It makes me think of, funnily enough, a scene in an anime.
In this scene, set in a utopian, crime-free society (at least on the surface), a woman is beaten brutally in a public square in front of a large crowd. The people in this crowd just... stand and watch. They get their phones out and record it.
It is reasoned by one of the main characters that they act this way because they simply cannot process what is going on. The concept of this happening is so divorced from the reality they live in, it provokes little to no fear/horror/disgust/whatever response in them.
I mean ... one of my guilty pleasures is leftover pizza straight out of the fridge. Something about that chilled, congealed fat and sugar ... mmmmmmmmm
I was hoping if I asked my other half who is an academic in the Classics he'd say this is untrue and I could then reply "well ackshully...". Alas it is true.
In this scene, set in a utopian, crime-free society (at least on the surface), a woman is beaten brutally in a public square in front of a large crowd. The people in this crowd just... stand and watch. They get their phones out and record it.
It is reasoned by one of the main characters that they act this way because they simply cannot process what is going on. The concept of this happening is so divorced from the reality they live in, it provokes little to no fear/horror/disgust/whatever response in them.