Above is the title of an article that was run by the Washington Post that talks about two instances where people in need were completely ignored by those around them. The first was about a woman who collapsed in a hospital waiting room. She laid on the floor while hospital staff came in and out of the room but no one did anything for over an hour. She later died. The other story was about a man who was struck by a car while crossing the street. He laid there for over a minute while cars and pedestrians passed him by. Finally the police showed up. Both of these incidences were caught on tape where you could see people looking at the victims and purposefully choosing to do nothing.
It made me think of how many times each day we come across people who are in need, maybe not as critical as the two stories, but in need one way or another. To answer the title of the article, I don't agree that it is human instinct to do nothing. We all have a choice to either be an impassive bystander or a person of action...decide now which you are so when the time comes, there is no question.
