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).
My principle on “RESPONSIBILITY” includes the following believes:
• Everyone is responsible for what he/she is doing and should take the sequence of such actions;
• Everyone is also be responsible for others at a certain level given their roles in professional and personal life
Most of the time, I feel pretty ease when I went to bed every night, knowing that I’ve fulfilled my responsibility on personal and professional life that day. I found this belief and feeling makes me strong to ignore negative comments or misunderstanding from people around me. Just on an one on one meeting I had with one of my subordinates yesterday, she hesitantly told me who said what about me… And I found that I was not bothered by such words now, as I know what and why I did so, and I know that I’m responsible for me and for others on doing so.
In my personal life, “responsible to myself” means to follow my heart but it often splits me when I feel the pressure of following my mind to be responsible for others as well. This made my life a bit challenging but also charming.
It’s the 2nd belief on responsibility often creates guilty in my life, and made me to be on the track to take sequence of what is happening in my life. So, the 2nd belief seems more overwhelming than the 1st one and it made me more as an altruist in others’ eyes that are around me.
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?
To me, the principle comes out mainly from the people who plays important role in my life when I grow up. My parents are definitely “altruists” – my father brought up two of his younger sisters and one younger brother at his 15 when both of his parents passed away. And he has been taking such responsibility for the whole of his life, sometimes, too much, which hurts himself. Recently, my aunt, the youngest sister of my father, at her early 50s, complained that it took her years to get money from my parents to support her family to buy an apartment. I view that my father took too much responsibility of being parent to his siblings. My mother actually took similar approach as my father on dealing with her siblings. They both were also selfless in their professional work before retirement. I guess this comes out from Chairman Mao’s education. No doubt, I was deeply impacted by them. Of course, their din exhortations into my ears about my responsibility of being the eldest daughter and the sister of 3 younger sisters also made me take it nature responsibility to take care of others.
I did not find school education played important role to me in this part. But there are also few people in my career impacted me a lot on how I see my responsibility to people who are around me. I once had a good conversation with Rick last summer about a closed friend’s marriage. She believes she has the right to pursue the life she expects even the cost is to leave 3 kids to be apart from parents. The insights that Rick shared on one’s responsibility vs. one’s freedom indeed made me to think through the words of “responsibility”.
The family influence somehow made me easy to be angry with others who are irresponsible and not care… I had an experience that when I was at the grade 2 of high school, I was deeply impressed by the teacher’s effort to help each of my classmates to be good at study, therefore we could pass the examination of university. But I saw many students never cared the effort and just ignore the teacher’s effort. So with angry and urge, I wrote a letter “To All Classmate” and attached the letter on the board of the classroom. I can still feel some of those students’ jeer today; I can hear those people saying “what’s hell of her business!”. But that’s me.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
I have mixed mood of sympathy and angry to those who are unfortunate due to their irresponsible attitude or actions. Lessons learnt for me was that irresponsible would made you miserable and hateful.
I have one case that happened in my family which I don’t know whom to blame… My cousin delivered a baby 5 years ago. The baby came out earlier than maturity for 2 months. The doctor asked for family’s decision of getting the baby out through Caesarean operation or natural birth. The young couple could not make the decision, so they asked my father to make the decision. My father suggested them to give the baby nature birth. After a few hours waiting, the doctor finally took the baby out via Caesarean operation. The baby was proved as a brain-paralysis patient when he was one year old. He could not walk and act like a normal person till now. The doctor could not explain the root cause of such disease as the baby was borne 2 months early. But my parents have been taking the cross for their life. I feel so bad when I heard the whole story, and I feel so bad when I saw the kid… Should this be a lesson learnt that my father took over the responsibility of the parents and the doctor?
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I definitely think the government needs to take more responsibility to instill the sense of responsibility to the whole nations in China. If there is one thing to make the country collapsed someday, I view it as the creditability of this nation. The creditability of the country is based on the responsibility that each of individual person and organization is taking. The noxious baby formula that happened recently made me really angry and worry. In a country where there is no major religious belief, many people are surviving to have better life without considering more about the sequence of quick success and instant benefit, the government take unshirkable responsibility to educate people, set regulations and compliance to monitor the progress therefore to instill the believes of each one’s responsibility.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
Yes to both questions in my mind. As for individual’s responsibility to others, I view that from the role an individual is playing – as a mother, a son, or a manager, a project leader…, everyone is responsible for others at a certain level via different ways. For the responsibility of a country to another one, I totally agree to many others comments from world peace. I may add a bit more in terms of environment – when one country is consuming more resources of the world, it creates trouble to all countries in the world. From this point of view, one country is definitely responsible for other countries, and for the whole world. In a great harmony world, a world policeman may not be well-accepted by others, but the great harmony is based on each country is responsible for their own and for the benefits of the whole world.
Showing posts with label responsibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label responsibility. Show all posts
Friday, October 24, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
RESPONSIBILITY - Bianca Regina
What is your principle on responsibility. And how does that play out in your life?
I had time to think about this during a boring concert I went to last night and came up with a simple principle: I am responsible for myself, for my actions, my desires, dreams, needs etc. How does this play out in my life? I have come to accept that my influence over what other people do, think and feel is VERY limited. An example - this morning, I told my husband that I would like it if he bought some new t-shirts as his old ones are worn and tent-shaped. I can express this as a wish, but I know that that wish might not be fulfilled because that kind of stuff is not that important to him. Which is fine. So what I'm saying is: he's responsible for how his clothes looks, and I'm responsible for dealing with the fact that he looks less beautiful to me in shabby clothes. Also, as a parent, I am responsible for doing everything so that my daughter can become a responsible adult herself.
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?
In my case, being responsible comes from having been raised by responsible parents, and by my own bad experiences with being irresponsible. I'm an atheist, so there is no religious background to this. It has just turned out to be the best way to live for me. Is it a requirement of being human? No, lots of people act irresponsibly some or all of the time (myself included!). Being human is being fallible is being irresponsible. Being responsible, to me at least, is a requirement for what I would call nice to be around.
What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
That it leads to all kinds of trouble:
What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
There are lots of examples: people with high blood pressure need to exercise more. People who drive everywhere need to think about the impact that has on the environment. Parents need to think about how it will affect their children if they act irresponsibly. Personally - without going into too many details - I should accept my share of the responsibility I have for my sometimes difficult relationships with other people (my mother, my mother in law) instead of being lazy and just letting things happen. In sum, I think that becoming more responsible for ourselves and the effect our actions have would be a good point to start.
Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
No, of course we are not all responsible for each other. How could we be? Like I said, I think that it's difficult enough to be responsible for ourselves. Of course, a government is not an individual: by its nature, it is responsible for many people - that's what is has been elected for: to carry out tasks that an individual can't; the vote delegates responsibility. I would agree with what the questions seems to suggest: that US foreign policy has on several occasions called actions "responsible" that were in fact mostly self-serving.
