The Cost of Survival
Apathy. Such a short word, yet so lethal, so poisonous like a viper on a seductress’s shoulders. Scholars define apathy as a quantitative reduction of goal-directed activity compared to an individual’s previous level, affecting multiple dimensions including behavior, cognition, emotion, and social interaction. In other words, apathy is not just “not caring.” It is the slow erosion of motivation, feeling, and connection. When understood this way, apathy becomes less about laziness and more about loss, loss of meaning, agency, and belief that effort will lead to anything worthwhile. It may even explain the quiet misery many people carry: the constant complaining, irritation toward joy, or resentment of those who seem fulfilled, or at least pretend to be. Too harsh? Maybe. But this article is for me too. I reckon this could explain the whispers in city corners and matatu conversations about the Kenyan 2027 elections, a premonition shaped by the memory of elections...