side on the ground. Before I had time to react my father had already pulled over to the side of the road and was rushing toward the motorcycle. My mother picked up her cell phone and went to the side of the man, while my sisters and I rushed to help our father. Once we had started to help the man cars drove past like nothing was going on. They were indifferent to the situation. They must have thought there were enough people helping and they needed to be somewhere.
The man who was on the motorcycle ended up just fine. At the moment I was worried and I didn’t know what to do. After the whole thing was over I was happy to find out he was fine and had no long lasting injuries. His family was thankful and it made me feel good that my family and I had helped.
-Lydia Sch. 2 period
I have seen indifference a countless number of times, however I could probably count the number of times I observed someone who decided to not be indifferent. I remember this was this one time when there was a handicapped woman who used a wheelchair trying to cross the street, but she was having difficulty. There were people crossing the same street, but just walked around instead of helping her. So, I decided to help by pushing her across the street to where she needed to go. I was thinking of how sad it was nobody even tried to help her before me, that nobody looked twice at a handicapped woman who obviously needed help.
Indiffernece is something we see everyday. It's so common that most people won't even notice it. It can be the littlest thing like nudging someone in the hall, or calling others hurtful names. For the one who is indifferent it may seem like no big deal, but to the other person it can leave damaging effects.
A couple years ago my mom and I, were in New York. We were walking down the sidewalk about to cross the street. AS we start to walk I notice an old man and couple feet ahead of us. People were walking right by hitting him, making him unbalanced. He was moving at an incredibly slow pace. It broke my heart to this the man struggling and how disrespectful people were being. It wasn't like they were a bunch of teenagers messing around, but it instead were middle aged citzens. Kids my age were suppose to look up to those adults, weren't we? I ran ahead and grabbed his upper arm. As we made our way across the street, I remember him looking over at me. The biggest smile bloomed on his face. I had felt so sorry for him, because it was liked no one in the world cared for him. Me taking a few minutes out of my day to help this man, had meant so much to him.
Indiffernece is something we see everyday. It's so common that most people won't even notice it. It can be the littlest thing like nudging someone in the hall, or calling others hurtful names. For the one who is indifferent it may seem like no big deal, but to the other person it can leave damaging effects.
The summer of 7th grade me and my family went to New York. One day we were walking down the street when i saw the old women trying to go in a store when all this people starting running out of hte store and pushing her. I felt so bad for her, i felt my family on the street and walked up to her. I helped her get in the store. When i went back to my parents they watned to go in the store, We want into the store and the old women came up to me and siad thank you. That made thge rest of my day.
-Samantha S.
5/6 period
There is alot of indifference that I witness in my life; its just not noticable all of the time because people don't help out with the small things that others tend to struggle with. I see it at school, when I go out to restaurants and stores, sport events, I basically see it everywhere. The one time I was not the indifferent was a few years ago. I was walking with my sister inn Target when a elder woman fell in front of me. People were still walking and wouldn't stop to help her. So I told my sister to stay with her while I go find someone to help. I did end up finding a employee who called an ambulance. People don't realize how much indifference can hurt others.
Amanda C. 7/8 period*
At school one day a girl dropped her books about 10 feet in front of me. There was a group of kids who casually walked past her. Some didn't even look and others saw and kept walking. I knew that stopping would make me late to my next class but I stopped to help her . She was very happy that I helped her. She told me that this was the second time she dropped her books this week and nobody helped her the first time. I felt good that I was not indifferent in that situation.
Indifference is something we see everyday. We see it at school, on the streets even in the safe environment that we call our home. I feel when people are indifferent they sometimes might not realize it right away. They might be making the choices they are out of fear or just out of choice.
There was a time I was at Cedar Point with my family. We were all ready to get on the roller coster.(Blue Streak) As I was waiting to climb into my seat, there was someone holding me up. The boy and father that was sitting there the ride before me. The father was looking all around the train and under the seats for something. The little boy was just standing there with the most worried face, the tears were swelling up in his eyes. The father said,
"Im sorry son, I cannot find your hat anywhere. You must have lost it on the ride."
The boy starts to gasp for air and begin to cry. At this point my heart was beginning to break. To see this poor little boy with his little chubby checks lose his favorite hat my mood went from excited to heart broken.
Assuming by his looks and hight this has to be one of the first times he has actually gotten on a roller coster. So I start to loom around, under my sisters seat, under the seats in front of me. I was in the back seat. Just as that little boy was walking off to leave the ride, and just as I look under my seat, I see a little blue football hat. Just small enough to fit this little boys head. I said
"Is this his hat?"
Then to see this little boys face light up, it felt like all of the stars just shined a little brighter. This boy ran up to me thanked me with all of my heart and ran to his dad with a smile so big it looked like it stretched from one side of the Earth to the next.
Being indifferent is most of the time pretty easy for a lot of people. Some just don't think about keeping others in their mind. Not only themselves. Seeing that little boy so happy and so excited made my night. I don't think there will ever be a day that I go to Cedar Point and get on that ride and remember that little boy and remember the happiness I felt for being something other than indifferent.
The last post was from Kayla C. 5/6
never realized how indifferent this world is until reading some of the previous posts.
There are two types of people: bystanders, and those who actually step up and help out in any situation.
I am not a bystander, who stands on the side as a witness. If I see someone struggling with something, I step up and help out. I don't help out just because I "feel bad" for that person. I don't help out because "no one else would." I don't even help out because it's "the right thing to do." If I see someone drop their books, or get pushed around in the hallway, I'd step up because that's who I am, it's just a natural reaction that I have, it's what I do.
One time I was at camp and I remember sitting with my friends playing a game, laughing and having a good time. There was a girl over in the corner crying. I invited her to play the game with us. I never asked her why she was crying, because what mattered to me was not why she was upset, but that everyone around me was smiling.
Kayla B 2*
I live in a township not a city. Here there are little laws and regulations. There are no law against bonfire or noise level. Our neighbor are indifferent, because they don't care about any one but them self. All day they ride there dirt bikes and four wheelers which at night no one can sleep and during the day dust flies every were. The loud music is on all the time and many loud teens every night. Our neighbor know that police can't stop them so they disturb the entire neighborhood with out caring of others who may be sick or tiered or have to go to work next day.
I witnessed my other neighbors indifference toward abused and unwanted animals.They have such a big heart that they would help any animals in need. They saved sheep who was about to get butchered, baby squirrel whose mom died, unwanted by the owner dog with untreated skin condition and many others. People like them make a difference in animals lives.
* Dmytro Stasiouk* :) .
