We could use a little crisis
Letter to the Editor
The sociologist C. Wright Mills speaks of indifference and uneasiness as two major problems in society. It seems that Notre Dame is a society to which this applies. Mills gives four possible states: well-being, crisis, indifference and uneasiness. Well-being is cherishing a set of values which are not threatened in any way. Crisis is cherishing values which are threatened. Indifference is defined as the state of not being aware of either cherished values or threats. Finally, uneasiness is the state of not being aware of cherished values, but only of the threat. The question now is, where are Notre Dame students on this scale?
The ideal, of course, is that Notre Dame students would be in a state of well-being. That is something for which I am quite certain we all wish. If one's ideals are real, one can do nothing less than hope that there will be no threats to those ideals and they will pervade society.
Of course, it seems almost impossible to be in a total state of well-being. Perhaps there are those who are completely satisfied with reality and society as they are, but it seems that for most people, society does not reach their own ideals nor hold their own values. At least, society does not hold the values which most profess — whether or not they actually hold those values themselves is up to debate.
In any case, a Catholic or Christian in general could not be in a state of well-being. There is poverty, war, murder and all kinds of evil in this society. A true Christian could not possibly be content with such a depraved world.
It seems that the Christian and thus the vast majority of Notre Dame students must be in a state of crisis. As Christians we hold lofty values and ideals. For Catholics, legalized abortion, the death penalty, senseless wars, the divorce rate, the multitude of broken homes and the general depravity of life among much of America's poor can do nothing but threaten cherished values.
Society seems in direct conflict to the Christian's values. Why then are Notre Dame students not up in arms? It seems that any who felt their most fundamental and cherished values threatened would do anything to protect them. As the students of the premier Catholic university in America, it seems that we should be leading the defense of Christian values. This, of course is not the case.
By far, it seems that Notre Dame students are content with their situations. On the surface it seems that we are all in a state of well-being. However, it has been shown that no true Christian could possibly be in such a state of well-being in such a time as this. Thus, perhaps we come to the conclusion that Notre Dame students are, in general, not true Christians.
Maybe this is harsh, but I believe deservedly so. Indifference plagues this University. I do not condemn the other students here, for I am certainly part of the problem. I have a certain indifference in myself — a certain laziness really. I believe myself to have high ideals, but, in fact, if I had those ideals I would be protecting them from the threats of society. How could I stand by on the policies of Notre Dame about sweatshops and homosexuality or sit idly by and watch the community of South Bend as a passive observer, never lending a hand. It seems more likely that I am in a state of indifference.
I have not a real awareness of the values I claim to hold, and thus I can perceive no threat to them. Of course, every Notre Dame student is not like this but I do not believe I am alone in my indifference.
Indifference takes many forms in this University. Often it seems that it is simply an unwillingness to speak up. Whether it simply be pointing something out in class or writing a letter of protest to Monk, we are unwilling to do it. It seems that the only way to combat this indifference is revealing th hypocrisy. No real Christian should be able to go to Mass every Sunday in such a state of indifference.
It seems odd to say, but perhaps we all need a little crisis in our lives.
Justin Bonner
Sophomore
Sorin College
February 16, 2000
All Viewpoint Stories for Wednesday, March 22, 2000