I had time to think about this during a boring concert I went to last night and came up with a simple principle: I am responsible for myself, for my actions, my desires, dreams, needs etc. How does this play out in my life? I have come to accept that my influence over what other people do, think and feel is VERY limited. An example - this morning, I told my husband that I would like it if he bought some new t-shirts as his old ones are worn and tent-shaped. I can express this as a wish, but I know that that wish might not be fulfilled because that kind of stuff is not that important to him. Which is fine. So what I'm saying is: he's responsible for how his clothes looks, and I'm responsible for dealing with the fact that he looks less beautiful to me in shabby clothes. Also, as a parent, I am responsible for doing everything so that my daughter can become a responsible adult herself.
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?
In my case, being responsible comes from having been raised by responsible parents, and by my own bad experiences with being irresponsible. I'm an atheist, so there is no religious background to this. It has just turned out to be the best way to live for me. Is it a requirement of being human? No, lots of people act irresponsibly some or all of the time (myself included!). Being human is being fallible is being irresponsible. Being responsible, to me at least, is a requirement for what I would call nice to be around.
What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
That it leads to all kinds of trouble:
- pregnancy scare trouble
- hangover trouble
- regret/disappointment trouble
- money trouble
- end of relationship/loss of friendship trouble
What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
There are lots of examples: people with high blood pressure need to exercise more. People who drive everywhere need to think about the impact that has on the environment. Parents need to think about how it will affect their children if they act irresponsibly. Personally - without going into too many details - I should accept my share of the responsibility I have for my sometimes difficult relationships with other people (my mother, my mother in law) instead of being lazy and just letting things happen. In sum, I think that becoming more responsible for ourselves and the effect our actions have would be a good point to start.
Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
No, of course we are not all responsible for each other. How could we be? Like I said, I think that it's difficult enough to be responsible for ourselves. Of course, a government is not an individual: by its nature, it is responsible for many people - that's what is has been elected for: to carry out tasks that an individual can't; the vote delegates responsibility. I would agree with what the questions seems to suggest: that US foreign policy has on several occasions called actions "responsible" that were in fact mostly self-serving.
Friday, October 17, 2008
RESPONSIBILITY - Jennifer Rabold
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 don’t generally go around quoting Bible verses, but JFK made one very famous which captures the principle of responsibility for me. It’s from Luke 12:48, and it reads, “To whom much is given, much is required.” I’m not wealthy by anyone’s standards, but I have been very blessed in my lifetime. I was born to two parents from stable, loving families, parents who loved each other and loved their children and raised us with values that have brought me and my sisters success and happiness. My parents were well-educated, and they passed that education down to us – truly one of the greatest gifts. And yet the advantages I enjoy are simply an accident of my birth. I do not deserve them, any more than children born into poverty or war or simply lack of love deserve their fate. And even though inheritance is not destiny, and people do manage to rise out of terrible situations, I know that we have to play the cards we are given, and sometimes those cards just really suck. Thus, I believe we have a responsibility to help others who are not as fortunate as we are, to the best of our ability. This is perhaps one of the most important life lessons I wish to teach my children.
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?
I believe I learned responsibility from my parents. My father worked very hard all his life, and I started working at age 12, when I woke at 5:30 every morning to deliver newspapers. My parents have always tried very hard to live within their means, even when that meant selling their first home and renting a house because they couldn’t afford the mortgage anymore when the company my father worked for went bankrupt. My father has always been fiercely self-reliant and quite critical of social programs and political philosophies that require us to take care of others (he’s appalled that his daughter leans toward Socialism). And yet, in his private life, he has been taken care of and has taken care of others. In those dark days after the company went bankrupt, people who knew our situation dropped bags of groceries on our front porch, completely anonymously. And even as they were selling their home, my parents anonymously sent $100 to a family they knew was even worse off, so that they could buy Christmas presents for their children. Their impulse toward generosity and responsibility lives in me, but I suppose I’m a bit more cynical about people. I don’t believe that many people live like my parents and take care of each other voluntarily. I believe it must be the responsibility of the community and, on a larger scale, of the country and even the world. We must take care of all the children of the world as if they were our own, and we must take care of the weak, the infirm, the elderly, and those who cannot care for themselves… to the best of our ability. That’s when the hard choices happen. We cannot give so much of our money away that our own children starve. We must be responsible for ourselves. But we can always do more for others. And we need leaders who will ask it of us.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
I think anyone who is honest will have to admit to being irresponsible about something at one time or another (thank you to Peter for admitting it). I will admit to my share of irresponsible acts, but I believe those moments of irresponsibility have made me more tolerant of others’ weaknesses, less judgmental of others’ bad judgment. Because I realize that I have experienced nothing less than pure luck at several moments in my life when, if things had been different, I could have ended up dead, injured, or infected with some nasty disease. So I have more compassion for people who have not been as lucky, on whom the consequences of their poor choices have fallen hard.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I saw an advertisement in the subway in Boston encouraging people to use the equity in their homes to add an addition to the home, buy a boat, pay for college, buy a big screen TV, or take a vacation. I was sorely tempted to inscribe some fiscally responsible graffiti, something like “This is the problem with our country!” or “Don’t do it!” I was responsible and refrained.
An acquaintance on Cape Cod sent me this well-written and reflective pledge to be more fiscally responsible in her own home. We've been having the same conversation in our house. I think it starts at home...
Dear friends,
I don't completely understand the bailout and how it's supposed to help this heinous situation. I do understand that like most Americans our government has blown the surplus of funds we had, lived on credit for too long and allowed Wall St. to back some really bad mortgages with little or no regulation. I understand that corporations and financial institutions reward (with outrageous amounts of money) those executives who grow their profit margins, no matter how that money is earned. I understand golden parachutes and how very wrong it is to provide such silken rewards for these bloodsuckers when they've produced such a horror show within our current economy. I know that at least one of the economic strategists has called the bailout a crap sandwich. We are all on tenterhooks waiting for wiser minds to fix this debacle and have no control over the outcome. For the most part we don't know how to fix it - just how we DON'T want to fix it. It's a dire time for all of us and I hope sincerely that Washington can resolve this in the right way.
I also understand that here at my house finances are not in order; our mortgage is too high, our credit card debt is too high and for most of our lives have had inadequate savings to shore us up in the bad times. In seeking the good life we have put ourselves in a situation that is somewhat irresponsible as we have left ourselves cash-strapped like our government.
I also understand that banks have been allowed to write some bad deals for people desperate to buy a home, often beyond their means, with teaser intro rates. I know that in spite of risky credit ratings there is always SOME bank that would give you a mortgage. I know that the mortgage backing industry with the free rein granted by Washington has done a terrible job of policing those banks who allow people to hang themselves with these seductive loans.
I believe in the concept of home ownership; for 98% of us it will be the biggest investment of our lives and will reap the greatest reward. After all, it gives us a place to live and raise our families and hopefully over time will grow in value earning us some nice equity. But I know now that we should not be allowed to borrow that equity to add on a sun room, finance the kids' college tuition or invest in a vacation home. That equity is just a figure on paper - not real money - until you sell the house and the cash is in your hand. There was about 200K in 'equity' on my home at one point; that figure has dwindled to zero in the last year or two. It will go up again eventually if I live that long and can keep up the payments. Perhaps a better way to look at that growth in value is as a way to supplement your retirement and only if you're willing to sell the house, buy smaller, cheaper housing for cash and bank or invest the rest for the future. As for tuition, if we were a nation of savers we might have what we need to help the kids when the time comes. And that sun room or second home ... again those things should come from saved funds.
