Indifference is Destroying the World Noureddine Boutahar

        Why is the world getting worse than ever and why are the bad guys getting the upper hand? Why are we taking, day in day out, a few more steps backward  towards a darker, scarier, and more uncertain world?

        Part of the answer is in the short story of the humming bird:

       One day, a long time ago and in a faraway place, or so the legend goes, there was a huge forest fire that was raging the countryside. All the animals were terrified, running around in circles, screaming, crying and helplessly watching the impending disaster.

        But there in the middle of the flames, and above the cowering animals, was a tiny hummingbird busy flying from a small pond to the fire, each time fetching a few drops of water with its beak to throw on the flames. And then again and then again.

        After a while, an old grouchy armadillo, annoyed by this ridiculous useless agitation on the part of the hummingbird, cried out: “Tiny bird! Don’t be a fool. It is not with those miniscule drops of water one after the other that you are going to put out the fire and save us all!”

        To which the hummingbird replied, “Could be, but I’m going to do my bit”.

        The main theme of the story, of course, is that indifference is dangerous. It is one of the greatest threats to humanity and existence itself.

        As you know, indifference means lack of interest, concern, or sympathy. In other words, not doing our bit, in the words of the humming bird. 
        Elie Wiesel once said “The opposite of Love is note hate, it’s indifference’’. I think there is a lot of truth in this statement because people nowadays show a lack of concern about a number of pressing issues like global warming, poverty, genocide, injustice, and so many other forms of evil which drive our world towards an abyss of unimaginable horror.

        Edmund Burke, for his part said “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” He’s right because people seem to oppose these evils in their hearts, but they never make any active effort to fight them.

        So, if we continue to turn our backs to social injustice, if we continue to turn a blind eye to environmental issues, if we continue to turn a deaf ear to oppression, we’ll give free reign to selfish desires, injustice, tyranny, and violation of human rights.

       The French singer and composer, Gilbert Bécaud, summed it up well in a song when he said, “What really destroys the world is INDIFFERENCE."