Apathy is a condition that everyone knows. Life has become boring, fresh and uninteresting - that is how it can be characterized. It is worth saying that once upon a time the term "apathy" had a completely different meaning. A synonym for it is indifference. However, if you think about it, in a state that is characterized by detachment from reality, there are positive aspects.
Origin
Apathy is a word that came to European languages from ancient Greek. Even those who have never studied foreign languages will be able to recognize it in the English or German text. For the first time this term was used by the ancient sage, a follower of stoicism.
What did the understanding of ancient Greek philosophers mean apathy? Synonyms for this term are detachment , but in a good sense of the word. The Stoics believed that a philosophical worldview that could curb selfish passions was the highest virtue. However, later, centuries later, the term acquired a negative connotation.
In psychiatry
Many people think that a synonym for apathy is depression. But this is not so. Although apathy is a harbinger of depression. Complete indifference to what is happening around is an abnormal state for a social being, of which a person is. Anyone who for several weeks experiences lethargy, baseless fatigue, needs the help of a psychiatrist. Indeed, apathy can also turn into depression.
Laziness and apathy are not synonyms at all. Although in colloquial speech, we often replace one word with another. Psychiatrists in the apathy of their patients see a serious problem. They attribute this condition to apatoabulic syndrome, the signs of which are: physical weakness, lack of desire, exhaustion, drowsiness, lethargy, chronic lack of positive emotions.
In everyday speech
All of the above does not mean that it is impossible to use the word "apathy" in a conversation that has nothing to do with psychiatry. Synonyms for him: indifference, indifference. But a detached state can visit a person who is completely healthy. It often occurs after a busy day, after experiencing strong emotions. Apathy is a normal condition for a student who has finally passed the session.
Any stressful situation robs a person of mental energy. The response of the brain is nerve inhibition. A person does not burn out from excessive stress precisely because of apathy. Synonyms for this word: inaction, fatigue, coldness. Other nouns that are close in meaning are passivity, idleness, insensibility, and dispassion.
In literature
The term "apathy" can be understood in different ways. It all depends on the context. If the word is found in fiction, then we are talking more about laziness, indifference to people around or inability to take their place in society.
There is a novel in Russian literature, the main character of which personifies indifference, indifference, apathy. Everyone read this book, because it is included in the school curriculum. We are talking about the novel " Oblomov " .
The hero of Goncharov dreams of turning off the light, staying in the dark and falling asleep forever, about which he once informs his childhood friend. The novel "Oblomov" is still not about laziness. This book tells about the impossibility and unwillingness of a landowner’s son to adapt to new realities.
The work of Camus "Outsider" also narrates about apathy. But in this case we are already talking about indifference , which borders on cruelty, inhumanity. As you can see, the semantic nuances of a noun that was once borrowed from the Greek language are many.
Are there any words or phrases in Russian that are similar in meaning to the term “apathy”? Synonyms can be found in colloquial vocabulary. We’ll name the options found in everyday speech: disregard, indifference. About a person who is in a state of apathy, they often say: "He has everything on the drum."