Apathy v. Ignorance: On 9th Grade English, The Wire, and William Hung

In 9th grade, our English teacher talked about a former student who was floundering. He was not engaged in the class, and performed poorly on tests.

So he queries, "Jimmy, I can't figure out what's going on. Is it ignorance or apathy?"

Jimmy crudely responds, "I don't know and I don't care."

It seems today that Jimmy's sentiment pervades society. There's always an excuse, an easy way out, a way to avoid deeper engagement in something important.

Last week, David Simon, creator of the greatest television show of the last decade, The Wire, appeared on The Journal with Bill Moyers on PBS. It's incredible to think SO MANY more people are interested in watching young folks botch popular songs in front of Simon Cowell instead of something a little more thought-provoking.

It's less an indictment of American Idol than it is a complaint about The American Idle -- the lazy-by-default attitude that seeks a way out instead of a way in. Rather than a serious investigation, discussion and immersion in systemic social issues, we forego those meaningful discussions for a hapless William Hung's take on a wretched Ricky Martin tune.

To be fair, everyone needs a break from the daily grind. But the daily grind is dramatically different for someone on a higher rung on the socioeconomic ladder, than for someone struggling to juggle work and unpaid bills.

At a certain point, cheap laughs of primetime television ring hollow and act as a hall pass for inaction.

Bill Moyers and David Simon do what they can to uncover systemic shortcomings, and most people never hear the call.

The real question is whether we use that as a springboard for meaningful action, or if we collectively decide Jimmy from 9th grade English had it right all along: The problem is right in front of us, and the built-in response is "I don't know and I don't care."

We can only hope the Obama administration's renewed emphasis on public service carries with it a revival of a spirit of selflessness.



Here's a link to David Simon on Bill Moyers Journal: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04172009/watch.html