COSTIVE PEOPLE SURROUND US

Costive: Adjective: 1. Slow to act or speak. 2. Stingy. 3. Constipated.

Where is the milk of human kindness that used to appear in so many places but is seldom reported on today. On June 6, bystanders ignored a hit and run victim writes Greg B. He writes: "Our society has been, and will continue to be in moral decline. In our society there is no longer right or wrong, just what is popular. 50 years ago it would have been unheard of for two men to marry, or shoot up a school, or even consider to run a nominee for political office that had refused to serve a day in the military. Selflessness is no longer a virtue, just an oddity." He talks of serving 2 tours in Iraq because 'someone was needed." I disagree with some of his examples, for example, two men marrying. that is progress by people recognizing realities of Nature and some of the adaptive changes required. However, his other examples remain in the category of proven wrongs.

Minnesota law makes it a petty misdemeanor to not give reasonable help to a person in danger of "grave physical harm." It should be a law everywhere, as far as I am concerned. Not to dial 911 is heartless beyond belief since the police can be asked to preserve your anonymity, should that be your greatest fear...for your own safety at the cost of someone else's life.

Mark Tyrell, a psychologist, writes about bystander apathy. He discusses some of the reasons for it and suggests people can be helped to be more active. Aside from his pitch, the handling of the subject is quite informative and useful to those who are interested in reading more on it. There are no doubt many individual reasons why people don't help. Fear of retaliation by the perpetrator; wishing not to have to go to court to testify as a witness; panic at the sights and sounds bringing on memories that trigger PTSD episodes; while some wish to run away, they are also unable to act; fear of being attacked themselves; fear of seeing blood and wounds; all are just a few of the possibilities for the inaction. However, none of those should be reason not to call the police for help. It is the total inaction that labels them, to me, as costive.