I remember one time in 7th grade I saw indifference in other kids. It was in the after-school child care. A lot of kids were playing four-square on the patio. There was a long line of people waiting to play. In the line was a younger boy, around five or six. Older kids had been waiting just as long as the young boy had but because they were older, they thought they could jump in front of him. He didn't know how to speak up for himself, so he let them skip ahead. I couldn't believe those older kids were taking advantage of him because he was younger. I decided to help the young boy. I walked over to the older kids and told them it wasn't fair for them to skip in line, especially if it was a younger kid. They didn't want to listen to me but I was older than them and there was a teacher nearby. What I was thinking was that if I were in the position of the older kids, I would have let the younger kid skip me if he'd asked me. I was glad I could help the young boy.
Paul S.
7/8 Period
Sometimes people can be indifferent and sometimes those people can be so mean to others at times. One day I was at my grandmothers house because my mom was at school getting her degree. So we were oustide because it was a nice day and we see this old lady walking down the sidewalk. Then all of a sudden she trips over a crack and her glasses cut her right above her eye and so my grandmother and I run over to her. So my grandma and I take her into the kitchen and clean her up a little bit and took her straight to the hospital. When she came up to us and said thanks it ment the world to me knowing that she is now okay and it felt really good to do something for someone and having them thank you and not doing anything else like giving a gift. The thanks is enough and you don't need a gift or a present every time that you do something for someone.
there were many times that i had chosen to be indifferent in my life here is an example. one day at school i was in the cafeteria eating my lunch when i noticed a kid with about 4 books a binder and there lunch.they were carefully moving from spot to spot to keep there balance and not fall over but obviously they fell over. to my surprise no one went to help that person they just sat there and ignored it. because of this i decided to go over and lend a hand. and after i started to help several others came over to help as well. this made me feel proud of myself for starting the chain affect of lending a helping hand that day
A time iwatche dindifference occur was when i was driving through a not so good part of cleveland. there was a person pushing a shopping cart, and two people jumped him. My dad called the police and pulled over. but everyone else there just kept walking or driving by, like it wasnt even happening.
All I could think of was, why didn't anybody to stop to help him. The police came a couple of minutes later, but nobaody else acted. The homeless man had been hurt and nobady seemed to care. I was eight at the time. Why didnt anybody help him? Anbody around closed hteir doors and left the area. It scared me that people could be so uncaring. when the police talked to my dad, they said only one or two other people had called in about the incident.
Rachael S. 5/6
One time i was indifferent was when me and my dad were driving in his truck. There was a handicaed kid tht went to my elementary school and his name was jake. when we passed his house his grandmother with a cane was walking on the driveway and she fell, well my dad (great guy) stepped on the breaks like his foot was made of lead. then i heard the words get out of the car and help me... well we helped that old ladie to saftey that day. And i feel great.
I once witnessed indifference. One day I was walking the hallway at school, and some Seniors smacked a Freshmans books out of his hands and onto the floor. Everyone was so caught up in their own agenda, they didn't even bother to stop and look. So I stopped, out of the possible twenty of them that witnessed it, and helped them pick up the books that were strewn across the floor.
Indifference can be seen where ever you may go. Once I was at a restraunt waiting to be seated when an elderly women pulled up in her car by the entrance. The women sat there trying to open the car door, but she couldn't find the strength. So my mother opened the door for her. The women attempted several times to get out of her car but she could not. You could see in her eyes that she had felt hopeless. My mother continued to help her out of the car and held her hand walking into the entrance of restaraunt. While this all was occuring people continued to sit back and be indifferent. Once my mother had helped her reach the door slowly, still no one held the door open. So as i held the door everyone stared at the women, my mother, and I.
That day my mother and I could have just watched the elderly women stuggle by herself, but we took action and helped her. We were no longer indifferent like the other people that could have assisted her as well. Many people are indifferent when they could be making a difference in what is happening today.
Indifference can be very harsh and cruel. I feel that the world would be a much better place without it. Unfortunately I see indifference everywhere; at the store, at school, on the streets, everywhere. I’ve experienced the harshness of indifference first hand.
One day when I was in middle school, I had been running late to class. My locker was a horrible one that took at least four minutes to open, so of course I was carrying a lot of binders and stuff. I was about fifteen feet away from my next class, when someone shoved me out of the way. When he shoved me my ankle rolled and I fell. I dropped my things while I fell and my binder popped open and let loose a tornado of papers. Not only was my stuff everywhere and my ankle hurt so badly that I thought I might cry, but the boy didn’t even look back, much less say “I’m sorry”. I scrambled to pick everything up before the bell rang and no one even gave me a second glance. By the time I had picked everything up I was late to class and my ankle was so hurt I started to cry. When I got to class my teacher saw I was limping and my face was covered in tears, so she just let me off with a warning and told me to go down to the office and get ice for my ankle, but it wasn’t just my ankle that hurt. I was also hurt that so many people didn’t even stop to see if I was okay, much less help me.
c. Lenhoff – 1.
One time in the seventh grade I witnessed both indifferent people and people who took action. I was on the way to lunch and I fell down the stairs, I could not walk on my one foot and at that moment I was surprised that I could even get off the ground. Some people just laughed then kept on walking to lunch, others didn't even laugh and went on as nothing happened. Though there were some (maybe 5-6 people) who asked me if I was okay and were concerned. There was even one awesome friend who allowed me to use her as a crutch to get down the rest of the stairs to the first floor. In the end I had to wear an ankle brace. But my point is out of so many people I saw pass me, only few took any action. It is easier to be indifferent in a situation, to get to lunch on time, to continue in your normal schedual. Though that is true, to not be indifferent is always the best choice in the end.
--Kristen Perkins
One day, I was with my neighbor who was also my "friend", of whom I found out in the future wasn't really a friend at all. I forget how it all happened, but somehow she had made my own little sister cry. She hadn't inflicted physical pain, but emotional pain. I was so scared of losing my "friend", I did nothing to help my sister. I remained indifferent. My mother was o mad at me. I felt so guilty, but I did nothing. I eventually decided to leave that friend behind so that she may never be the cause of my indifference again.
Rachel Javorsky just posted
I witnessed indifference on the television one day. This car had crashed on a major highway and the people inside were still alive. While all this was going on cars were speeding past, driving like they could care less if any one was hurt. Then finaly one car stopped and the people got out and started to help the people get out of the car. More cars had stopped and came to help. The people in the car were rescued because one person decided not to be indifferent. They could have all died because the car blew up moments later.
What I can not believe is that it took so long for 'one' person to stand up and help out. I am astonished that so many people could pass by without a second thought. Yet, I'm glad atleast someone had the guts to.
One time that I choose not to be indifferent was when I was walking home from school and was almost to my street when I saw two boys picking on a little girl. She was crying as they taunted her and made fun of her for her pigtails. I walked up to the boys, looked them straight in the eye and told them to go pick on someone their own size, that they had no right to make the little girl cry and how she had done nothing to them. They bowed their heads in shame and walked away. I turned to the girl and said, "I think you're hair looks really, really nice." To this day, whenever she sees me she breaks out into a big smile and comes to say hello. It makes me feel good that I wasn't just another bystander who witnessed bullying and didn't do anything about it. I am proud of what I did. -NatalieK 1
i was indifferent when, i was leaving a restraunt and an elderly man was holding the door open for a huge line of people to go in the restaunt, so i stepped to hold it open so him and his wife could go have a nice dinner. i didn't feel indifferent like the other people just walking in without realizing they could have held the door.
i ment not indifferent.
