Sadly, this is a classic example of the
Bystander Effect--telling ourselves it's not our business and someone else will handle it.
But there is no someone else.
This is why we all need to be educated on such phenomena, because once you know, you are more empowered to defy it and avoid more tragedies like this.
I should not say "always," but personally, I have a strong sense of personal responsibility for what goes on around me that I might be able to affect. In 6th grade, for instance, I was the only student to respond to an acquaintance of mine going into seizures even though her closer friends--the ones with whom she had a much less rocky relationship--and the others who saw her, did not act. That said, considering that in
that case we're talking about children, and not all of the other kids likely even knew or recognized what was going on--whereas having never
seen convulsions before, I had read so much medical stuff that I immediately had it diagnosed as an epileptic seizure and knew it was a medical emergency that required someone to keep her safe from dangerous things in her surroundings (including unqualified people) and to call an ambulance.
I cut less slack for adults, though. They know more about the world, their brains are more fully developed (or supposed to be) and should be able to assess a situation to know that they need and have a duty to act.
. Whats wrong with them?!!?
