# Ignorance and Apathy By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-05-26 When confronted with the question which is worse, ignorance or apathy, a comedic response is, _I don’t know, and I don’t care_. As a punchline this response always delivers. As an ethos, it leaves much to be desired. This is especially true within organizations as humans interact and our individual actions have collective consequences. One organizational problem which warrants some scrutiny is a persistent lack of awareness of our shared humanity. Of course, there is frequently an office jerk, but this concern goes deeper than one negative person. How connected are we to those working with us? Do we understand the degree to which our actions and inactions influence and impede the quality of life of those around us? Based on our collective actions the answers seem to be negative. Perhaps this is simply the result of ignorance. If this is the case, the situation can be addressed by making each other conscious of our shared humanity. A more challenging problem exists if those engaged in work together do not care. Even this is understandable. Life is busy. Work is often a means to an end. We have varying degrees of choice as to those with whom we work. The organization isn’t paying us to care about it each other. There is a multitude of reasons why one could legitimate an approach of strategic apathy regarding our shared humanity at work. Something can be rational, legitimate, and unrewarding. Ignorance and apathy towards each other at work, no matter how reasonable, can create an estrangement from our humanity. In fact, perpetuating a lack of awareness in this respect might require such an estrangement. When it comes to determining which is worse ignorance and apathy, there is really no debate. It is apathy. To not care is to obstruct the source of all that is best in humanity. Each of us deserves better. #### Related Items [[Apathy]] [[Ignorance]] [[Work]] [[The Human Condition]] [[Caring]] [[Awareness]] [[Questions]]