[The_Gun_Nut]

This TED talk provides a good overview of the hows and whys of apathy not only in our world, but in the Shadowrun setting (which is cranked up to 11).

Food for thought.

[Critias]

Meh.  *shrugs*

[Kane]

what eve......

[Fortinbras]

I used to be concerned about the hows and whys of apathy, but I found I just don't care.

or

"Are you stupid or just apathetic?"
"I don't know and I don't care!"

[CanRay]

With the election in Canada happening, that was a very good link, thank you!  The Green Party is trying to fight a bit of the "Doing things that aren't in focus groups", but aren't quite enough.

PoliClubs were/are something that tried to prevent apathy from happening in the Sixth World, but they were mostly Corporate manipulated as well.  And the ones that weren't, were on the extreme end of things.  They're not as touched on in 4th, but I like them and still use them, with Humanis and the IRAiE (Irish Republican Army in Exile, my own creation) being my two favorites.

[Kid Chameleon]

When much of your life is spent around surviving, little else matters. Ask a hunter-gatherer tribe what their long term goals are.

[PeterSmith]

Ask a hunter-gatherer tribe what their long term goals are.

Dinner tomorrow.

[The_Gun_Nut]

But that isn't the case for well-to-do countries.  Nor for it's citizens who make enough to have enough time to wonder about the state of their world years from now.   This isn't about hunter-gatherers, this is about first world country citizens of lower to lower-middle class and up. 

Remember that SINless people don't count for this in Shadowrun, as they typically struggle for day to day activities, but have no say in their governance.  The SINners have the money (recall that government polls state that poverty has all but been eradicated in the citizenry, because anyone at or below poverty level 99% of the time is SINless) and they have the free time to entertain themselves.

[CanRay]

Which they do.  Through Simsense.  Being someone else with all the problems easily solved within the lifetime of the chip makes for even more apathy.

And, for those that don't go into Simsense, the 'Trid isn't much better.  One novel puts it best:  "Turn in today for your instant gratification."

[Fortinbras]

As Carrie Fisher said "Instant gratification takes too long."

[Kontact]

PoliClubs were/are something that tried to prevent apathy from happening in the Sixth World, but they were mostly Corporate manipulated as well.

Reminds me of the Tea Party movement, brought to you by Fox News, the corporate shills at FreedomWorks, and the union-busting brothers of the Coca-cola dynasty.