I realize how idealistic this is but perhaps that's what is needed here - ideals. If we as citizens would exercise enough control to delay the gratification of a big screen television until we can afford to pay for it instead of flashing a card on impulse one Saturday when we've decided the 'old' TV doesn't have quite the features we desire it would set an example to our government to spend only what is affordable for those things we want or need for our country. Maybe if we saved consistently and with vigor it would inspire our leaders to work toward having a surplus of funds in America once again.
I believe that my effort, although miniscule by itself, will help this country get back on track. Therefore I am now taking a vow along with my hubby that we will save more by modestly increasing the small deductions now going from checking to savings each month. We will pay down debt more vigorously even if we can't go out to eat or replace our aging cars. We'll shop more judiciously and stretch our food dollars with more 'from scratch' cooking. It's healthier anyway. We'll think twice before wasting gas to drive where we can walk and will combine errands when possible - perhaps use the bus now and again. The thermostats are at 65 degrees tops and at 60 while we sleep. We have fuzzy slippers and thick sweatshirts and will certainly not freeze! We'll follow all the energy saving tips offered us by the utility companies. And we will never borrow against the equity in this house again should regrowth occur.
I would like to reach people who agree to take the same pledge - all or in part. I know from talking with many of you that you're already doing a lot of these things to conserve. But let's start our own grassroots movement of revival to this sick economy and to our own financial health. Ignore the nay-sayers and economics majors who think it doesn't matter what John Q does. I've heard enough negativity and fear-mongering rages and you have, too. If you would, please send this to your friends and family members. If you want to influence one of your lawmakers, feel free to include them on your list!
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
See my answer to number 3 above.
I don’t generally go around quoting Bible verses, but JFK made one very famous which captures the principle of responsibility for me. It’s from Luke 12:48, and it reads, “To whom much is given, much is required.” I’m not wealthy by anyone’s standards, but I have been very blessed in my lifetime. I was born to two parents from stable, loving families, parents who loved each other and loved their children and raised us with values that have brought me and my sisters success and happiness. My parents were well-educated, and they passed that education down to us – truly one of the greatest gifts. And yet the advantages I enjoy are simply an accident of my birth. I do not deserve them, any more than children born into poverty or war or simply lack of love deserve their fate. And even though inheritance is not destiny, and people do manage to rise out of terrible situations, I know that we have to play the cards we are given, and sometimes those cards just really suck. Thus, I believe we have a responsibility to help others who are not as fortunate as we are, to the best of our ability. This is perhaps one of the most important life lessons I wish to teach my children.
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?
I believe I learned responsibility from my parents. My father worked very hard all his life, and I started working at age 12, when I woke at 5:30 every morning to deliver newspapers. My parents have always tried very hard to live within their means, even when that meant selling their first home and renting a house because they couldn’t afford the mortgage anymore when the company my father worked for went bankrupt. My father has always been fiercely self-reliant and quite critical of social programs and political philosophies that require us to take care of others (he’s appalled that his daughter leans toward Socialism). And yet, in his private life, he has been taken care of and has taken care of others. In those dark days after the company went bankrupt, people who knew our situation dropped bags of groceries on our front porch, completely anonymously. And even as they were selling their home, my parents anonymously sent $100 to a family they knew was even worse off, so that they could buy Christmas presents for their children. Their impulse toward generosity and responsibility lives in me, but I suppose I’m a bit more cynical about people. I don’t believe that many people live like my parents and take care of each other voluntarily. I believe it must be the responsibility of the community and, on a larger scale, of the country and even the world. We must take care of all the children of the world as if they were our own, and we must take care of the weak, the infirm, the elderly, and those who cannot care for themselves… to the best of our ability. That’s when the hard choices happen. We cannot give so much of our money away that our own children starve. We must be responsible for ourselves. But we can always do more for others. And we need leaders who will ask it of us.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
I think anyone who is honest will have to admit to being irresponsible about something at one time or another (thank you to Peter for admitting it). I will admit to my share of irresponsible acts, but I believe those moments of irresponsibility have made me more tolerant of others’ weaknesses, less judgmental of others’ bad judgment. Because I realize that I have experienced nothing less than pure luck at several moments in my life when, if things had been different, I could have ended up dead, injured, or infected with some nasty disease. So I have more compassion for people who have not been as lucky, on whom the consequences of their poor choices have fallen hard.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I saw an advertisement in the subway in Boston encouraging people to use the equity in their homes to add an addition to the home, buy a boat, pay for college, buy a big screen TV, or take a vacation. I was sorely tempted to inscribe some fiscally responsible graffiti, something like “This is the problem with our country!” or “Don’t do it!” I was responsible and refrained.
An acquaintance on Cape Cod sent me this well-written and reflective pledge to be more fiscally responsible in her own home. We've been having the same conversation in our house. I think it starts at home...
Dear friends,
I don't completely understand the bailout and how it's supposed to help this heinous situation. I do understand that like most Americans our government has blown the surplus of funds we had, lived on credit for too long and allowed Wall St. to back some really bad mortgages with little or no regulation. I understand that corporations and financial institutions reward (with outrageous amounts of money) those executives who grow their profit margins, no matter how that money is earned. I understand golden parachutes and how very wrong it is to provide such silken rewards for these bloodsuckers when they've produced such a horror show within our current economy. I know that at least one of the economic strategists has called the bailout a crap sandwich. We are all on tenterhooks waiting for wiser minds to fix this debacle and have no control over the outcome. For the most part we don't know how to fix it - just how we DON'T want to fix it. It's a dire time for all of us and I hope sincerely that Washington can resolve this in the right way.
I also understand that here at my house finances are not in order; our mortgage is too high, our credit card debt is too high and for most of our lives have had inadequate savings to shore us up in the bad times. In seeking the good life we have put ourselves in a situation that is somewhat irresponsible as we have left ourselves cash-strapped like our government.
I also understand that banks have been allowed to write some bad deals for people desperate to buy a home, often beyond their means, with teaser intro rates. I know that in spite of risky credit ratings there is always SOME bank that would give you a mortgage. I know that the mortgage backing industry with the free rein granted by Washington has done a terrible job of policing those banks who allow people to hang themselves with these seductive loans.
I believe in the concept of home ownership; for 98% of us it will be the biggest investment of our lives and will reap the greatest reward. After all, it gives us a place to live and raise our families and hopefully over time will grow in value earning us some nice equity. But I know now that we should not be allowed to borrow that equity to add on a sun room, finance the kids' college tuition or invest in a vacation home. That equity is just a figure on paper - not real money - until you sell the house and the cash is in your hand. There was about 200K in 'equity' on my home at one point; that figure has dwindled to zero in the last year or two. It will go up again eventually if I live that long and can keep up the payments. Perhaps a better way to look at that growth in value is as a way to supplement your retirement and only if you're willing to sell the house, buy smaller, cheaper housing for cash and bank or invest the rest for the future. As for tuition, if we were a nation of savers we might have what we need to help the kids when the time comes. And that sun room or second home ... again those things should come from saved funds.
