Silencing the Echoes of Fear and Apathy: Unmasking the Danger of the Defeatist Mindset
I was scrolling through my Twitter feed this morning and came across a Tweet from a wonderful person I follow. That Tweet stimulated the article below. Thank you, Tracy: I appreciate the inspiration for the topic.
We live in a time when cliches have become conversation-enders (conversation-ending cliches): ‘It is what it is,’ ‘That’s the way it’s always been,’ and ‘ah sure, what can you do.’ I’m utterly sick to the teeth of having an epidemic of defeatist phrases jammed down my gullet: these insidious phrases are guilty of infecting the soul with the virus of apathy, making a mockery of our democratic values as they plunge worldwide in a freefall of far-right fascist rhetoric. I implore you, for heaven’s sake: ‘Grow a pair!’ Stand up for your rights, lest you lose them.
Defeatism is a destructive mindset that subjugates our goals: our autonomy and the very dignified existence we aspire to attain to the will of others. The misguided belief that there is no use in trying to change the inevitable, or combat the impossible, is anathema to democracy. Yet, it is a belief perpetuated by the pervasive use of phrases like ‘it is what it is.’
Using conversation-ending cliches ad nauseam is a weaponised contemporary construct used to effectively bring discussions to an end before they can bear fruit. It’s a phrase that lazily — or perhaps due to fear — avoids action, refuses to consider solutions, and acquiesces to the status quo. Let’s not be deluded; this sort of thinking isn’t innocuous — it is dangerous. It breeds an environment of despair, hopelessness, and complacency. People stop striving for improvement, accepting their circumstances as unchangeable.
Resisting defeatism, we must challenge the status quo, seek improvements, and remain undeterred by adversity. We should never settle for mediocrity or accept the status quo as inescapable. Defeatism must be traded for hope, possibility, and the belief in our inherent power to forge our future rather than having it predetermined by a few malignant puppet masters, despots, authoritarians, and Narcissistic trolls.
Remember, it’s the ‘squeaky wheel that gets the grease.’ So, let’s cease using ‘it is what it is’ as an excuse for inaction and start employing it as a rallying cry for positive change. Stand up, in the immortal words of Bob Marley, for your rights. Or, in the sentiment of James 4:2 (KJV), realise that ‘ye have not because ye ask not.’ Stand up off your gluteus maximus, discard your mantle of apathy, and take action to shape the destiny you desire.
Glossary
- Defeatism: The mindset characterised by a pessimistic or resigned attitude towards challenging situations or problems. It is the belief that efforts to change or overcome obstacles are futile and not worth pursuing.
- Autonomy: The ability to make decisions and take actions independently, free from external control or influence. It is the state of self-governance and self-determination.
- Dignified existence: Living with a sense of worth, respect, and integrity. It encompasses the right to be treated with dignity and to have one’s basic human needs and rights fulfilled.
- Democracy: A system of government in which power resides with the people, who exercise their authority through elected representatives. It promotes equality, freedom of speech, and the protection of individual rights.
- Conversation-ending cliches: Overused phrases that shut down discussions and prevent meaningful dialogue from taking place. These cliches are often employed as shortcuts to avoid further exploration of topics or to dismiss the possibility of change.
- Status quo: The existing common state of affairs or the current situation. It refers to the prevailing conditions, practices, or systems that are in place.
- Complacency: A state of self-satisfaction or contentment that leads to a lack of motivation or effort to improve one’s circumstances. It passively accepts the status quo without seeking progress or change.
- Mediocrity: The state of being average, ordinary, or lacking exceptional qualities. It implies a lack of ambition or effort to achieve excellence.
- Apathy: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. It is the absence of emotional or active engagement with issues or problems.
- Rallying cry: A slogan or phrase to inspire and unite people around a common cause or goal. It serves as a call to action and motivates individuals to come together and work towards positive change.
References
- YouTube video: “Bob Marley — Get Up, Stand Up (Live at Munich, 1980) — YouTube.” (2023). Retrieved June 10, 2023, from
- Online article: Grant, L. (2022). THE RELIGION CORNER: You Have Not Because You Ask Not. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://www.washingtoninformer.com/the-religion-corner-you-have-not-because-you-ask-not/
- Book: (2023). Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cultish-Language-Fanaticism-Amanda-Montell/dp/0062993151