One day last year, I was sitting with all my friends at lunch. We were having a good time, laughing and talking about funny things that had happened earlier. We all noticed the new kid. We all felt so bad because he couldn't find a spot to sit down! He was shy and looked so out of place. Our table had empty seats so we called over to him and he came and sat with us. We learned where he was from, that he played basketball and that he was really happy he got to sit with us. I was thinking, if I was a new kid at school, would someone call me over to let me sit with them? I would definetly hope so. We could've laughed and let him wander around the cafeteria, but we didn't, and I'm proud of that!
Emily 7/8
Indifference is all around us: in the school hallways, on the streets of Cleveland, at the grocery store. Most of the time, one wants so badly to act out, but cannot muster up the courage to actually do it. You want to, but you don’t; you can’t. We form these scenarios in our minds – if something like this happens, I’m going to do this – but when the time comes to act, we can’t pull ourselves around to actually doing it. And we let indifference win.
A common example of indifference is seeing people on the streets after a ball game, begging for some spare change – holding open the door, playing the saxophone, etc. – and everyone just passes them by: indifferent.
I chose not to be indifferent to the hungry and homeless people in/around Medina County. Sometimes, on Thursday night Youth Group, we would make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless people in Lorain County. A couple from our church would supply the bread, peanut butter, and jelly, and when we were finished, they would take them to the woman who runs the operation. She told us that when the homeless men took the sandwiches and found out that they were made by a small group of teenagers, their attitudes changed. They were touched that kids would go through the trouble of preparing these sandwiches that could be the only food they eat for weeks.
Another time I helped with the hungry was when I would attend the soup kitchens at Heartspace United Church of Christ with the NJHS (National Junior Honors Society) last year. We would supply the ingredients and prepare and serve a meal to the less fortunate in Brunswick, and it always felt so pleasing when we would give them their food and see them smile.
All I was thinking in these moments was about how these people lived, and how fortunate I am, and everything that I take for granted, such as food. I chose to not be indifferent to these people’s desperate needs, that we so easily dismiss.
~Katie D. 7/8º
I see indifference everyday in school, in stores, on the sidewalks right outside my house, and even in my house. Last year before I moved to Brunswick, there was always a lot of gossip. Of course there is gossip in every school, but that is beside the point. One day, I heard a girl talking about a girl that was sitting all alone. The gossiping girls kept giggling and glancing over. I could tell that she knew because she kept her head down. I couldn't take anymore of their rude comments. I walked past the girls, smiled, and sat next to the lonely girl. Immediately after, the girls stopped talking and looked away. The girl I had sat next to was a very sweet girl, and I was glad to have made a new friend. This is an example of a time when I did not let indifference overcome me.
A time a chose to be indifferent was last year at a Spanish play i went to downtown. I was buying my ticket and an older lady fell to the ground. Right away without even thinking my mother and I went to help. My mother is a nurse. I was feeling great inside that I helped out an older lady. Im such a nice person.
Jake S - 5-6
one time that i felt indifferent was in middle school. i was in seventh grade and i was in class and this kid did not like school. so when he was called on in class he says i don't know. when he told the teacher that i don't care about school then she go angry. i was mad because we were preparing for a test and i needed to get a good grade. that wasted about 20 minutes. that is one time that i felt indiffernt.
A lot of people are talking about indifference being a huge scene that people make and really it can be, as some have said, helping someone pic up their books in the hallway. Even just saying hey stop saying that if someone is bagging on some kid who is not with you that "nerd" everyone talks about. I wouldn't say its being indifferent but my one friend gets made fun of or people just always are mean to him just because so I try to defend him. I just say hey stop it guys or come on you don't think you've ever done that. Nothing mean back just letting them know back off. The worst part is they do it in front of him sometimes. I will admit to joining in once or twice but I defend him more than anything because he isn't as bad as everyone says he is.
Indifference is everywhere and we have to remember it's our choice to act or to not. A time that I was not indifferent was on a hot summer day at the store and the tempurature was well in the ninties. My mother and I were walking outside to the parking lot and we saw an elder women trying to put her bags into her car, but there were many and she dropped a few. My mother is a women who would help anyone at anytime, and she suggested that we should help her. After all of her things were in the car she smiled and said we made her day, it also made mine as well thinking of how I helped someone. Looking back at this time I could have kept walking to the car and be indifferent, but I chose to help.
~Olivia W.
JeffA
I was indifferent before, it was when i was walking through Cleveland after a Browns game. Their was a man playing his saxophone to get some spare change. Deep down I knew I had money i could give him but for some reason I just couldn't get myself to give him any. I guess i was afraid to be different then anyone else around me. I felt bad for myself and that man because I let the fact of standing out take away the best of me.
I have a time in my life that others chose to be indifferent to me. It was the summer before 6th grade and I was riding home on my bike with my friend who was going to sleep over. On our way to my house I lost controll of my bike and I crashed head first into the concrete sidewalk. My friend of course crashed too so she wouldnt run me over, but in a much softer grass, and she ran over to me to see if I was okay. Me not responding worried her and the lady walking her dog accross the street who saw everything happen. She yelled "Are you okay?" and once again I did not respond. She ran over and helped me sit up and by that point I was covered in blood from scrapes and cutts. The house that I crashed at's owner ran outside with a towel for me to keep the blood down. The two ladies stayed with me while my friend rode the rest of the way to my house to get my parents. Without those people choosing to not be indifferent to me and help me out I wouldnt have been able to stop most of the bleeding and get to the emergancy room as fast. I am very greatful for those people and everytime I pass by that house I feel a sence of gratitude.
-Sarah 1st period
I have a perfect example of a person choosing to be indifferent and one who chose not to in the same situation. A couple years ago I was going to the mall with a friend and we were in the car with my mom. As we were driving across the busy intersection, a middle aged woman wasn't paying attention and crashed into our car. The woman was being indifferent by not letting it affect her. She didn't try to see if anyone in our car was okay and ignored my mom when she tries to talk to her. Luckily a man drove up next to us, gave my mom his card and said that he saw everything and that he would serve as a witness to prove it wasn't our fault. Had he of chosen to be indifferent, then we could have been in a lot of debt with the totalling of our car. Had the woman chosen not to be indifferent, we could have worked something out and helped her get through the costs of the accident.
