The statement may seem highly controversial, but "indifferent" is a word expressing the almost metaphysical attitude of mankind. That is, the majority does not care what is happening with the neighbor. This approach has both advantages and disadvantages, but before speaking about the metaphysical aspect of life, we will talk about the linguistic one. Simply put, we find out the meaning of the word under study and call synonyms for it.
Meaning
In this case, we do not take the content of the word, which everyone can vary according to their taste and preference, but rely solely on the dictionary. The latter gives us four meanings of the adjective "indifferent", which is organically related to the dialect that has come into the attention zone.
- A person who does not have an interest in anyone or anything. For example, there are people who love ballet and football. And some love both. But more often, some love Baryshnikov, while others love Messi. Depending on what the audience is more eager to follow, they are indifferent to either football or ballet affairs. In other words, football viewers don't care what happens in ballet, and vice versa.
- A characteristic of a person who expresses a certain attitude towards reality. He is almost indifferent, this attitude will surprise few today. For example, the hero of the novel Camus "Outsider" Merceau is a man indifferent to the world.
- So they say about a person who is indifferent to everyone. I recall a joke about the Elusive Joe.
- When two subjects are compared, and one is no different from the other, they say that he is indifferent. For example, two socks in one package. In other words, indistinguishable from the general background.
Such is the full meaning of the word “indifferent”.
Synonyms
We do not think that, when considering substitutions, the reader will find something new for himself, although everything can be. So, the synonyms are as follows:
- Does not matter.
- Indifferently.
- Apathetic.
- Indifferently.
- Indifferent.
- Uninterested.
- Passively.
- Inertly.
To one degree or another, these words replace the adverb “indifferent”, this is obvious. One could add here "boredom". But boredom is already, in the words of I. Brodsky, an “active attitude” towards being, and disinterestedness assumes passivity. Therefore, we did not begin to include spiritual yearning here, but the reader can take advantage of this kind of replacement if he needs it.
The flip side to success
Western civilization has long been standing on efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, when a person in a corporation in the broadest sense of the word, then much is indifferent to him. This is normal. When deadlines are constantly burning, a lot of work. The human psyche sweeps away and focuses on the essentials. There is no strength even to sympathize with parents. In the nineteenth century, Pechorin was the hero of our time, and in the twenty-first, it is Meursault. Is there a way out? Of course! Recognize the relativity of corporate values. And most importantly, to understand that money is not everything.