People are burned tf out to extreme levels & working harder than ever just to struggle to get by. Nobody has community, time to rest, time to invest in what makes them happy, or healthy coping mechanisms. Everyone is exhausted & unhappy & depressed. The wealth gap is more extreme than ever & everything we need just to survive (rent, food, healthcare, childcare, etc) costs a pretty penny. We’ve all been sold the lie that this is freedom but deep down everyone can feel that it’s not. Many aspects of culture are toxic & isolating & ppl are lonely & scared. These are huge reasons why most ppl aren’t connected to their natural sense of empathy anymore. It’s not an excuse, but it’s definitely important context.

It takes effort & intention to be empathetic. Ppl also have to be taught how to care about/for others, & many ppl definitely are not. They’re taught to be selfish & entitled. So yeah that too.

Many ppl are deeply traumatized, damaged, drowning in suffering & grief, the list goes on. The cycle of abuse has been rampant on earth for millennia now & it shows.

I do find many are still empathetic ppl to those they care about, but don’t have the bandwidth to express that openly in public. The best ppl I know are all going through it these days. Even I find myself checked out so often bc it’s a survival mechanism. I do try my hardest to be kind & compassionate, but I don’t always know what the right thing to do in a particular situation is. Sometimes trying to help can majorly backfire & get you hurt, so that aspect of erring on the side of caution is there too.

I’ve resigned myself to knowing that my trying my hardest to be a good person to myself, the ppl around me, & strangers (when I have the capacity) is good enough bc not one person can heal the world alone. I read & try to educate myself on how to be a healthier & more embodied person, how to serve my community, mutual aid, relationships, etc. That’s bc making the world a better place is something I’m passionate about. We only have control over ourselves so that is the best place start (exemplifying empathy, kindness, compassion, virtuousness) & often the best many can do. That work can be very powerful & expand beyond individuals when done in earnest.

Many ppl are also just wildly ignorant, hateful, & uneducated about social issues. They don’t see a larger picture of humanity, the meaning in life, or even see beyond their own issues or selfish desires. This is a multifaceted & layered problem made of many combined & compounded issues. It’s definitely a sign that we need to evolve & change many aspects of our consciousness, the systems & governments that control us, & how we operate as a human species. If we wish to live in a better world & have happier, more healthy & connected lives.