People tend to be more pragmatic and less human

May 16, 2014 18:57 GMT  ·  By

These days, I was thinking that today’s society has changed people, as many of us tend to be more pragmatic, more concerned about material things and immediate rewards for any act, and less interested in other people’s problems and needs. I have noticed that, as human beings, we seem to be losing our ability to care for our fellow humans.

As we walk down the street, sit on the bus, in a crowded waiting room, or do our shopping in the supermarket, we notice so many people not looking at us at all. But, on the other hand, do we even notice them, or are we too busy with our own thoughts to look at them?

So, the next question that comes into my mind is: can this indifference be considered an indication that our humanity is becoming more endangered?

Yesterday, we saw a shocking video which proved that humans sometimes tend to judge a book by its covers and, sadly, the choice of clothing can make all the difference when it comes to our fellows’ attitudes towards us.

A social experiment showed just how easy it could be to block out those in need if we let ourselves be guided by prejudice. The video titled “The importance of appearances” showed the reactions of pedestrians who came across two different men collapsed to the ground. One of them was dressed up as a homeless, while the second guy was wearing a nice suit and looked like a businessman.

Of course, the homeless guy was almost completely ignored by passers-by for nearly five minutes, although his cries for help were heartbreaking. On the other hand, when the businessman came on stage, things changed radically, and people seemed way more concerned about his faith.

This shows that most people make judgments on others based on the first glance, but those quick judgments on how we look often lead to prejudice, which may in turn lead to an act of discrimination.

I understand that, given today’s society’s dangers, people were wary and thought that perhaps the poorly dressed man was drunk or was on drugs and may have turned violent and harmed them, so they chose not to get near him, but in this case they might have at least called for an ambulance. It is their indifference that boggles my mind.

And the video is luckily just a social experiment, but unfortunately there were real-life situations when people died because of their fellows’ indifference. In 2011, for instance, a two-year-old Chinese girl was hit by a car twice on a street and knocked unconscious while bleeding from her injuries, but at least 18 pedestrians ignored the scene and didn't help her.

So, what are these incidents telling about us? Are we losing our humanity? Have people become insensitive and indifferent to homelessness and poverty? Are we so shallow and frivolous?

Yes, appearance matters. That is a fact of life. But humanity has nothing to do with looks. The quality of being human includes being able to empathize, communicate in order to empathize and respond with care, bond together and have intentions that also serve others, not just ourselves.

However, I just hope that if any of the people who ignored the homeless man and the little girl were given the chance to see their reactions, they would immediately recognize their mistake and wonder how could they walk so coldly past a person in need.