All too often people seeking to bring about change use apathy as an excuse for people not taking action or not being outraged by something. I have uttered many times ‘no one cares’ or ‘I can’t believe there aren’t riots in the street about this’.
The truth is people are focused on what affects them and their lives, also, if people are going to take action, it has to be something that is easy to do, appealing and will generally be about something that inspires them.
Moaning, outrage about injustices, and criticising a system without offering an alternative attractive and inspiring solution, will always result in apathy. Guilting people into action is a failure and most often has the opposite effect to the desired outcome, no one responds to their opinions, choices and actions questioned by others and being made to feel guilty for them.
No one cares until they are inspired into action by something that has an outcome that is appealing to the person expected to take action.
Inspire, be the leader you want to see, be the change you want to see and do something appealing and others will always follow. Offer a solution that is worth taking action to achieve and gives a result others will truly care about.
Finally, make the change exciting, fun, appealing, rewarding and worthwhile. After all, we’re looking to make a change.
Philip Dodson 