October 5, 2007– Vol.5 –
No.13
LulaWatch Focusing on the Latin American
Left
Latin America: "Induced
Abandonment" and "Social Anesthesia"
Unveiling the mystery of apathy
that greatly favors so many leaders inspired by the Old
and New Left is one of the most important tasks at the moment,
especially for the survival of Latin America.
1. In face
of governmental corruption, increasing crime, economic problems
and moral deterioration, many sectors of Latin American
public opinion are struck with an enigmatic apathy that
has in turn led to the rise of forms of populism inspired
by the Old and the New Left. While some analysts have identified
this phenomenon, the psychological mechanisms that lead
to apathy have not yet been sufficiently analyzed.
2. Opinion makers, intellectuals, politicians,
and media people should concentrate their efforts on identifying
the mechanisms that cause apathy and prevent people from
having wholesome reactions proportional to the scope of
Latin American problems. They should make this a number
one priority. Just making the problem known and exchanging
opinions about the possible causes of discouragement, lack
of interest and motivation is already a priceless contribution
and a first step toward shaking that apathy.
3. In this respect, psychiatrists Harold
Kaplan and Benjamin Sadock put together a report about experiments
with human beings during the 20th century, including in
the former Soviet Union. They describe cases of “induced
abandonment” in which individuals exposed to highly
stressful and apparently insoluble situations had their
intellectual and emotional capabilities impaired and fell
into psychological lethargy and frustration.
Dr. Eunice Alencar, a psychologist at the University of
Brasilia, explains that “apathetic behavior”
is more likely to occur “in intense and prolonged
situations of frustration, after all attempts by the individual
to overcome barriers have proven useless.”
The specialist adds that, following a state of such frustration,
“the individual becomes indifferent to any stimulus
and incapable of presenting any reaction.” She gives
as an extreme example the case of prisoners of war in Nazi
and Communist concentration camps during the Second World
War, in which, “facing constant torture and death
threats, prisoners became apathetic and completely indifferent
to everything happening around them.” Their very instinct
of self-preservation appeared to have abandoned them.
4. Though not as extreme as the concentration
camp example, similar symptoms seem to appear in vast sectors
in Latin America. That is not to say that the process of
frustration, abandonment and consequent apathy is irreversible
and no wholesome reactions should occur. Dr. Alencar herself
notes that some individuals can overcome this frustration
by “channeling” the tension generated by frustration
toward “overcoming obstacles.”
5. From complementary but equally interesting
viewpoints, other authors have also discussed how “induced
abandonment” leads to “apathetic behavior.”
Brazilian political scientist Gaudencio Torcuato warned
that the rising tide of corruption in all three branches
of government in Brazil has led important sectors of the
population to take a paradoxical attitude. Instead of becoming
indignant about these problems, many people simply get used
to them. They see those things as “trivial”
and almost “normal,” giving rise to a “gradual
process of waning strength” that “weakens people’s
will” and causes “tedium,” “accommodation,”
and “social anesthesia.”
Even “unusual” events acquire “the nature
of something normal.” Crime “begins to be assimilated”
as part of that pseudo normalcy so that “continued
confusion and disorder contribute to generate passivity,”
Torcuato concludes.
6. As mentioned in previous editorials,
an enigmatic phenomenon of ideological and psychological
lethargy is taking place in several countries on the Latin
American continent, accompanied by a no less enigmatic moral
anesthesia that affects decisive sectors of the population
and is contributing to leaving the way open to various types
of neo-populism.
Unveiling the mystery of apathy is one of the most important
tasks at present, especially for the survival of Latin America.
Previous editorials, related with the topic
of the apathy in Brazil:
* Brazil: booings to Lula, lethargy and wholesome reactions
* Chávez and his ally Lula, the “general anesthesist”
* Lula: A “useful moderate" at the service of
Chávez?
* The "Lula method" of solving conflicts: Who
profits?
* Is Brazil Sick? Minister Mello, government corruption
and apathy
Lula
Fooling the World Lula's party covered up its
historic radicalism during the
elections, but now in power is
gradually re-nationalizing formerly
privatized assets.
Brazil
says NO to Gun Control - October 27, 2005
The international left was monitoring with great expectations the results
of Brazil’s weekend referendum on a nationwide ban on the sale of
guns and ammunition. A Yes vote would have been celebrated as a victory
for gun control not only in Brazil but worldwide.
