If a Tree Falls in the Woods Does it Make a Sound?

For that tree, a resounding yes!  If you scream and no one comes, there is still a scream.  That scream is why I am outraged.  I tried running this morning to unleash the rage and alas, it only intensified.  I must share the experience and conduct research in the hopes of unleashing the outrage. 

   

There are circumstances that are out of our control and to stay in peace with the universe, we must let go.  Some say “Let go, let God.”  I am usually in tune with that process however, this week between another shooting at an elementary school and a young runner gunned down by bored teens, I am finding it difficult to let go just yet.  I need to research; share what happened, possibly in releasing and exploring the process of letting go may take root. 

 

The bystander effect and diffusion of responsibility was examined in 1964 with the Kitty Genovese story.  A young woman was murdered outside her home in Queens, NY while her neighbors heard but did not respond to her cries for help.  Social psychologists John Darley and Bibb Latané started research, showing that contrary to expectations, larger numbers of bystanders decrease the likelihood that someone will step forward and help a victim. The reasons include the fact that onlookers see that others are not helping, believe others will know better how to help and feel uncertain about helping while others are watching. The Kitty Genovese case became a study in social-psych courses.

 

This situation happens across the globe.  What does that say about our community and our responsibility to each other?  In the situation of the most recent school shooting there was a brave woman that risked her life to save the children.  She stepped forward and lives were saved.  In the recent shooting of the runner, the 911caller was a passing motorist who initially did not want to interfere!  Thankfully, a man whom heard the shots came looking and together they approached the runner, Christopher Lane.  In the school, shooting no one was physically injured; sadly, Mr. Lane died of his gunshot wound to the back.  

I am speechless that these and similar events happen.  Last night while walking my dog I screamed, “NO! NO! NO!” when charged by a random loose dog.  I was shocked when not even one of my neighbors came to investigate the source of screaming.  I was between four houses and all were home as it was just after dinner.  No one came to the windows or doors.  Thankfully, between my screaming, thrashing my arms about and my dog’s growls the stray dog ran off.  I stood there and crickets.  These are my neighbors.  I helped sand bag when their houses were flooding.  I formatted a disk of flood pictures for the adjusters.  I help round up their dogs when they escape and even had to stop a driver that struck a neighbor’s loose dog to face the owner.  These are my neighbors and nothing was their response to my screams of “NO.”

I am unsure how to respond to my neighbors.  I want to ask; did you not hear me?  Were you all in the shower? I know some of my neighbors at the other end of the street would have come to help at least I hope.  My faith in the community of my neighborhood has weakened. 

 

My neighbors’ responses are out of my control.  I can control how I respond.  I will still walk across my yard when I hear my neighbor’s teenage daughter scream “Help, I’m stuck,” when she is in a tree.  When I hear the food pantry half a mile from my house is low on food I will still dig through my cupboards.  I will continue to stop at accident scenes to help; I became a first aider so I could.  I have to believe there are others that will stop and help too like the woman who selflessly saved those children.  

I have faith in my DGK community.   Many of my co-workers do stop and help.  That is how I am rooted in optimism based on one “take action” community at a time.  Along with faith, hope and action, I focus on those that do help and let go of what I cannot control.