I realize how idealistic this is but perhaps that's what is needed here - ideals. If we as citizens would exercise enough control to delay the gratification of a big screen television until we can afford to pay for it instead of flashing a card on impulse one Saturday when we've decided the 'old' TV doesn't have quite the features we desire it would set an example to our government to spend only what is affordable for those things we want or need for our country. Maybe if we saved consistently and with vigor it would inspire our leaders to work toward having a surplus of funds in America once again.
I believe that my effort, although miniscule by itself, will help this country get back on track. Therefore I am now taking a vow along with my hubby that we will save more by modestly increasing the small deductions now going from checking to savings each month. We will pay down debt more vigorously even if we can't go out to eat or replace our aging cars. We'll shop more judiciously and stretch our food dollars with more 'from scratch' cooking. It's healthier anyway. We'll think twice before wasting gas to drive where we can walk and will combine errands when possible - perhaps use the bus now and again. The thermostats are at 65 degrees tops and at 60 while we sleep. We have fuzzy slippers and thick sweatshirts and will certainly not freeze! We'll follow all the energy saving tips offered us by the utility companies. And we will never borrow against the equity in this house again should regrowth occur.
I would like to reach people who agree to take the same pledge - all or in part. I know from talking with many of you that you're already doing a lot of these things to conserve. But let's start our own grassroots movement of revival to this sick economy and to our own financial health. Ignore the nay-sayers and economics majors who think it doesn't matter what John Q does. I've heard enough negativity and fear-mongering rages and you have, too. If you would, please send this to your friends and family members. If you want to influence one of your lawmakers, feel free to include them on your list!
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
See my answer to number 3 above.
RESPONSIBILITY - Eduardo Infante
1. What is your principle on RESPONSIBILITY. And how does that play out in your life?
My principal responsibility, as I see it, is to take advantage of the gifts/talents that God/life has granted me.
Therefore, my principle on responsibility is that it (responsibility) plays an important role in my life as I usually question whether my actions can impact my environment, the things surrounding me. Usually, the answer to that question is “yes”, and so I engage into more duties and tasks than what a person living in his comfort zone may think is good for one’s mental/moral/legal health.
2. Where does the principle of responsibility come from?
In my case, it comes from a mixture of both, my religious beliefs and my personal outlook to life. I’m one who believes in justice and fairness, thus, I tend to believe that a person with more privileges is a person with more responsibilities, too. I live in a country where less than 2% of the total population has the chance to study in a private university, undertake a undergrad degree, and a later postgraduate (masters) degree, like I did. Hence, it’s only natural for me to believe that I have way more responsibilities to my country than the person next door. Is this a requirement? Not at all. It does not come by fear, either. It’s basically a condition under which I fully acknowledge that I must not play a passive role. Teaching has been a way to do something in favor of my community, for I see it as a safe way to promote change in a somehow non-hostile environment.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
I’ve learned that you cannot ever be either fully responsible or fully irresponsible. There is always going to be a good combination of the two. In those moments in which I’ve let myself be carried away with irresponsibility, I’ve learned that I’m fonder of the responsible side. For some reason, I enjoy more being accountable than not.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you, needs to take more responsibility?
If I take it to my daily life, I could find plenty examples in which universities, and in general, the whole education system, needs to stress, a bit more eagerly, certain principles in the young adults we are pretending to shape. Precisely today, I talked about an example with my employer in which we let a group of students get away with their acts, without showing them the consequences of their bad performance. To be honest, not only was I mad and angry with the President of my campus, because it was his decision that these students got what they wanted. But I was also sad and frustrated, because what we are teaching them, in the end, is not the correct lesson. If they are about to graduate, and they still believe that life will always grant you a second chance, we as a school are being irresponsible.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world?
Yes, even though is much easier to pretend that we are not. I mean, look at the way a human society was originally conceived, people lived in tribes, and everyone took care of each other. I know we don’t live in tribes but in a global village, nowadays. But I also know that it’s easier to mind our own business than to try to help/change/re-shape what’s going on around. And the line between doing that, merely for altruist purposes, and getting into someone else’s nose is just too thin. So it’s a lot more comfortable for a big percentage of the world’s population simply not to do anything to change the world.
My principal responsibility, as I see it, is to take advantage of the gifts/talents that God/life has granted me.
Therefore, my principle on responsibility is that it (responsibility) plays an important role in my life as I usually question whether my actions can impact my environment, the things surrounding me. Usually, the answer to that question is “yes”, and so I engage into more duties and tasks than what a person living in his comfort zone may think is good for one’s mental/moral/legal health.
2. Where does the principle of responsibility come from?
In my case, it comes from a mixture of both, my religious beliefs and my personal outlook to life. I’m one who believes in justice and fairness, thus, I tend to believe that a person with more privileges is a person with more responsibilities, too. I live in a country where less than 2% of the total population has the chance to study in a private university, undertake a undergrad degree, and a later postgraduate (masters) degree, like I did. Hence, it’s only natural for me to believe that I have way more responsibilities to my country than the person next door. Is this a requirement? Not at all. It does not come by fear, either. It’s basically a condition under which I fully acknowledge that I must not play a passive role. Teaching has been a way to do something in favor of my community, for I see it as a safe way to promote change in a somehow non-hostile environment.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible?
I’ve learned that you cannot ever be either fully responsible or fully irresponsible. There is always going to be a good combination of the two. In those moments in which I’ve let myself be carried away with irresponsibility, I’ve learned that I’m fonder of the responsible side. For some reason, I enjoy more being accountable than not.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you, needs to take more responsibility?
If I take it to my daily life, I could find plenty examples in which universities, and in general, the whole education system, needs to stress, a bit more eagerly, certain principles in the young adults we are pretending to shape. Precisely today, I talked about an example with my employer in which we let a group of students get away with their acts, without showing them the consequences of their bad performance. To be honest, not only was I mad and angry with the President of my campus, because it was his decision that these students got what they wanted. But I was also sad and frustrated, because what we are teaching them, in the end, is not the correct lesson. If they are about to graduate, and they still believe that life will always grant you a second chance, we as a school are being irresponsible.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world?
Yes, even though is much easier to pretend that we are not. I mean, look at the way a human society was originally conceived, people lived in tribes, and everyone took care of each other. I know we don’t live in tribes but in a global village, nowadays. But I also know that it’s easier to mind our own business than to try to help/change/re-shape what’s going on around. And the line between doing that, merely for altruist purposes, and getting into someone else’s nose is just too thin. So it’s a lot more comfortable for a big percentage of the world’s population simply not to do anything to change the world.
RESPONSIBILITY: Ramak Siadatan
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 know Rick provided a definition of the word responsibility, but still don't really know what it means. To me, the use of this word is an example of how society overuses and misuses a word until many people are just left confused. (Take for example how many times I said "word" in the last two sentences...overused, right? Who wants to listen to a guy who can't be creative enough to use the full breadth of the English language even though he grew up in an English speaking country!) Apparently, I digress...