~Jazlyn R. 7-8
Indifference seems to be something that happens all the time no matter where you are at. My example of people being indifferent but others trying to not be happen just the other day. Someone was walking in the halls when suddenly some other kids somehow knocked the stuff he was carrying onto the ground. While the people who were at fault didn't even try anything to apologize or help they just kept on going. Other people in the hall didn't just go right past but instead help the person get all of his stuff back. At that moment I was thinking how some people are just rude and cause the problem and don't even try to correct it while making other people help those in need which I think isn't fair and the people who help are really nice and wouldn't let some one stand in the cold like that. I saew that they had a sense of good in them unlike the bystanders. I also think that we should be more like the people that help others and not like those who just walk by and think that its not their problem so why get involved.
-Kyle C. 7/8period.
Indifference can be seen in many different places. I have seen indifference mostly at school, among other peers. I have seen indifference occur at my own house, when my siblings and I fight. I remember choosing one day to not be indifferent. I remember one day at lunch when basically a whole group of people were ganging up on this one girl. They were calling her names, making fun of her, telling them how much they did not like her. They were not holding back anything. I overheard all this because they were sitting near me.They were being so cruel and it really got to me. I remember feeling personally offended. I couldn't understand how these people could say such harsh words directly to someones face like that. I finally couldn't take it anymore because the girl looked really upset.I turned towards them, and I told them how rude and unnecessary they were acting, and that they should apologize to the girl. They immediately looked down and didn't say anything. I don't think they were expecting to be called out like that. At that moment I was feeling overall just pleased that even if it had to be me, at least someone made these people think about their actions.
- Maddy G. 1st period
Our world today is filled with indifference. One time that I was indifferent was when we went to Columbus for a cross country meet. One of the girls on the team has never really been friended by anyone on the team and nobody wishes to change that. We were allowed to pick who we wanted to room with for the night at the hotel and of sourse noone would room with her. So I went straight up to Coach and said I would like to be her roomate. When she heard that someone had asked to room with her she was over relieved. She was saved from more humiliation in front of everyone. Indifference is everywhere around us. Not everyone had the guts to do something that mike be a little out of their comfort zone. Even just to help someone. That's why I had the courage to do what nobody else would.
That last post was by Lydia Stephens 2nd period!
My family and I have always been big sports fans. We go to Cleveland games a lot. Once, when I was younger, we went to an Indians game. That night they were handing out free blankets. Everyone there was really happy, it was really cold since it was towards the end of the season. We watched the Indians win that night and we were tired when the game ended. We walked through Cleveland to get to the parking garage. I noticed a homeless man on the side of the sidewalk. He was different from the other homeless people we had passed, he wasn't begging. He sat in the cold, doing nothing. I felt so bad for this man and after we passed him I asked my mother for my blanket. I went to give the man my blanket. His face lit up like he hadn't smiled for years. He thanked me and said, "I'll never forget you."
I went home that night feeling happy that I had just made someones day. For me, one blanket wasn't worth much, but for him, the blanket was worth the world. I didn't just walk by, I solved someones problem.
-Jacki K. 1*
I have seen indifference occur many times in such an unsuspecting place, in church. My family is very Catholic and we go to church usually more then once a week. Ever since I can remember, my parents have been very keen to teach us manners, not only please and thank you, but polite actions. Every time I went to church, since i was young, my Dad would tell my sister and I to run ahead and hold the door for in going families. Usually we would run up right in front of an elderly couple, who would smile and thank us. Sometimes I would hold the door and smile for families who just walk past.
As I got older, my father didn't have to tell me, I just did it. But there are times when i see families walk right in, in front of elderly couples, closing the door behind them. Other times we will be leaving mass, and everyone is trying to get out, and it will be a rush. One of these times I saw a family friend (Aunt Cecilia) trying to get through, she was slightly pushed and fell. My aunt was short so not many people paid any mind, I was across the room and saw this happen, one little boy saw and rushed over. He couldn't have been more then 6 years old, but he tried to help her up. Realizing he couldn't he called his mom to help. This little boy was not indifferent when so many adults were.
(Cali P 7/8)
Indifference occurs everywhere. I see it on the streets, in the city and on TV. Indifference is all around us, all you have to do is look around.
My parents fly a lot for work. So my family tends to fly places and we are very comfortable with the airport. Flying is a very convenient and in some cases, the only way to travel. Security is a big part of flying. Not because you are trying to hide something, but because almost anything will set the alarm off. This can be a very intimidating process. Many elderly people fly. Some, who flying was only invented half way through their lives can find this process stressful. In no way am I trying to be stereotypical, however it is quite easy to confuse an old person. However, when I see them struggling to get through security, and the TSA agents getting more and more frustrated. The less informative their instructions become and the more confused the old person. Something inside of me gives a little tug. I wish so much I could do something, but I don't have the courage. The TSA guards intimidate me too. Therefore, I just stand there, indifferent and do nothing. I do however, as much as I can, try to help them out. From getting through the airport, to getting their luggage on the escalator. I will admit that I am indifferent, but like many others I feel helpless.
i was indifferent at one point after a browns game when the browns lost to the Steeler. i was indifferent because i was so mad and all the other people seemed like it didn't even matter. it was an indication that i was indifferent because i kept on thinking about things i thought other people did,t think about after the game. that is how i felt when i was indifferent
There is an organization at my church called God's Friends Forever that is for disabled adults where they can come together to hear music, do different crafts, different games, and every year they have a play. My mother volunteers by playing the piano and singing. She goes every week and I really respect her for not being indefferent while others would completely reject the idea of helping out. Once my mom asked if I would help out and sing because it was getting close to Christmas time. I was reluctant at first because it was a school night, I had homework, and I didn't feel like leaving the house. I was being indifferent. My mom had gotten to me and I realized it would be a good thing to help out. I was very glad I did because of the smiling people there. They were all having a good time and it really made my night to know that I decided not to be indifferent.
~Alex H. 2~
One time when I was with some friends at Kidder Elementary School we were jumping a dirt pile with our bikes. I hadn't cleared the dirt pile yet and everyone else did so I wanted to clear it. I gained a lot of speed and jumped it. When I landed my front tire came down fine but my back did not and it skid out from under me. I flipped over the handle bars and face planted into mulch. I ended up lying on the ground gasping for breath. All of my friends were being indifferent and did not come to see if I was alright. I ended up being alright and I wasn't very happy that my so called friends had sat there and did nothing while I was hurt.
Indifference is all around me. It hurts innocent people. I've seen indifference many times but one of the moments i had witnessed that stick with me the most is one night when i went to an indians game in cleveland. It was a cold night after the game and me and my family were walking towards our car parked a few blocks away from the stadium. Sometimes the staff give out little things at the door to the game and that night we had been given fleece blankets, as we walked home on that freezing night we passed a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk. He looked practically frozen and he had barely any belongings. Other people passed this poor man without a second glance, their eyes adverted from him. But as i walked by, i felt i needed ti do something. I took my blanket off and laid it on his lap. The man looked at me and seemed shocked anyone would help him. It made me sad that he had grown so used to such indifference. Sometimes alittle kindness can change everything for someone.
