Apethetic, Complacent Consent

consent

 

NOUN:

1. Acceptance or approval of what is planned or done by another; acquiescence.
2. Agreement as to opinion or a course of action: She was chosen by common consent to speak for the group.

(Source: http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/consent)

 

It was written in our Declaration of Independence that, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed." There is no doubt in my mind that you give your consent to be governed. How do I know this? Because we are not in a state of revolution. But, here's the real question I want to ask you, dear reader: What type of consent do you give? If we rewrote this sentence to read, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the                 Consent of the Governed," what word would you use to describe your consent? I'll offer two that I believe many have [perhaps unknowingly] chosen.

 

apathetic 

 

ADJECTIVE:

1. Feeling or showing a lack of interest or concern; indifferent.
2. Feeling or showing little or no emotion; unresponsive.

(Source: http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/apathetic)

 

complacent

 

ADJECTIVE:

1. Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned: He had become complacent after years of success.
2. Eager to please; complaisant.

(Source: http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/complacent)

 

Again, "Do you consent to be governed as we are today?"