Quotes on Apathy

History will have to recordThat the greatest tragedy of this period of social transitionWas not the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad peopleBut the appalling silence and indifference of the good.Our generation will have to repent notOnly for the words and actions of the children of darknessBut also for the fears and apathy of thechildren of light.

Tell them, that, to ease them of their griefs, Their fear of hostile strokes, their aches, losses, Their pangs of love, with other incident throes That nature's fragile vessel doth sustain In life's uncertain voyage, I will some kindness do them.

I have said that each aspect of the novel demands a different quality of the reader. Well, the prophetic aspect demands two qualities: humility and the suspension of the sense of humour.

Part of the particular interest and beauty of science fiction and fantasy: writer and reader collaborate in world-making.

The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal and hasten the resurrection of the dead.

Things have dropped from me. I have outlived certain desires; I have lost friends, some by death... others through sheer inability to cross the street.

Our easiest approach to a definition of any aspect of fiction is always by considering the sort of demand it makes on the reader. Curiosity for the story, human feelings and a sense of value for the characters, intelligence and memory for the plot. What does fantasy ask of us? It asks us to pay something extra.

You can present the material, but you can't make me care.

Apathy is a rational reaction to a system that no longer represents, hears or addresses the vast majority of people.

In communications, familiarity breeds apathy.

I hear much of people's calling out to punish the guilty, but very few are concerned to clear the innocent.

When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.

The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.

Apathy is a sort of living oblivion.

Those who choose not to empathize enable real monsters, for without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves we collude with it through our apathy.

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

The short memories of the American voters is what keeps our politicians in office.

If none of us ever read a book that was "dangerous," had a friend who was "different," or joined an organization that advocated "change," we would all be the kind of people Joe McCarthy wants.

[H]istory assures us that civilizations decay quite leisurely.

There is such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.

Are you then unable to recognize unless it has the same sound as yours?