I remember you telling our class the story about your grandmother in class one day, I thought it was very inspiring.
I have always chosen not to be indifferent. It's just who I am.
If I see someone getting picked on or bullied, I don't just stand there and watch. I stand up for the victem. Even though a lot of people say "Don't get involved." There are a lot of times where a person just HAS TO. In the end it is so worth it though. Just to see the smile on their faces make me so much happier.
I have also experienced situations where I just wish someone wouldn't be like everyone else. or go out of their way to help someone else. I think this is why I feel so strongly to this topic.
Second part of comment:
I remember once a time last year sitting at my lunch table. It was me, my best friend of 5 years, and some of my other friends. There was a lot of drama at my table. There was this girl that sat there. At the time, I considered her a friend. She was very conceited and obnoxious, but I don't think she was trying to be like that on purpose. She just wanted someone to recognize her. Well, people did recognize her, but not the way she wanted. My table would pick on her daily. They treated her like a dog. She couldn't say a word without getting a smart-alec comment.
She is Jewish and gets made fun of a lot because of it.
I am sick of it. We got into a huge argument last year, we aren't friends anymore. But it broke my heart seeing her upset, even though she has done the same to me. The people at the table that bothered her, I yelled at them. I also confronted the people that do it over facebook, myspace, ect.
Should I really be standing up for someone that has hurt me so badly? I don't know, but I think it's worth it.
Jessica T.
5/6
As I have learned, indifference is the worst people can be, especially towards each other. As said by Elie Wiesel, "Indifference is the friend of the enemey."
One day my family and I were in Downtown having lunch. We were in downtown just to walk around, explore and have fun. We were leaving a restraunt when I saw a man sitting on the ground in front of another restraunt across the street. This particular guy caught my attention because he was begging for money. You could tell that this guy needed the money and I felt really bad for him because of how others were reacting to him.
The man would ask people for money as they walked by but, these people would just look at him, give him a dirty look, and walk away or entirely ignore him. They all ignored this man and acted rudely toward him.At the time, I wasn't really thinking of what these people were doing as indifference, I was rather looking at the situation as just something normal. I just thought, "It's just something normal, it's the guy's problem, not the others." Looking back at the situation, I look at that same situation angrily as I realize these people's indifference.
As I looked across the street, I felt sorry for him. I opened my purse and grabbed $20 out of my purse. I told my mom what I wanted to do and she told me that it was a kind act and that I could do it. Quickly, I crossed the street to the man. He looked up at me, he had given up trying to get money. I handed him the $20 bill and walked over to my family. The man just stared after me dumbfounded, he yelled back at me, "Thank you!"
I still clearly remember the smile across that man's face. I remember him getting up from where he was sitting, and looking back at my family with a huge smile across his face. After that scene, my family and I left Downtown and I was still very happy at what I had done. I chose to not be indifferent and to help this man because that is what everyone is supposed to do to each other.
I have seen indifference all around me. I've seen it in school, in the nieghborhood, and even in my own home.
I always see indifference taking place at grocery stores around Chrtistmas time. There is usually a Santa Claus standing outside ringing a bell for you to donate to the less fortunate. Many people donate, but others just walk by and ignore him. I also see indifference around the holidays because that is a time of the year that people struggle to keep food on the table and give presents to their families. These people are ignored much more often than the Santa Claus outside the grocery store because they are asking for more than just spare change. I feel bad for those people, but I always try to help.
Indifference takes place all around me everyday. The most important thing to remember is to react rather than ignore.
Paige S. 1st
indifference is something that no one can escape. It is all round us and will sneak up on you whenever it gets a chance. It can happen at home, at the park, at school, and even at church. Some people don't realize that they are being indifferent, while others live off of it. You don't need to look very hard to see an act of indifference. An elderly man could be holding the door, as others walk right past him. Another way people are indifferent is when people throw their garbage on the ground on purpose. These small acts of indifference sicken me.
I watched as a boy was sitting alone at a table, and he seemed extremely lonely. Now the members at my table thought it would be funny to ignore this person and I could not bare it. I decided to walk over to his table and sit with him. After a short while, the other members that sat at the other table migrated over and we all sat with the boy. Idifference can really define you as a person, you just have to conquer it and use it to your advantage.
Dom Bosko 1
I see indifference around me all day and every day. I always try my hardest to not act indifferent to people, and to show them that I care. The other day, I was out shopping with my mom. An elderly couple (both in wheelchairs)started to come near the door that I was standing next to. My mom and I were just leaving the store, when they were trying to enter it. I waited the extra minute in the pouring rain for the couple to make it to the door, and I held it open for them. The look of gratitude on their faces was worth standing in the rain for another minute. I felt so helpful afterwards knowing that I made someone else's life that much easier by doing something so simple and small.
I was indifferent one time when i saw a kid drop his books in the hallway, and no one stoped to help him. As soon as i stoped to help more people came over and started picking up books and pencils this student had droped. When i got to class that day my teacher asked me why i was late and i said because i was helping a student pick up his books but she didnt believe me so i got a lunch detention.
The one time I saw indifference was when it was after school I was waiting for open gym to start so I walked around the school looking for other people that are going to open gym. When I was walking I saw a man with a bag looking through garbage cans for food. I didnt know what to do but just walk past. I felt really bad for that man. I wondered if I had built up the courage to help the man things would be different.
Unfortunately, indifference can be found everywhere we go. From small things such as not doing your homework, to bigger things, such as passing up someone in need of help.
I once witnessed an event thats indifference truly upset me. When I was in seventh grade and it was nearing Christmas. In NJHS, we were making christmas cards for a nursing home that I frequently volunteered at. I had asked that the cards were each unique and I figured that amongst the thiry of us, during our two hour meeting, we could definately make enough cards for the nursing home; I was wrong.
These students who were supposed to care about other people, did not care about making these cards at all. At the end of the meeting I recieved ten cards that were useable, the rest were either falling apart due to careless construction or their messages didn't exactly bring about the holiday cheer. Some students did not even make cards, for the entire two hours, all they did was sit and talk.
I chose not to be indifferent, over the weeks that led up to the day that the cards needed to be given to the nursing home, I made the other 120 cards. Each had a unique message and were addressed to a specific resident. When I talked to the Nursing home administrater, he said that all the residents were extremely happy over their holiday surprises. It made my holiday that my hard work paid off. I chose not to be indifferent and to give those people the holiday surprise that had been promised to them.
-sam H_1
It's difficult to think of a spot where you don't see indifference happening. People are so oblivious to the fact that the world doesn't just revolve around them, that they block the world out with their headphones and they shut their eyes to their surroundings. A person dropping all their stuff in a crowded school hallway, whom no one helps pick up their belongings. Everyone just keeps walking past them and contributes to the continuous cycle of indifference.
