Apathy rampant among youth
Collegian Opinion

    A recent informal classroom survey delivered a disturbing revelation—students at TCC are not reading their college newspaper.

   These findings seem to follow a current trend with most U.S. citizens. Apathy about everything seems to be a recurring theme. Apparently, people do not care about voting, war with Iraq, homelessness, abuse … the list goes on.

   During the informal survey, many students claimed that the paper is not interesting. Maybe, that is because it has to contain news, which should be important.

   Apparently, people want their news to be interesting. What they do not realize is that the news is their story. Could it be that these people are not interesting themselves?

   The majority of the public seems more than willing to live vicariously through the cookie-cutter, wannabe pop-stars of American Idol or Survivor. Is that what this great society has come to? Are we the Roman Empire and Fox our Colosseum? It appears that we have no interest in anything that does not involve watching someone else lose or win.

   We often hear talk of chasing the American Dream, but what is that dream now? The American Dream was to have the opportunity to live a decent life and live in freedom. Now, the dream seems to be to get rich and famous, have a huge entourage and make an appearance on the cover of People magazine.

   No one seems content to work for anything anymore. People want fame and wealth immediately. Sadly, this dream includes stepping on others to achieve their goals.

   Recent corporate scandals attest to this fact.

   Maybe, it is not necessarily apathy toward everyone, but toward everyone else.

   People’s driving habits are a good indicator of this apathy. If a person is late, he or she does not mind being discourteous, but if an action is done to that same person, then the inconsiderate driver must pay.

   People today are content just to stay in their own world with as little contact or understanding of others as possible.

   At TCC, most students seem content to go to class and go home. The students who do this are robbing themselves of a richer and fuller college life. They do not realize that college is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

   Another aspect to getting involved is that you will make the college a better place for future generations. Should we leave some legacy for future students, and should it be a good one?

   Current events scream for some kind of action. War, corruption, government abuse and religious persecution are all rampant in our society. Where is the outrage? Where are the protests? Why is nothing being done? Do people even care anymore or is money too important?

   The legacy we are leaving behind is greed and apathy. Is this how America is destined to end? Not with a huge attack or explosion, but a shrug of the shoulders and a sarcastic, “Whatever.”