Let us try to deconstruct ‘compassion’, a word we come across frequently in reference to something sensitive or emotional. Compassion, or being compassionate, is an attitude and a state of mind. Compassion is most significant and of consequence when it describes a collective. In such situations it is akin to an ideology. It recognizes and seeks out people and communities in distress and in need of help. It then rushes to alleviate their pain and suffering.
Compassion was one of the core values for the Muslims of the subcontinent who sought to organise and work to improve the lot of fellow Muslims suffering under the yoke of a cruel imperialism. It was on account of compassion that they shared the sufferings of the people with whom they had no family ties. The feeling inspired them to act together and made political independence an attrctive ideal to pursue. It moved them to brave the atrocities of the British and maintain their solidarity. This informed sense of shared purpose helped the Muslims carve out a state for themselves. It is not far fetched therefore to claim that compassion was one of the built-in values of the very concept of Pakistan and being a Pakistani.
Unfortunately, a number of early Pakistanis lost sight of its significance right after realizing their dream of independence. In the dust raised by a feverish struggle for selfish purposes it proved hard to keep focused. Fortunately it was not something one could not regain. So we came across it once again. Only this time it is no longer compassion pure and simple. It is accompanied instead by ‘fatigue’. We lost compassion and discovered ‘compassion fatigue’. It is this ‘compassion fatigue’ that has now become our defining trait.
Does it still mean to care, love, sympathize, assist whoever is in need of help ? It doesn’t. It may be understood as: “A state of mind wherein an individual becomes completely or partially apathetic towards his/her surroundings due to overexposure to crisis and traumatic events.” In plain words, it means not bothering about or worrying too little about all that is bad and taking place around us. It means having a biase for insensitivity, to be naively indifferent. The symptoms of this attitude include refrains like ‘I don’t care’ or ‘I condemn’. This is how a large proportion amongst us have come to respond to the tribulations of others.
Unfortunately, a number of early Pakistanis lost sight of its significance right after realizing their dream of independence. In the dust raised by a feverish struggle for selfish purposes it proved hard to keep focused. Fortunately it was not something one could not regain. So we came across it once again. Only this time it is no longer compassion pure and simple. It is accompanied instead by ‘fatigue’. We lost compassion and discovered ‘compassion fatigue’. It is this ‘compassion fatigue’ that has now become our defining trait
It is on account of this collective attitude that the whole nation seems to be suffering. Rarely is a tragedy mourned properly, that is unpretentiously, for more than a few hours. Let alone, reaching out to those who have suffered; we don’t seem to be generous enough even to show genuine remorse for a considerable duration. The questions arises why do we behave in times of crisis as if nothing unusual has happened? Maybe because the pain is not ours. Is it okay to be unmovd when your fellow countrymen are persecuted, killed, tortured and abused? I fear this absurd personalized realization of pain and suffering. I will have no one by my side if I am in such a situation. It feels like we have passed on to a post-humane realm where compassion, unity, citizenry, and even humanity seems too abstract to be desirable.
It appears that the compassion fatigue has brought us to a pass where a human life is worth no more than some coins. Humanity and human dignity are at stake for nothing at all. We see people being subjected to all kinds of misery. There are target killings, bomb blasts, domestic violence, rape and murder. We see all sorts of evils almost every single day. It is not like that we could ever escape the touch of these evils. It is understood that wherever one goes, these evils would follow.
However, the question of concern lies in our response to these agonies. We have a humane obligations towards one another. We need to measure ourselves on parameters like morality, equality, and humanity. Sadly, we seem to be experiencing an unrestrained drift. If we react at all to the torments of our fellow citizens, we do so with no more than verbal expression of shock and horror. This is a pathetic state to be in.
Our very identity as Pakistanis seems to have been shattered. For a people professing to hold the dignity of a human life in greater esteem than the Holy Kaaba; a people considering themselves superior to all other creatures on account of their ethical standards to behave like this is worse than death. How can this spineless, fallow and insensitive attitude continue?
It is high time that we find a cure to this curse. We seriously need to do the necessary self evaluation and introspection to see why we are more informed today and yet less involved? We are a blessed generation in terms of technology, education, security and living standards and yet none of this seems to matter. We must make our existence count by being compassionate, kind, and sensitive and to partake in one another’s sorrows. We can only accomplish this by resetting our moral compass. All of us need to stop feeling numb in terms of feelings and emotions. I believe, it is never too late. We can still overcome this compassion fatigue.
The writer is a freelance writer