A time I wasn't indifferent was when one day last year there was this girl sitting alone at a lunch table, so I sat next to her and told her jokes to make her feel better. People at all the lunch tables were mean to her, so I told her to ignore them, and she felt a lot better.
I sit with people who are alone all the time, because I know what it feels like. New kids in school, I talk to them and introduce myself and make them feel welcome. It's not really something I feel like I learned from my parents, I feel like I taught it to myself, or learned it overtime from experience, because I know how it feels.
Bethany Westphal. 2md period
Just last year, I was in the mall with my grandma for a last minute Christmas shopping trip that has become something of a tradition. We were walking past the food court, which was filled with people happily chatting and eating. With a food court so full, you wouldn't expect to see such a large open space right by the Starbucks, but there was. The lone person in this area was ringing an annoying bell and standing next to a red tripod with a bucket hanging off it. I was shocked by how few of the crowd put money into the salvation army bucket and decided that I would be different and put my own money in. I had change in my bag from my brother's present, so why shouldn't I give it to the charity?
When I returned to my grandma, she smiled and told told me that that was a very kind thing for me to do. I smiled and muttered my thanks, but in my head I tried to think of what she meant. I gave my change to charity, wasn't that what you were suppose to do? Actually, I had grown up with the impression that you should give to charity and then use that change on yourself. I was suddenly appalled by the lack of concern for others that those Christmas shoppers in the food court had for the victims of disaster that the salvation army helped. your mom can do without a toaster if the money you were going to buy it with went to someone who needed it. Even my own grandma hadn't put a dollar in, she acknowledged that it was the right thing to do by praising me for my kindness, but the world is content in watching others do the right thing ignoring it themselves. Everyone in that food court was indifferent- in the Christmas season too! But I wasn't, and I'm proud of that.
Anna J., 7-8
Theres not much indiffrence in my life becuase when i see indiffrence I try to stop it. You see indiffrence alot from bullys when they target smaller kids just for the fun of it. When you see something happening that you dont like or dont think is right dont be indiffrent, control the outcome. I rember when i was in gym class there was a little kid a realy close freind of mine he is only 5,3. While we were running around the gym he was being picked on by a bigger kid so i warned the kid not to do it again and to pick on someone his own size the older kid pushed my freind into me so i got in his face. Then the kid put his hands on me so i socked him in the face. The kid did not mess with my freind ever again. The kid had it comeing.XD -james helms
Once, I was sitting in the car with my mom. I was eleven at the time. Our car was parked in the parking lot because my dad had to go to the bank, and we were waiting for him to return. A beat up truck parked in front of us. A man got out of the driver’s seat and there was a woman sitting in the passenger seat. The man got out of the car, and headed towards a nearby grocery store. The woman was filing her nails in the car. When the man got out of the car, I noticed that he dropped a lot of money out of his pocket. I guessed that he didn’t notice and that the woman was too busy inspecting her nails to care. I also pretended not to notice at first. Then the wind started blowing. I thought, ‘The money might start to blow away quickly.’ So I told my mom that the man from the car in front of us dropped a lot of money. My mom forced me to get out of the car to pick up the money. Then, my mom made me knock on the door of the truck. The lady looked at me and reached over to unlock the door. I was surprised that she willingly opened the door to a stranger. I handed her the money and told her that the man who was sitting here dropped it. Her entire face lit up as she thanked me. As I walked back to my car, I was pleased to know that I made a difference in someone’s life. I chose not to be indifferent.
-Davina Patel 2*
Everywhere i go, i will always see indifference. One day me and my family decided to go downtown Cleveland to go grocery shopping. When we arrived to one of the stores we would shop at, there was a homeless man sitting outside with a sign. He needed food but didn't have any money. I asked my mother for money to give to the homeless man. She gave me ten dollars and i gave it too him. He put the money up in the air to check its authencity, then said "God bless you.". Although he doubted me, i felt good. Whenever i see a homeless person, i can't be indifferent, the sight of a person without a home brings tears to my eyes.
one time i was indifferent. it happened when i was little. my aunt took me to a figure skating show and the Q. a homeless man came up to me and my aunt and asked us for money and my aunt told me to ignore those kinds of people. my mom told me other wise. the next time a saw a homeless person, i gave them $5.
I was once indifferent when a man in a wheel chair was trying to open the door but couldn't any whenever anyone would go to open the door, they would not hold it open long enough for him to grab or to stop. So, i went over to help him out even though i was already running late, he thanked me and gave me a kiss on the cheek, it turns out that man was a war veteran, i felt like happy with myself for helping him that day because it changed my view on things
Indifference is everywhere. Even when you dont even know that it is there, it is. One time i denied indifference was when i was at a brunswick football game. I was with my friends and we were having a good time while watching our team. I noticed a new kid at school sitting alone. He looked very upset and was about to leave. On his way out, i grabbed him and he sat down. He is now one of my best friends. That is one time i denied indifference.
Indifference is everywhere. Even when you dont even know that it is there, it is. One time i denied indifference was when i was at a brunswick football game. I was with my friends and we were having a good time while watching our team. I noticed a new kid at school sitting alone. He looked very upset and was about to leave. On his way out, i grabbed him and he sat down. He is now one of my best friends. That is one time i denied indifference.
Indifference is everywhere, it's always been everywhere. It's in the city, it's in our streets, in our business and jobs and of course our schools. I think that half of people that let indifference win, they want to act out against it, but the other half just ignore it and go back to their lives.
However, one time I didn't let Indifference beat me was last year. It was Gym and all the students were sitting on the long bench, waiting for our teacher to go down the line of us to take attendance, just like he always did. Most of the others were chit chatting among themselves, it was a normal day. Then this a obnoxious boy came up to this one girl, a friend. He started to insulting her. It was more than just rude, she didn't even deserve it! This kid always made fun of people, and I just couldn't stand it anymore. So I looked him into the eyes, I told him to stop, that she didn't need to be made fun of and that he should shut up. He laughed it off and then insulted me, I told him to stop, again. Finally, He turned away, Surprised that I actually stood up to him, nobody else did. Standing up to him, gave me much more benefits than making me feel a little better, or knowing that the girl felt better or that she wouldn't feel sad or anything. We actually became good friends after that, then best friends. I didn't care about my feelings, or me being scared about standing up to him, I just cared about that girl's feelings. The other person's feelings were way more important than mine at that moment.
