RESPONSIBILITY - Brett Battles

1. What is your principle on RESPONSIBILITY. And how does that play out in your life? (principle defined as: set of beliefs that guide your actions).

I’m a big believer in personal responsibility, though, conversely, I don’t expect everyone to live up to that. Here’s what I mean. If I promise something to someone one, even if it’s a little thing or one of those apparent empty promises people sometimes tell others, I make it a point to keep my promise even if it means compromising other parts of my life. I don’t do this 100%, of course. But it is important to me to fulfill on something someone else might be counting on. Now when others promise things to me, I will immediately take them at their word, and expect the promise will be kept. Sometimes there are not. When that happens, I usually just say to myself, “that’s fine. It’s no big deal.” And I move on. I do believe, though, if more people took personal responsibility more seriously (and this goes beyond just keeping promises, but also doing the right thing), it would make this world a better place.


2. Where does the principle of responsibility come from? Does it come from religious beliefs? As an offshoot from philosophical principles like “the golden rule? Does it rise out of fear? Is it a requirement of being human?

It is certainly not from religious beliefs for me. Though, I think was very affected by the notion of doing unto others as I would have them do unto me. In fact, I’d say that that is my baseline test. I’m not sure how that worked its way into my brain. As I hinted at, I did not grow up religious at all. My father (now retired) was a scientist, so that was our base. Still, my parents were always fair minded, and I believe they must have imparted some of that fair mindedness to me over the years. Sometimes, though, I think I’ve taken it to an extreme.

3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible

Being irresponsible can hurt others. And there is nothing I hate more than hurting others.

4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?

Okay…big picture here…I think we ALL need to take a role in reaching out to others who are not like us (ethnically, racially, religiously, etc.) to help each of us to understand the others not in hate, but in respect. We are responsible to live on this planet together in harmony rather than hatred. Wow…that’s kind of new agey…but it’s what I believe.

5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country? America is often criticized for being more responsible than others in the world believe they should be. Is that responsibility or something else? On the other hand, The United Nations estimates that the conflict in Darfur has left as many as 500,000 dead from violence and disease. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that 100,000 have died each year because of government attacks. Most non-governmental organizations use 200,000 to more than 400,000. How do you decide what you are responsible for?

This isn’t one question…I count 4….A) yes. B) yes. C) Something else I think. If the US was acting responsibly, we would have done something to stop the blood shed in Darfur, among other things. D) As a world we are responsible for them all. Sometimes, most times if possible, we need to share the burden. But we can’t just sit around and let those things happen again and again. People are more important than oil, or other resources.