RISE, A Modern Guide for the Purpose Driven Woman Spring 2014 | Page 9

millennials written by Grace McLain My generation is very aware that there are some serious problems in the world. We remember 9/11, we’ve endlessly heard about the recession, the economy, how difficult it is to get a job. We have grown up surrounded by awareness campaigns, and are fully aware of huge spectrum of issues that affect our world right now like human trafficking, climate change, severe poverty, women’s rights, cancer, etc. But after years of hearing about these problems without hearing about real change, and years of frustration at political inefficiency and corruption, sometimes it’s all too easy to just throw our hands up, say “oh well”, and continue on with our lives. This is incredibly dangerous. As Elie Wiezel said, “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference”. My generation truly has the poten- tial to change the world, but I think we are all too affected by apathy. post on facebook, make a donation, swearing not rest until [problem] is solved. Then, the excitement dies down, the problem still persists, and sometimes corruption is discovered in the organization that they donated to and disillusionment and indifference set in. I understand the cynical nature of this view, but I think this issue, like any global problem, has a solution. We do not need to throw our hands in the air and give up! I have made the personal decision to devote my career to addressing healthcare issues, but I know it is possible to care and affect change within any lifestyle. While the information can get overwhelming, it is important not to shut it off, to stop watching documentaries, or paying attention to what we hear about online. The problems are huge, yes. The problems become a lot smaller, however, when you remember the individuals. Sure, rescuing one woman from a life of trafficking is not going to alter the statistics. But will it change that woman’s life? We are so bombarded by information about the dearth of problems that we become numb and desensitized to suffering that can, honestly, seem far away and irrelevant to our day-to-day I have seen countless friends go through the process of becoming sincerely passionate about an issue after seeing a talk, taking an international trip, or watching a documentary. There is no shortage of means to learning about issues. These friends then join the awareness campaign, This isn’t a problem exclusive to my generation, but it is something I see so often with my friends. We are told over and over again that we can change the world, so let’s ditch the apathy and do it!