-Jennifer Wiley 7/8
Opportunities for us to take the time to not be indifferent are all around us. The problem is that so often no one will step out to help that elderly person who dropped their money at the cash register, or hold the door open for the mom with a cart full of groceries and a child holding her hand. One instance that sticks out in my mind from when I overcame the urge to be indifferent was in seventh grade. I was sitting with my friends at lunch and looked over to another table only to see someone crying. I did know this person, but that had just recently come to be the case. I got up from the table and went over to the person and asked them what was wrong. I tried my best to comfort them and told them that if there was anything they needed I would try to help. Looking back on that memory I realize how much that two minute conversation might have meant to them. In the moment I was most likely thinking about the person and the way I would feel if I was crying and what I would want someone to do for me. At the same time I think I had that thought in the back of my head of "what are people going to think." To think that I could have shrugged this person's problem aside and let them sit there and cry makes me glad that I took the initiative to show someone that there are people out there who care.
Leah W. 1*
I see indifference all the time. It can be at school, in the store, when your in the car and even at my own house. I saw someone make ambiance and not let indifference stop them a couple of years ago. My mom and I were heading home from the store and we were almost at my house. We stopped at a stop sign to see 3 puppies run across the road and into people's yards and then back into the road. Several cars passes and went right around them. They didn't stop and simply call the number on the tag. My mom pulled over and called the dogs over. She simply got ahold of the owners. They were so grateful someone had found their pets. It mad me mad that people just kept driving. I wondered what would they do if it was something more serious? It made me upset.
i once saw indifferentce when i went to a browns game and people were yelling at a ravens fan in the stands. i really did not do anything to stop it.
One particular time when I witnessed indifference was when I was on my way home from dance with my mom. We were passing a house and witnessed a man on a motorcycle get hit by a car. Most of the other cars driving just kept going but my mom and the car behind us pulled over to help him. She ran over to see if he was okay and the guy behind us called 911. When this occurred I realized how so many people see something like this happen but settle into being indifferent and don't do anything. Showing care in a situation where you could easily be indifferent shows how good people really are.
The last time that I was indifferent was at a store a couple of years ago. I was about twelve. As my mom and I exited the store, we witnessed an elderly woman slip on the ice trying to get to her car. Many people passed her up, but my mom and I chose to be indifferent. We helped her up and asked her if anything hurt. The lady was fine, but she was very thankful for the help. It made me feel really great that I could help someone in need. It also made me sad that people would actually pass the poor lady up.
Matt veg 7/8
I cannot truly connect to indifference. Usually if something goes wrong then I try to help and if I don't help then domeone else does that cares. For example one day I was driving withm my mom and we saw a crash. For a mometn I thought, that some other person would call about the crash but then I said we had to call 911. I thought that if I'm thinking that, then maybe someone else is too. That would mean they would pass up the crash and if anyone was hurt, then they wouldn't be cared for. Over the summer me and my dad had been in a crash as well, and a few peole asked if we were all right and if they could do anything. In the end my dad helped the other two people in the crash,one a young girl and the other car having an elderly woman. Many people helped other people in those instances.
Colton K.-1st Period
Well, I witnessed someone defy indifference one when i was walking out of an Indians game. I saw what appeared to be a homeless man begging near one of the stadium's exits, which wasn't uncommon to see. The beggar was sitting there, asking people for food, or spare change. Somebody walked by, he had just bought something to eat, and hadn't even taken a bite yet, so instead of walking by and minding his own business,he gave the food to the homeless person. Never have a seen a person so happy to get food. Though I was indifferent to the homeless person, somebody else wasn't.
Indifference- It's not just a word, but an action. Unfortunately it's all around us.
Many a day ago I was enjoying an afternoon at the Cuyahoga County Fair with my boyfriend and my dad. While waiting in line for one of the attractions a group of girls, younger than myself, were giggling. I paid real no attention to their conversation because it wasn't my business. It soon became my business after one of the girls left and a new conversation was started. The two girls in line started to degrade and put down the other girl who was walking away. I was shocked to hear some of the language coming out of these pre-teens in public. My boyfriend and I looked at each other in awe because of what was happening. At first nobody, even myself, did anything. We watched as the girl was being picked on. She was far enough away to not hear them, but it was still not respectful in the slightest of the girls to be saying the things they were. I couldn't take it. I stared harshly at the two younger girls and told them to "grow up, and if they wanted to dress like a twenty-year old, they needed to act like an adult." Even though I might not have handled the situation the right way, I noticed the indifference and decided to try to do something about it.
Later that day I saw the girl being picked on having fun with different friends. Seeing her with positive people made me smile.
Indifference comes in all shapes and sizes. With just a small gesture of kindness and defense, anybody can stop it.
A couple years ago, my dad and me were driving home from a soccer game. As we were driving I saw a guy driving a four-wheeler up onto a truck. I didn't stop looking at him because I had a feeling something bad was going to happen. I looked away and when I looked back the guy fell off his four-wheeler and he was pinned beneath it. I told my dad and we pulled off to the side of the road so my dad could go help. I called an ambulence and my dad and another man from a car sat the guy up and waited to get him to the hospital. Meanwhile, many cars just kept driving by. They were all indifferent and didn't care that there was a guy bleeding to death in his driveway.
One time that I have not been indifferent was when my friends were making fun of this kid that wasn't our friend. They were making fun of him for the way he looked. I listened to my friends make fun of the kid for about a minute until I stepped in. I told my friends to stop making fun of them. At first my friends thought that I was kidding and continued to make fun of the kid. I stopped them again. My friends were shocked that I stopped them from making fun of the kid.
Indifference is not just in a specific place, it's everywhere. Found in school, restaurants, stores, and even in my home I see the act of indifference taking place. An example of myself letting indifference win happened in school one day. I was walking down the hallway with my friend and we both saw two upperclassmen harassing a freshmen. Both of us just walked right past it. Later that day, I saw it happen again. Day after day I saw it happen and did nothing each time. Finally, one day I saw a girl go up to the upperclassmen and stand up for this boy. Seeing this, it made me feel terrible. Thinking I could have and should have done stood up for that kid, and not waited for someone else to. Now, after letting indifference win and hearing Elie Weisel's speech, I will try my best not to let indifference win.
-Casey 1 period
Indifference occurs all over the world. As sad as it may be indifference occurs all the time regardless of different cultures, age groups or races. One of the greatest memories I have dealing with indifference happened to me when I was around the age of eleven or twelve.
I was a young kid. I had never dealt with anything as serious as verbal harassment and hatred. When one day, one of my closest friends confided in me that they were having trouble in school because they were being picked on by a group of students. The students turned my friend's life into a place of misery and pure torture. They made comments referring to my friend being gay and said that my friend had no life and no friends. The students also went on to continually harass my friend every day, until my friend got to a point in which they no longer wanted to come to school.
However, one day I witnessed this hatred first hand. I saw the students approach my friend with their insecurities and continue with their game of pestering and remarks. I watched as all the students around me said nothing, fearing the risk of losing their own social status or popularity, and laughing with the students. However, I wasn’t shallow. At that moment I didn’t care what a group of my peers thought, even though on other days it’s quite the opposite. Instead I stepped in and stood up for my friend who meant more to me than anything else.