Here's what "thefreedictionary.com" has to say about "responsible":
1. Liable to be required to give account, as of one's actions or of the discharge of a duty or trust.
2. Involving personal accountability or ability to act without guidance or superior authority: a responsible position within the firm.
3. Being a source or cause.
4. Able to make moral or rational decisions on one's own and therefore answerable for one's behavior.
5. Able to be trusted or depended upon; reliable.
6. Based on or characterized by good judgment or sound thinking: responsible journalism.
7. Having the means to pay debts or fulfill obligations.
8. Required to render account; answerable: The cabinet is responsible to the parliament.
Really? We use this word to describe morality, reliability, skewed opinions on "good judgement", following through on legal obligations....it's all just too much.
My track coach in high school was the first person to tell me that the world is based on people's perceptions. So who's perception of responsibility is the one we go with? My interpretation of Rick's response is that sometimes you can only go with the experiences that directly shaped your own life and the perceptions you have based on the beliefs and actions of those around you.
Growing up, I understood responsibility to be something you were told you had to do. My parents told me I was responsible for studying hard and doing my best. They told me I was responsible for keeping my room clean, being respectful of others, speaking up when something was wrong, doing "the right thing." I felt obligated to do these things. After all, they were my parents and they new best.
Somewhere along the way, I started believing in those things I was responsible for. I embraced them. I'm not really sure how it happened, it just did. And in turn, over time, it translated into a few basic tenets that guide my life.... treat people with respect, try to look at the world through the eyes of the people you interact with, enjoy your life and family and friends, work hard at something you find passion in... these are all responsibilities I assign myself. Sooner or later, you become your own person and find the strength from within to hold yourself accountable via self discipline, alignment to a group/religious affiliation to help guide you or develop a moral compass through your interactions with people you respect and admire.
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?
Nature...then nurture...then nature again. It's within you, then it's shaped and guided by the philosophies of those people most influential in your life, then it's back to your instincts and feelings as an adult. I'll be honest, my principle of responsibility came not only from my parents, religious beliefs and the golden rule....it also came from what I saw on television, music I've heard on the radio and dreams I have when sleeping. Every human being feels responsible to at least one thing.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
That throwing your pet bird into the air doesn't mean the bird knows to come back...
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
Anyone not doing their job. You're a senator...do your job. Don't tell me how you're going to fix the economy...it was your job to make sure we had a good budget in the first place. How can I trust you will do a good job in the White House when you didn't do exactly the things you're complaining about as a member of the group capable of doing those very things.
If it's your job to deliver a good...and that good is not delivered, take accountability. Do your job. Don't blame someone else. Rick said it best, say what you're going to do and then do what you said. Don't do it half baked, don't pretend like you did it in the hopes no one will notice...just DO YOUR JOB. (And don't think for a second I'm excluding myself from this rant!) ;-)
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
Honestly (and quite sadly), I don't think Darfur is anything more to the people of the American government than just another staging ground for a debate. I know behind our government are real people with real feelings, but those feelings are not what drives the behavior ofthe United States government. And for that matter, I feel that way about many/most governments around the world.
For every reason explained to us about the presence in the Middle East, we know there are countless others not explained to us. Ultimately, I just don't want to be lied to. If you're going somewhere to establish a presence for another reason, then just say that. "Hey, there's a group of people out there that are important to us for financial, political and military reasons. We're going to hang around their neighbors to make sure the best interest of OUR country is preserved." That, to me, is being honest. If you want to help the rest of the world, you should feel a responsibility to take care of yourself and your people, protect your countries interests abroad where it's threatened, and be neighborly by giving what you can when asked.
Yes, everyone in the world is responsible to everyone else in the world. We are responsible for taking care of our own people, and being good neighbors where possible. Beyond that, if you are going to get involved in other people's business, you better be pretty darn sure that there is a general consensus from the rest of the world that you are doing the right thing.
I know Rick provided a definition of the word responsibility, but still don't really know what it means. To me, the use of this word is an example of how society overuses and misuses a word until many people are just left confused. (Take for example how many times I said "word" in the last two sentences...overused, right? Who wants to listen to a guy who can't be creative enough to use the full breadth of the English language even though he grew up in an English speaking country!) Apparently, I digress...
Here's what "thefreedictionary.com" has to say about "responsible":
1. Liable to be required to give account, as of one's actions or of the discharge of a duty or trust.
2. Involving personal accountability or ability to act without guidance or superior authority: a responsible position within the firm.
3. Being a source or cause.
4. Able to make moral or rational decisions on one's own and therefore answerable for one's behavior.
5. Able to be trusted or depended upon; reliable.
6. Based on or characterized by good judgment or sound thinking: responsible journalism.
7. Having the means to pay debts or fulfill obligations.
8. Required to render account; answerable: The cabinet is responsible to the parliament.
Really? We use this word to describe morality, reliability, skewed opinions on "good judgement", following through on legal obligations....it's all just too much.
My track coach in high school was the first person to tell me that the world is based on people's perceptions. So who's perception of responsibility is the one we go with? My interpretation of Rick's response is that sometimes you can only go with the experiences that directly shaped your own life and the perceptions you have based on the beliefs and actions of those around you.
Growing up, I understood responsibility to be something you were told you had to do. My parents told me I was responsible for studying hard and doing my best. They told me I was responsible for keeping my room clean, being respectful of others, speaking up when something was wrong, doing "the right thing." I felt obligated to do these things. After all, they were my parents and they new best.
Somewhere along the way, I started believing in those things I was responsible for. I embraced them. I'm not really sure how it happened, it just did. And in turn, over time, it translated into a few basic tenets that guide my life.... treat people with respect, try to look at the world through the eyes of the people you interact with, enjoy your life and family and friends, work hard at something you find passion in... these are all responsibilities I assign myself. Sooner or later, you become your own person and find the strength from within to hold yourself accountable via self discipline, alignment to a group/religious affiliation to help guide you or develop a moral compass through your interactions with people you respect and admire.
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?
Nature...then nurture...then nature again. It's within you, then it's shaped and guided by the philosophies of those people most influential in your life, then it's back to your instincts and feelings as an adult. I'll be honest, my principle of responsibility came not only from my parents, religious beliefs and the golden rule....it also came from what I saw on television, music I've heard on the radio and dreams I have when sleeping. Every human being feels responsible to at least one thing.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
That throwing your pet bird into the air doesn't mean the bird knows to come back...
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
Anyone not doing their job. You're a senator...do your job. Don't tell me how you're going to fix the economy...it was your job to make sure we had a good budget in the first place. How can I trust you will do a good job in the White House when you didn't do exactly the things you're complaining about as a member of the group capable of doing those very things.
If it's your job to deliver a good...and that good is not delivered, take accountability. Do your job. Don't blame someone else. Rick said it best, say what you're going to do and then do what you said. Don't do it half baked, don't pretend like you did it in the hopes no one will notice...just DO YOUR JOB. (And don't think for a second I'm excluding myself from this rant!) ;-)
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
Honestly (and quite sadly), I don't think Darfur is anything more to the people of the American government than just another staging ground for a debate. I know behind our government are real people with real feelings, but those feelings are not what drives the behavior ofthe United States government. And for that matter, I feel that way about many/most governments around the world.
