The Apathy Factor

Social Apathy Towards Calamities

Introduction

In the current phase of time, the need for hazard prevention and disaster preparedness has increased dramatically. The increase in natural calamities, in line with global warming, has had its effects felt throughout the United States. The damage to property, communication, and public infrastructure is immense with repair costs high. With appropriate damage prevention measures, this aspect can be minimized. However, a general public apathy for disaster preparedness exists. Disaster preparedness requires research, planning, time and effort to implement; and more than often considered either too cumbersome or a waste of resources. This indifference bears great cost, both social and monetary. This essay seeks to define the concept of social apathy with regards to disaster preparedness, and shed light on its underlying causes, its implications, and how this social phenomenon can be reduced. (Wilson, et al, 2008)

Effective Preparation Against Possible Calamities

Disasters are cataclysmic events which cause harm to the effected population in terms of fatalities, damage to private property and public infrastructure, along with many social consequences. These can be natural calamities, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, or man-made events such as acts of terrorism, or industrial incidents/accidents. The United States has witnessed both man-made and natural disasters in the past couple of years, with the Adair Grain's fertilizer factory fire (New York Times, 2013) and Hurricane Sandy being the most recent episodes respectively. While the major responsibility of hazard prevention and disaster preparedness is attached to the government, citizens can prevent damage by installing and keeping available necessary equipment, being aware of standard procedures in case of such an event, and community level involvement in the form of training, improvised-drills, and awareness programs. Citizen preparedness in this form can even raise light on possible insufficiency of government measures.

Understand Apathy in Context

Apathy, as described ...