On recent observations

[azekeil]

As blaadyblah has recently pointed out, the majority of people today seem to ignore other people in need of help.

I started thinking a little more as to why this might be. I have come up with a number of possible reasons; society's general downward trend was the obvious one. I've ranted about this in the past. However, I think perhaps it's a combination of things. I think that actually the frequency of incidents that the general public has to endure have declined. In short, they're just not used to dealing with that sort of thing. This, to my mind, means the world has actually become a safer place.

What do you think?

Comments

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Okay, how about this? (Gakked from comments in the above post).

[blaadyblah.livejournal.com]

I've opened the post for you. :)

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Ooh, ta :)

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

blaadyblah has now unlocked her post. There's a tale of people stepping over a 92 year old woman in the female toilets to get to the toilet rather than helping.

I agree with the insulation idea - it would help explain a lot of other things, like road rage etc. But the toilet incident just beggars belief.

[air-bizkit.livejournal.com]

Yup.

It's also to do with the new "sue anybody" culture that is developing. When I recently did my "First Aid at work" course, my instructor told me if I saw anybody that had had an accident in the street it would probably be best to leave them alone, as a few people who have tried to help people in the street have been consequently been sued by the injured party for badly applied first aid which consequently hampered their recovery at the hospital.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

I used to go out with a qualified NHS nurse. She was required to stop and assist at any scene of an accident where there wasn't already someone qualified attending, and she had £100,000 pounds of indemnity insurance from the govornment, presumably precisely because of this sort of thing.

[blaadyblah.livejournal.com]

That one made me sick to my stomach.. I mean, honestly - it makes me want to shake people by the shoulders and scream "How COULD you?!"

I touched on the subject of social responsibility in this entry last year. The original (not so positive *g*) version of this one also covered it.

The individualisation of our society has reached a stage whereby community spirit is all but dead, social responsibility in danger of extinction and personal responsibility no longer even expected of us. We live in a country where you can claim damages from the local authority because you didn't look where you were putting your feet for crying out loud!

We have people to put out warning signs when there is water on the floor, people to pick up our litter, to administer first aid in even a minor emergency at work. Effectively we have a whole bunch of assigned people who are charged with the responsibility of fixing things when they go wrong... we don't have to get our hands dirty, or be inconvenienced by these little trifles. We have other people to deal with that sort of thing. The result is a best case scenario where we hit a problem and look first for someone else to take responsibility, and then for someone to blame. Worst case scenario is the little old lady in the toilet, or the woman in the road.

It never even occurs that there isn't already someone dealing with the situation, that they may actually be required to act in order for the problem to be resolved. If it does actually register that action may be required, they think first of how long they have left on their parking ticket, what time they must be at work. They conclude that it is reasonable to leave this for someone else, either the person whose responsibility it actually is, or at least someone less busy and important than they.

People don't want to act, they don't want to take responsibility and they don't want to make decisions, particularly if it might inconvenience them and sadly, I suspect in a lot of cases it won't even occur to them to do so because there is nothing in it for them. Wanna bet if we we all got our name in the paper, or got twenty quid a pop for acts of kindness people wouldn't have to wait so long for help?

It isn't insulation, it's individualisation. A society where each individual is the centre of the world they live in, the most important event in any given day their own nominee for that title. It's pure selfishness. Insulation is a nice theory, but I don't believe people are actually thick enough to think that the rest of the world isn't real when viewed through a screen. I think they're just that selfish they'll decide to treat it that way.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

No I think it's a combination of people not having to deal with this sort of event with any sort of regularity and the combination of isolationism caused (in part) by being behind a TV screen or car windscreen.

Add in the rest of the rubbish to the mix and I think it all adds up pretty much.

[blaadyblah.livejournal.com]

Is it that irregular though?

Maybe it's just me, but in addition to the two incidents I've mentioned in my post there was the little old lady who fell in the supermarket, another who came over dizzy in there (maybe it's that store?!), a couple of lost kids in town, and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head, all just this year. In not one of those cases did anyone else lift a finger and I was neither first nor nearest in any.

I'm not convinced irregularity is part of the cause so much as it is part of the effect. Perhaps people just don't see where their help is needed? I'm also uncomfortable with the idea that people are so easily disasocciated from reality as to find themselves disconnected from the world simply because they're viewing it through glass. I find that very hard to believe somehow. I have to admit though, it would explain a lot... I guess maybe I just do not want to think that people are really that blind.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

The side effects of convenience and safety must not be overlooked. Look at what we take almost for granted now compared to how life was just 100 years ago. The majority of us drive cars, have television and the internet.. those are just the major ones.

Everything in modern life has been geared (supposedly) to make life easier, simpler, quicker - more convenient - for the individual. The side effect is that anything that isn't any of these is overlooked. Including other people's wellbeing.

Factor in the loss of a sense of community due (mainly) to ease of transport and it's no wonder that people have no sense of unity.

[stuartl.livejournal.com]

I think this mentality is reflected in a lot of large corporates. The smaller the company the more everyone has to muck in. The larger the organisation the more individuals won't get involved in other people's problems.

Drives me mad.

[stuartl.livejournal.com]

That's easy. False name, false address.

Take the help or leave it. I don't want credit, just don't want them to die.

[omylouse.livejournal.com]

I spent many years volunteering with St John Amubulance who provide first aid cover everywhere from school fayres to major football matches. Luckily membership gives you insurance! We heard cases from older members about people sueing the first aiders who saved their life for broken/bruised ribs during CPR & lost glasses. Ok, not trivial events, but hey, you are still alive!

This sue culture sucks so much I could rant all day, but I'll be good & wont!