For every reason explained to us about the presence in the Middle East, we know there are countless others not explained to us. Ultimately, I just don't want to be lied to. If you're going somewhere to establish a presence for another reason, then just say that. "Hey, there's a group of people out there that are important to us for financial, political and military reasons. We're going to hang around their neighbors to make sure the best interest of OUR country is preserved." That, to me, is being honest. If you want to help the rest of the world, you should feel a responsibility to take care of yourself and your people, protect your countries interests abroad where it's threatened, and be neighborly by giving what you can when asked.
Yes, everyone in the world is responsible to everyone else in the world. We are responsible for taking care of our own people, and being good neighbors where possible. Beyond that, if you are going to get involved in other people's business, you better be pretty darn sure that there is a general consensus from the rest of the world that you are doing the right thing.
RESPONSIBILITY: Rick Von Feldt
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 am responding to these questions overlooking a rolling hill in Kansas. I am back “home” for a couple of weeks of non-rushed family connecting. When I fly from San Francisco to Kansas – I have to do it in two flights. The first if over deserts, salt lakes and majestic mountains on the way to Denver. But the one hour flight from Denver to Kansas City is the flight that always reminds me of my roots. The flight this trip as we flew at 36,000 miles above clear skies reminded me of these questions.
Below me – flat planes of geometrically shaped fields are the homes of my people. It is where both of my farming parents we born, raised and rooted in their own values of what is right and wrong.
Each small section of land – with one lonely farmhouse reminded me of a small german farming family that farmed because that is what they do. They keep their head down, get their work done. They stay out of the way of others. They are seldom loud – save for the one or twice a year they get carried away at the wedding of a child, niece or nephew.
Each time I fly over those circles and square of land, with grains and oil producing plants, I wonder how in the world I ever was born out of those field – and still become the person I am today. Yet, even at 35,000 feet in the air, I can feel the quietness of the land – of the people and of the expectations. My soul knows where it comes from. And while I may go out and travel the world – those very lands and people influenced my principles on responsibility.
When I ask myself what I think some of my “non negotiable principles” on responsibility – the following statements come to mind – in no particular order.
- Say what you are going to do – and then do what you say. That is your honor.
- Be responsible for yourself. We didn’t hear mantra’s about going out and being responsible for others.
- Give when asked. But do so quietly and without fanfare.
- Help other people help themselves. But there are expectations with that help.
This is a very “heads down Russian-German” way of thinking here in Kansas. In a recent conversation with my mother, we both concluded that she – and therefore us, were never taught about philanthropy. Both of my parents were poor enough that they should have been the ones to receive. But they didn’t ask. They took care of themselves – raising what they needed to make ends meet by farming, gardening, butchering and bartering. And so – since my mother was not raised to go out and volunteer – but instead to work and take care of yourselves – we were also not raised to be volunteers for the sake of being responsible for others.
If we did give, I think that we also knew that it was conditional giving. Whether because we were trying to avoid guilt, earn our way to heaven or we expected that someday, we might need that very same help ourselves, we did it knowing we could expect something in return. But we didn’t ask it. Or talk about it.
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?
I believe that much of our need or expectation for responsibility comes from two lines of thinking. The first comes as an avoidance to bad things that happen to us if we don’t – as taught by churches. The second comes from our believe in the golden rule – and a sense of wanting to belong to a mankind that does for others – hoping they will receive the same in return if needed.
Personally – I think I can narrow now my sense of responsibilities from several sources.
1. Learning the “action – consequence – reward” sequence of working at my dad’s gas station from age 12.
2. Being held accountable as the oldest brother of 3 – often whether I liked it or not.
3. Avoidance to guilt and fear from the Catholic church – ranging from collection envelopes to being an alter boy to knowing that I had to tell god about all of my bad things – that there were would be a response – and so it might just be easier to avoid those irresponsible things from the beginning.
4. Learning about extra credit in junior high school – and what happens if you excelled in school – and the benefits it would bring. But likewise, also learning how awful it felt when you weren’t responsible.
5. My parents schemes on “action – reward” growing up – ranging from paying us weekly amounts for the completion of chores – and set amounts of money for achieving certain grade levels every quarter growing up (until the amounts they were offering were far below what we earned in actual jobs).
6. Cub scouts and boy scouts – both from the responsibility oriented nature of getting merit badges – but also from the consequence of when the group failed.
Growing up – I was introduced to the solemn tasks of responsibility by several key actions. The church taught it to me by being an alter boy. I learned it by the “action/consequence” action of school work – and what happened when you did extra credit. Somewhere, I owe a 7th grade teacher a great deal of credit for introducing the idea that if you not only did the work you were supposed to do – but you did more – you could actually achieve scores BEYOND perfect.
I also learned responsibility by working at the gas station at age 12. I quickly learned that if I wanted the things in life that I wanted – I had to ask what needed to be done – wake up – work and be responsible. That earned me $5 a day. Of course, on those cold weekend days, when my father woke me at 6:00 am – I didn’t have much choice but to be responsible. The real question came later at 16 when I had a car – and then had to make my own choices. If I got up on my own – and drove to work – I would be responsible. That would lead to money. And I could keep earning.
I also remember in grade school that the Catholic church handed all the kids small boxes of envelopes at the beginning of each calendar year. Each small box contained 52 envelopes, and our teachers began using not so subtle methods of telling us that each week that we had to put at least a quarter in to the envelope and place it in the collection basket. No doubt, they were preparing their future contributors for larger more adult donations one day. And this was the way the catholic church taught young minds the habit of contribution. It wasn’t lost on me that each of those little envelopes had our own personal number stamped on those envelopes. I often wondered if there was a small elderly nun whose job each week was to take those envelopes, open them, take our our quarter, and then go to her ledger and mark a check by our number with our name. If we didn’t make a contribution for the week, I wondered if she would one day walk in to our religion class after mass, call out a number, and in front of everyone, say, “Ricky – we haven’t been receiving your quarter for several weeks. We hope that you have been doing anything that might make you go to hell – or put sins in your record that may have you saying Hail Mary’s for an hour throughout the week.”
But this was more about my German-Russian immigrant history. And from what my father taught us as kids.
I love my father today. I didn’t always use those words around him growing up. I resented his strong sense of work ethic – and the distraction that this supposed responsibility caused on his other non-working role as a father.
But I could never argue with the key thing he brought to my head – in addition to those often forgot items like a roof over my head – was hard work and responsibility. He got up at 6am – went to work at his gas station – and came home in the evening. He seldom complained. He seldom said anything. But we learned from his this key element of life.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
Sometimes, I wish I could be less responsible. I wish I could not think about all of the things I should be doing for myself and others. I sometimes wish I didn’t come up with a hundred ideas a day – and then wonder what my responsibility was for getting them done, since indeed, I had been given the gift of that idea.
