In psychology, there is no term “do not care”. However, the independent use of this term to denote a person’s philosophy, way of life and even religion is increasingly common. So in everyday life they call personality stress resistance and a special type of thinking in which an indifferent attitude towards oneself, others, and the world prevails. How psychology sees it – let’s figure it out.
What is indifference
Some researchers believe that indifference is a symptom of such psychological problems as personal and existential crises, depression, apathy, asthenia and others. According to this theory, an indifferent attitude towards the world is caused by a misunderstanding of one’s place in it, confusion, and fatigue.
In other sources, there is a comparison of indifference with humility, inner harmony. This is a philosophical vision of the world, emphasizing that everything that happens in the world is vanity, and only the person himself and his harmony with nature are important.
Well, the third explanation, which is connected with the second, says that indifference is a protective mechanism of the psyche, a component of stress resistance. No worries, no value judgments, no anxiety and close perception of the situation – no stress with its characteristic consequences: burnout, nervous breakdown, overwork, mental disorders.
Causes of indifference
It is advisable to talk about the reasons for indifference only within the framework of the first theory. If we are talking about complete indifference, then indifference is caused by:
- tiredness;
- burnout, overwork;
- personal, age, existential crisis;
- lack of purpose, meaning in life;
- rejection, misunderstanding of oneself;
- life uncertainty.
In addition, aggressive, unhealthy, cynical indifference can be the result of defense mechanisms of overcompensation and devaluation:
- A variant of overcompensation: a person worried about all sorts of little things, was disappointed in himself and in people, but could not consciously cope with anxiety. In response to this, a protective mechanism of the psyche was activated – hypercompensation in the form of complete indifference.
- Devaluation option: a person suffered so often, was disappointed in people that he devalued himself and the whole world. Now the individual believes that everything is temporary and meaningless, and therefore cannot fully enjoy life, experience happiness. He is convinced that the whole world is an illusion invented by the people themselves.
In other cases, indifference is not something pathological, dangerous. On the contrary, reasonable indifference is an important part of the thinking of a mature person. This provides the resilience we all dream of so much.
Is this good or bad
Indifference is an impartial, emotionless, indifferent attitude to everything that happens in the world and in life. On the one hand, it really protects against worries and stress. But on the other hand, indifference sometimes turns into complete passivity, which hinders the development of the individual. After all, a person develops only through his own activity.
And how can you completely eliminate emotions? They help us understand ourselves, isolate what we don’t like and what we want to fight. Complete indifference is not limited to the level of emotions, it usually affects the sphere of motives, and will, and activity. A complete nigga goes with the flow.
But the elimination of negative emotions has a beneficial, healing effect. This is the so-called healthy indifference. For example, recognizing that not everything is under our control. There are situations that we just have to accept and move on. In this case, the indifference follows the motto: “If a problem has a solution, then you should not worry about it, and if there is no solution, then worrying is even more meaningless, since nothing will change from experiences.”
If indifference does not turn into total indifference, devaluation of universal values, such as health, life, family, then it has a positive effect on the psyche. Some people get hung up on trifles, for example, someone may worry for a month that their favorite coffee is not in the cafe. And someone understands that coffee is a trifle. It is better to spend energy on more significant and serious things: career advancement, self-development, improving relationships with a partner.
Don’t care as a defense against stress
A healthy nihilist knows how to enjoy life, prioritize, relax, and use his energy rationally. He is always calm, impenetrable, it is impossible for him to control, manipulate, press on pity or other emotions. But it is emotions, feelings that are the basis of manipulation.
Pofigist is engaged only by what is really important and useful for him. He is not governed by envy or comparison, therefore he does not pursue other people’s goods, happiness, does not make what he does not have meaningful. He is not sprayed into the race for other people, he regularly surpasses only himself. Pofigist lives impartially.
The traits of a do not care:
- prudence;
- composure;
- calmness in crisis situations;
- slowness;
- equanimity;
- stable mood background;
- stable vision of the world;
- stable behavior.
Obviously, such a person is resistant to stress. He adequately assesses situations, sees difficulties, opportunities, prospects, does not allow the problem to take over thinking. Pofigist consciously ignores petty troubles, threats. The question is what the person ultimately classified as unnecessary, petty.
If the indifferent person sees the meaning in something, he can answer the question “why” (“on the fig”), and the answer will satisfy him, then all indifference subsides. A nap is a source of energy, a person with great potential. You just need to find a few key “why” landmarks in order to succeed in life, and not become a passive observer of it.
“There is only one way to happiness – to stop worrying about things that are not subject to our will,” – Epictetus, ancient Greek philosopher.
