GENOVESE SYNDROME

 In the year of 1964, a young lady known, as Kitty Genovese was brutally stabbed to death near her home in Queens, New York.  It gained national recognition because of the nature of this terrible murder.  You see, although the neighbors were fully aware of the killing, no one offered or responded to help Kitty.  The neighbors were non-responsive to Kitty’s screaming and crying for help, allowing the killer to continue his act of violence. 

An investigation was conducted to try to find out why citizens refused to help this young lady.  The homicide case and the investigation went into the social-psychological phenomenon that now is known as the bystander effect. This phenomenon is also known as diffusion of responsibility.  This behavior is sometimes called the “Genovese syndrome."

This account of terror and detachment reminds me that human conduct has it’s high’s and low’s.  I am further reminded of The Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. In this portion of scripture, we find a lawyer trying to justify himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Verse 29). Jesus relates the parable of how one “fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead" (Verse 30).  The priest and then the Levite failed to render aid, they “passed on the other side”(Verse 31-32.)  Did these uncaring two mumble or think within themselves, “This is none of my business?”  “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and had compassion on him" (Verse 33).  Bless be such a type of human beings that take positive action in doing that, which is right.

From his wonderful, book entitled “Lessons From The Parables” Neil R. Lightfoot comments on the Good Samaritan in part as follows:   “In the parable the Samaritan exemplifies the principles of Christian conduct. The entire world remembers his compassion, but this is so because his compassion led to instant action.  Compassion is not real if it is no more than an emotion.  Real compassion affects conduct. And that, after all, is what Christianity is about" (Page 66-67).

Personally, I have had a few encounters with friends who did not inform me of facts that would have changed my mind for the better.  After making mistakes because of not knowing the whole truth, my friends basically on these occasions said, “Well, we knew you were making a big mistake, but it was none of our business.” It is one thing to be a busybody and another to be conscious of one who is facing danger. To warn one of the coming danger would be a good and compassionate deed. 

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

NOTE: For further study see:  http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/kitty+genovese  

--DONALD R. FOX (for more of my essays see http://www.abiblecommentary.com/donaldfox.htm)