After this I felt a lot of sadness and anger. I had seen the toll that true hatred can take on people even if it is just words. However, I have learned something very important from this that I will carry as a moral lesson throughout my life. I learned that the thing that hurts the most isn't the bullying, it is the idea that no one was willing to stand up and fight for what is right, and instead watched from the sidelines. From this, I will always remember to never stand by and let something happen. I will always remember to step in and stand up for the truth and what I know is right.
I see indifference everyday in the Brunswick community, there are some people who choose to make things happen and some that wait for things to happen. The day I made something happen was the last day of eighth grade year, when I was at Willets for the day. I had gone there to work with Mentally Handicap children, this is one of my favorite past times and also something I hope to do as a carer in my future. I choose not to be indifferent when I saw a young girl sitting all alone on the bench, she did not wanna participate on the bouncy activities or the dunk tank so I went over to talk to her and she was very shy. However after just talking to her and making her feel less alone she began to open up to me and we became close friends that day. I later learned from her aid that she rarely talks to anyone. I felt that this was a significant event that I choose to act on and it made a big difference in her day.
Cheyenne_1
I have been in a scenario in where i saw indifference, and people(including my self) chose not to be indifferent. I lived in broadview heights at that time and i was in third grade. at our school we had a bully who was in fourth grade. even though teachers were aware and they always tried to stop him, he was always causing trouble. one day, during recess, he was pushing a kid around. some people chose to be indifferent and just kept watching. some of them were even yelling"fight fight!". some of my friends and ran inside and called the lunch lady and she came out and stopped everything. that day i felt really good
Indifference is something that is a choice, everyone can can make the choose to be indifferent. When I look around I see that indifference can be all around you just have to look for the right people. There is indifference at school, church, and even on the news. A time that i witnessed indifference was the first day of 7th grade. It was the first day of school and a lost 6th grader was wandering around the school and did not know were to go. He dropped his books, everyone just walked on like nothing had even happened. When we reached the boy we we helped him pick up his books and then showed him were his class was. It made me feel good to know that I had helped him when others had. Also it made me a little mad as well because so many people had passed the boy before us and we were the only ones who helped him.
I witnessed someone not being indifferent was when i was in cleveland and a man that was homeless was on the street was sitting against a wall. When a woman walked by him and dropped a stack of books she was holding holding and he ran around the sidewalk and picked up all her books, and she didnt do anything for him, but yet he tried to pick up her dropped books for her as fast as he could, just to help her. I felt good knowing that in our world there are people that have nothing will help someone out of the kindness of their hearts.
a time i saw a indifference occur is what is happening all over the countries right now such as libya and egypt i see what is going on at these places and people rioting but i cant do anything about it
In eight grade, I saw this one kid get bullied a lot and nobody did anything. One day he got bucked and all of his papers fell and stuff got scattered in the hall. Be being the kind person I am, I helped him pick up his stuff and was late to class, receiving demerit. At the time, I felt sorry for him and wanted to show him someone cared.
I see indifference all the time; I know I am indifferent because I may not know about some of the events that are happening in the world today. Whether it was because I didn't pay attention to the news even though it was on, or because I didn't want to read the newspaper, or because I ignored the cover page on an issue TIME magazine, I may be ignorant because I refused to learn about the stories that I should have paid attention to.
I refused to let indifference win one day when my friend and I were walking around the playground in 4th grade. We saw some kids harrassing another kid who was new to the school. I listened to some of the bullies comments, and I knew immediatley that they weren't trying to be his friend. In my school, some of the kids decided to make an "initiation" ceremony for new kids. They usually see how new kids react to bullying. Do they fight or run. Anyway, I wasn't really happy with what they were saying, and neither was my friend, so we stepped in and stopped it. The kid who was being bullied has been my friend ever since.
I want to cry so bad now, i can't believe i didn't get home in time to blog, i was at a wedding tonight.... well, i'm not the kind of person to not finish something, so I should at least post what i rough drafted earlier in the week...
I see indifference everyday, for example, in my choir class we have a boy that is special education. There is a girl, older than myself, that comes in alot yelling at him. Calling him stupid and worthless. Since she is older than me (and kind of scary) I don't do anything, but neither does anyone else. There are people older and more mature than myself and her in the class, but they don't do anything either. The boy often has a breakdown and cries or yells. It bothers me that not one person can moves to do anything about it.
Highschool is one big bubble of indifference that can shape a persons confidence, self image, and mental health later in life. Whenever I see this boy crying or hear what the girl is saying to him, I wonder how she could be so cruel? What could she have been raised like to think that this is acceptable?
So yes, I witness indifference everyday, and I wonder, why does it exist? If we know it's there, why doesn't anyone move to change it? Thats what I think when I see indifference
Oh, and that last post was Angie G. From 2*
I saw indifference in what I think was its worst form about a year ago. Me and my friends went to Cedar Point for Halloweekends and when we walked in there was a little boy screaming for his parents. A bunch of people (Mostly adults) just kept walking. Me and my friend started walking towards the little boy, trying to give him help, but by the time we got there someone from the park had already started to help him. It made me feel so helpless just watching him cry and seeing everybody walk past him. My friends and I couldn't stand to just be indifferent like most of the people were that night.
The last post was from Taylor S 7-8
Indifference happens everywhere, at school, around the neighborhood, and even at home. One day i was walking down the hallway after school and infront of me was a younger kid, carrying a stack of books and folders when a group of kids came over and threw all his books on the ground with papers flying everywhere. He scrambled to pick them all up while the other kids just stood there laughing. Now I didnt know the boy, but I felt bad and ran over to him to help pick up his stuff. The older kids stopped laughing and walked away while the boy looked up at me and smiled. That was one day that i refused to be indifferent, i didnt care what those kids thought of me, i just knew that i needed to help.
-Sarah W. 7-8
sorry! i just realized i forgot to put my name
-hannah 1st period
I see indifference in a number of polaces such as school, resturants, my house and on city streets. An example of indifference that I just recently saw was when someone dropped all of their things in the hallway and nobody stopped and helped them. I was actually the only one to stop walking and pick up their books with them. I didn't understand why they just kept walking when it would be so easy just to take a couple of seconds to help someone. It felt good to help someone out when I was helping the person.
A time when i chose not to be indifferent was when an elder lady was struggling to open a door. i was walking out of the mall and this woman's hands were full of bags. everyone just walked past her without helping. I ran over and opened the door for her and then helped her carry her bags to the car.
A time when i watched someone be indifferent was at the movie theaters. this man was walking with his daughter and baby. the little girl had was pulling on her dad's arm and he dropped his bag. Instead of someone helping him pick up the stuff that fell out, they just stepped over it and kept walking.
~deja williams~
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