Not so innocent bystander

A common question is why do we do nothing? I ask myself why I don’t do more all the time… to which I get multiple excuses from my brain. it’s not that we don’t care, and i’ll prove it to you.

I didn’t even know this was a thing, but when I started looking into the psychology behind why humans suck I found that of course its been studied and given a pompous name. It’s called bystander effect or bystander apathy - which means where people observe harmful events or injustices happening without taking action. Now this is generally for immediate situations (see here) but it can also refer to larger ongoing issues. Academics like to call this “passive observation of ongoing societal issues like climate change and racism”

Anyway - below are some reasons we are passive to utterly horrid things.

Social Inaction
People don't take action on social issues because they feel their efforts won't make a difference or the problems seem too complicated.

Complacency
Sometimes we feel good about ourselves and don't notice problems around us, leading to inaction. It’s easy to overlook issues when we're comfortable or not directly affected.

Social Repercussions
You worry about being judged, criticised, or pigeonholed for doing something. This fear stops you from speaking up or making changes.

Indifference
You just don’t really care about important issues, so why do anything about it.

Moral Disengagement
You potentially make excuses for not acting or for doing harmful things by downplaying the impact or seeing the affected people as less human.

Normalisation of Deviance
You see it as normal behavior. Because over time, what was once seen as a problem has been accepted as normal. (doesn’t mean it is FYI)

Understanding these barriers is the first step towards overcoming them. Small actions can lead to significant change, and each of us has the power to make a difference.

get in touch if you have other thoughts on these