I always thought that my work for four years in Up With People was one of the most difficult responsibilities. This life in a fish bowl – around 125 students who watched every move – and would criticize you and eventually disrespect you for one slip up of irresponsibility was a tough gig.
One thing I learned however, was that it was not as much about the act of not being responsible that was important. Rather – it was whether it caused an negative action on the lives of others. If it doesn’t hurt others – or if for example, others don’t even know that you are being irresponsible – does it even matter? Can you block our judeo Christian principles – and say, “what the hell – no one will know!” This lead me to evolve one of my principles around responsibility – or at least amend it to think that “Be responsible. And if you aren’t, it isn’t so bad as long as you don’t get caught.” Of course, if you continue to expand that thought – you slide down a slippery hole that will eventually expose you.”
Perhaps another funny little story that happened to me also influences one of my principles. When I was in 5th grade, my father dropped my brothers and I off at a movie theatre. He could only do it during his late lunch hour – and so we had to wait an hour before the next movie started.
It was just above freezing in temperature outside and so we decided to walk around at the back of the movie theatre. There was a small pond – divided in half by a sloped wall. I was told by my father to watch after the two boys. And of course, they had no intention of being bossed around by their older brother. My middle brother, an avid fisherman even at that age, walked out to the edge of the lake. The youngest brother followed. While the middle brother could easily walk across the cement wall dividing the small pond, the little brother was not as skilled. Despite me warning – demanding that neither should be there – they thought different.
In the flash of a moment, the youngest slipped on the mossy concrete – and like a greased pig through hands, slid down the sloped wall into the freezing water.
Knowing that he didn’t swim, and that he was not going to be able to climb up that very slippery wall – I had no choice but to slide down into the water with him and pull him out.
I remember three things.
I remember the people at the movie theatre yelling at us for being in the water, and for asking why we would do such a thing – and me wanting to smack them for asking such a stupic question.
I remember how frustrated I was by getting yelled at my parents for not stopping my little brother from being by the water in the first place – and then for slipping down inside. They didn’t say, “Thank you Rick for saving his life – you are such a good brother.”
And I lastly remember my lesson of thinking it was far better to be the bully – and be over responsible – despite that people (or brothers) would not like me and would not get to learn their own hard lessons in life.
This has created a person in my that doesn’t run from responsibility. And it has created a person in me who is not afraid to ask questions – hold others accountable – and worry less about what others think – knowing the result is far greater than avoiding it.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I am not as altruistically giving as I think I should be. I sometimes wonder if I am too responsible for only myself. And yet – when I think I should do more – I struggle with the question of why – and if that answer is actually altruistic?
Right now – I am in a bit of a “limited responsibility” phase of my life. I am taking a break from being responsible for hundreds – and narrowing down my list a little, to insure I am doing enough for a few rather than a little for many.
I do want to be more responsible for knowing WHY I am voting for Obama this year. When I read recently in Time magazine that only 25% people can actually show how their selection of a candidate is because they can specifically point to that candidate, and their belief, and how they are aligned to their own beliefs. To me – that is a right we have. And I want to be more responsible.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world?
America can’t save the world. We shouldn’t save the world. I believe we have a “responsibility” to help others help themselves. But too often, we believe no one else in the world can do it like we can – and so we rush in to show people how to do it our way.
We are over extended as a nation. Our government – and our people – have to much debt. We borrow – hoping some miracle will come about to make it all better. And we over use supply side economics to get people to believe that an investment in one will create two. But we have just learned that this investment of one is getting us seventy five percent on the dollar.
I know that fact tell us that with the wealth of the world distributed, no one would have to be hungry, poor or in ill health. But I don’t think that is the responsibility of the world. My earlier principle of helping people to help themselves governs my thinking here. I want to save all oppressed people in the world – but I don’t know how we can. When we attack the oppressors – we pay a price. And we may not help the oppressed.
I have a feeling that as I get older, my thoughts on this rather selfish perspective of democracy will start to evolve to a more independent view of social responsibility and discussion on what is a human privilege or a human right.
I am responding to these questions overlooking a rolling hill in Kansas. I am back “home” for a couple of weeks of non-rushed family connecting. When I fly from San Francisco to Kansas – I have to do it in two flights. The first if over deserts, salt lakes and majestic mountains on the way to Denver. But the one hour flight from Denver to Kansas City is the flight that always reminds me of my roots. The flight this trip as we flew at 36,000 miles above clear skies reminded me of these questions.
Below me – flat planes of geometrically shaped fields are the homes of my people. It is where both of my farming parents we born, raised and rooted in their own values of what is right and wrong.
Each small section of land – with one lonely farmhouse reminded me of a small german farming family that farmed because that is what they do. They keep their head down, get their work done. They stay out of the way of others. They are seldom loud – save for the one or twice a year they get carried away at the wedding of a child, niece or nephew.
Each time I fly over those circles and square of land, with grains and oil producing plants, I wonder how in the world I ever was born out of those field – and still become the person I am today. Yet, even at 35,000 feet in the air, I can feel the quietness of the land – of the people and of the expectations. My soul knows where it comes from. And while I may go out and travel the world – those very lands and people influenced my principles on responsibility.
When I ask myself what I think some of my “non negotiable principles” on responsibility – the following statements come to mind – in no particular order.
- Say what you are going to do – and then do what you say. That is your honor.
- Be responsible for yourself. We didn’t hear mantra’s about going out and being responsible for others.
- Give when asked. But do so quietly and without fanfare.
- Help other people help themselves. But there are expectations with that help.
This is a very “heads down Russian-German” way of thinking here in Kansas. In a recent conversation with my mother, we both concluded that she – and therefore us, were never taught about philanthropy. Both of my parents were poor enough that they should have been the ones to receive. But they didn’t ask. They took care of themselves – raising what they needed to make ends meet by farming, gardening, butchering and bartering. And so – since my mother was not raised to go out and volunteer – but instead to work and take care of yourselves – we were also not raised to be volunteers for the sake of being responsible for others.
If we did give, I think that we also knew that it was conditional giving. Whether because we were trying to avoid guilt, earn our way to heaven or we expected that someday, we might need that very same help ourselves, we did it knowing we could expect something in return. But we didn’t ask it. Or talk about it.
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?
I believe that much of our need or expectation for responsibility comes from two lines of thinking. The first comes as an avoidance to bad things that happen to us if we don’t – as taught by churches. The second comes from our believe in the golden rule – and a sense of wanting to belong to a mankind that does for others – hoping they will receive the same in return if needed.
Personally – I think I can narrow now my sense of responsibilities from several sources.
1. Learning the “action – consequence – reward” sequence of working at my dad’s gas station from age 12.
2. Being held accountable as the oldest brother of 3 – often whether I liked it or not.
3. Avoidance to guilt and fear from the Catholic church – ranging from collection envelopes to being an alter boy to knowing that I had to tell god about all of my bad things – that there were would be a response – and so it might just be easier to avoid those irresponsible things from the beginning.
4. Learning about extra credit in junior high school – and what happens if you excelled in school – and the benefits it would bring. But likewise, also learning how awful it felt when you weren’t responsible.
