From the day I arrived at WPI I have heard, at least once a week, that the WPI community is nothing more than a bunch of apathetic students wandering from building to building, class to class and ignoring everything that is taking place around them. The editorial "Anyone want a social life?" (Newspeak 9/6/95) revived that idea once again, albeit to produce another goal. I can only assume the writer(s) wanted to goad these "patients" into being more "involved" in campus activities. An honorable goal, but I see a fundamental problem with it. I don't know any of these apathetic people that I keep hearing about, and what makes it even more unusual is that I don't think all the much is wrong with the WPI community.
No apathy at WPI? It has to be here, EVERYONE says it is. I've talked to alumni who swear that apathy has been at WPI since 1975, and probably longer. The thought rings out so much from the mouth of campus organizations and their leaders that it must be true. So what is apathy, WPI style, and why don't I think it exists? Borrowing from the editorial of last week, apathy starts with people who aren't "involved". I do not know one single person at WPI who is not involved in any activity or one who does nothing for the community. If you broaden the scope of your vision you will see that everyone has something that they do to make WPI a better place. Perhaps they don't book shows for Soccom or run for the SGA, but since when are these the only ways to help the WPI community? Maybe they are MASH leaders, or revive a dying club sport or even work for DAKA. Just because someone doesn't 'run' the campus doesn't mean they aren't "involved".
Of course, the nay-sayers will point out that they still hear complains, and I will agree with that. Everyone complains now and then, it is part of human nature. People are going to say, for example, that a Pub show was bad, or that the SGA doesn't do anything. Odds are that they are wrong, through misinformation or some sort of prejudice. Just because they might be wrong, doesn't mean they are apathetic. We all work very hard here at WPI, and sometimes we just complain for the sake of complaining. It does sound small, but people do make themselves feel better by making other people feel worse. It happens all the time in the "real world". That doesn't make it right, but it also doesn't mean apathy is rampant on campus.
The real way to solve the "apathy" problem on this campus is not to drag people to another activity, but to be a little more tolerant of people and what they are doing. So you don't like a pub show, so what? Do you have to post a message to wpi. flame tearing down LnL, or beating on Soccom for picking the band? America was founded on the very basic sentiment of tolerance of other people's views, freedom of expression and religion and that lot. The next time you open your mouth to complain about a show or the SGA's latest issue think about what you would think being on the other end. Tolerance is the key to many or our social woes, not only at WPI but in America. If you stay true to what you believe and remain tolerant of what others do, then not only will WPI be a better place, but you will be a better person.
Name withheld by request
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