REHUGO: History

A. "The Perils of Indifference" is a speech by Elie Wiesel where he comments on the significance of the vulnerability in people when they are not concerned with the injustices happening in their society.

B. This speech was delivered in Washington, D.C. in 1999. Elie Wiesel noticed that when people become aware of obscene phenomenons, they do nothing to contribute to solve the problems. More specifically, many were aware of the millions of people being affected by the Holocaust in Europe, but other countries did not take action as soon as they should have.

C. Indifference is a quality that will always be around in society such as hate, love, sadness, and laziness. What makes this speech so relevant is that everyone can relate to a time when they experienced their own or another person's indifferent behavior. A common example would be when someone notices a homeless person on the street begging for money or food, and they do nothing to help them. It is alarming how easy it is for most people to ignore that person's desperation and continue on with their day. Neglecting situations such as these is how a society is able to function without chaos.

D. “Is there a philosophy of indifference conceivable? Can one possibly view indifference as a virtue? Is it necessary at times to practice it simply to keep one's sanity, live normally, enjoy a fine meal and a glass of wine, as the world around us experiences harrowing upheavals?”
By applying these rhetorical questions to his speech, Elie Wiesel appeals to the reader by having them reflect on their lives. For most, indifference can be classified as moral excellence; living “normally” while others around you are suffering can be a gratifying way to remain lucid. He goes on to say, “Of course, indifference can be tempting -- more than that, seductive.” Keeping one’s sanity can be captivating when you know the realities of other people’s lives are unimaginably shocking.

“Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger and hatred. Anger can at times be creative… But indifference is never creative.”
Utilizing inversion in his speech, Elie Wiesel comments on how people sometimes do productive things out of anger in an attempt to make their situations better. They use their creativity and imagination to come up with new ways to appease grievances. The reason why indifference cannot be creative is because when people are indifferent, they demonstrate a lack of concern and interest. Passion, ingenuity, and hubris are what drive creativity; People who are indifferent have been deprived of those qualities.