5. My parents schemes on “action – reward” growing up – ranging from paying us weekly amounts for the completion of chores – and set amounts of money for achieving certain grade levels every quarter growing up (until the amounts they were offering were far below what we earned in actual jobs).
6. Cub scouts and boy scouts – both from the responsibility oriented nature of getting merit badges – but also from the consequence of when the group failed.
Growing up – I was introduced to the solemn tasks of responsibility by several key actions. The church taught it to me by being an alter boy. I learned it by the “action/consequence” action of school work – and what happened when you did extra credit. Somewhere, I owe a 7th grade teacher a great deal of credit for introducing the idea that if you not only did the work you were supposed to do – but you did more – you could actually achieve scores BEYOND perfect.
I also learned responsibility by working at the gas station at age 12. I quickly learned that if I wanted the things in life that I wanted – I had to ask what needed to be done – wake up – work and be responsible. That earned me $5 a day. Of course, on those cold weekend days, when my father woke me at 6:00 am – I didn’t have much choice but to be responsible. The real question came later at 16 when I had a car – and then had to make my own choices. If I got up on my own – and drove to work – I would be responsible. That would lead to money. And I could keep earning.
I also remember in grade school that the Catholic church handed all the kids small boxes of envelopes at the beginning of each calendar year. Each small box contained 52 envelopes, and our teachers began using not so subtle methods of telling us that each week that we had to put at least a quarter in to the envelope and place it in the collection basket. No doubt, they were preparing their future contributors for larger more adult donations one day. And this was the way the catholic church taught young minds the habit of contribution. It wasn’t lost on me that each of those little envelopes had our own personal number stamped on those envelopes. I often wondered if there was a small elderly nun whose job each week was to take those envelopes, open them, take our our quarter, and then go to her ledger and mark a check by our number with our name. If we didn’t make a contribution for the week, I wondered if she would one day walk in to our religion class after mass, call out a number, and in front of everyone, say, “Ricky – we haven’t been receiving your quarter for several weeks. We hope that you have been doing anything that might make you go to hell – or put sins in your record that may have you saying Hail Mary’s for an hour throughout the week.”
But this was more about my German-Russian immigrant history. And from what my father taught us as kids.
I love my father today. I didn’t always use those words around him growing up. I resented his strong sense of work ethic – and the distraction that this supposed responsibility caused on his other non-working role as a father.
But I could never argue with the key thing he brought to my head – in addition to those often forgot items like a roof over my head – was hard work and responsibility. He got up at 6am – went to work at his gas station – and came home in the evening. He seldom complained. He seldom said anything. But we learned from his this key element of life.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
Sometimes, I wish I could be less responsible. I wish I could not think about all of the things I should be doing for myself and others. I sometimes wish I didn’t come up with a hundred ideas a day – and then wonder what my responsibility was for getting them done, since indeed, I had been given the gift of that idea.
I always thought that my work for four years in Up With People was one of the most difficult responsibilities. This life in a fish bowl – around 125 students who watched every move – and would criticize you and eventually disrespect you for one slip up of irresponsibility was a tough gig.
One thing I learned however, was that it was not as much about the act of not being responsible that was important. Rather – it was whether it caused an negative action on the lives of others. If it doesn’t hurt others – or if for example, others don’t even know that you are being irresponsible – does it even matter? Can you block our judeo Christian principles – and say, “what the hell – no one will know!” This lead me to evolve one of my principles around responsibility – or at least amend it to think that “Be responsible. And if you aren’t, it isn’t so bad as long as you don’t get caught.” Of course, if you continue to expand that thought – you slide down a slippery hole that will eventually expose you.”
Perhaps another funny little story that happened to me also influences one of my principles. When I was in 5th grade, my father dropped my brothers and I off at a movie theatre. He could only do it during his late lunch hour – and so we had to wait an hour before the next movie started.
It was just above freezing in temperature outside and so we decided to walk around at the back of the movie theatre. There was a small pond – divided in half by a sloped wall. I was told by my father to watch after the two boys. And of course, they had no intention of being bossed around by their older brother. My middle brother, an avid fisherman even at that age, walked out to the edge of the lake. The youngest brother followed. While the middle brother could easily walk across the cement wall dividing the small pond, the little brother was not as skilled. Despite me warning – demanding that neither should be there – they thought different.
In the flash of a moment, the youngest slipped on the mossy concrete – and like a greased pig through hands, slid down the sloped wall into the freezing water.
Knowing that he didn’t swim, and that he was not going to be able to climb up that very slippery wall – I had no choice but to slide down into the water with him and pull him out.
I remember three things.
I remember the people at the movie theatre yelling at us for being in the water, and for asking why we would do such a thing – and me wanting to smack them for asking such a stupic question.
I remember how frustrated I was by getting yelled at my parents for not stopping my little brother from being by the water in the first place – and then for slipping down inside. They didn’t say, “Thank you Rick for saving his life – you are such a good brother.”
And I lastly remember my lesson of thinking it was far better to be the bully – and be over responsible – despite that people (or brothers) would not like me and would not get to learn their own hard lessons in life.
This has created a person in my that doesn’t run from responsibility. And it has created a person in me who is not afraid to ask questions – hold others accountable – and worry less about what others think – knowing the result is far greater than avoiding it.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I am not as altruistically giving as I think I should be. I sometimes wonder if I am too responsible for only myself. And yet – when I think I should do more – I struggle with the question of why – and if that answer is actually altruistic?
Right now – I am in a bit of a “limited responsibility” phase of my life. I am taking a break from being responsible for hundreds – and narrowing down my list a little, to insure I am doing enough for a few rather than a little for many.
I do want to be more responsible for knowing WHY I am voting for Obama this year. When I read recently in Time magazine that only 25% people can actually show how their selection of a candidate is because they can specifically point to that candidate, and their belief, and how they are aligned to their own beliefs. To me – that is a right we have. And I want to be more responsible.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world?
America can’t save the world. We shouldn’t save the world. I believe we have a “responsibility” to help others help themselves. But too often, we believe no one else in the world can do it like we can – and so we rush in to show people how to do it our way.
We are over extended as a nation. Our government – and our people – have to much debt. We borrow – hoping some miracle will come about to make it all better. And we over use supply side economics to get people to believe that an investment in one will create two. But we have just learned that this investment of one is getting us seventy five percent on the dollar.
I know that fact tell us that with the wealth of the world distributed, no one would have to be hungry, poor or in ill health. But I don’t think that is the responsibility of the world. My earlier principle of helping people to help themselves governs my thinking here. I want to save all oppressed people in the world – but I don’t know how we can. When we attack the oppressors – we pay a price. And we may not help the oppressed.
I have a feeling that as I get older, my thoughts on this rather selfish perspective of democracy will start to evolve to a more independent view of social responsibility and discussion on what is a human privilege or a human right.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
RESPONSIBIITY: Peter Waring
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).
The Australian Bar Exam which I took earlier in the year, imbues each aspiring lawyer with a strong sense of the importance of professional responsibility. It is perhaps a measure of how far the reputation of lawyers has fallen as a result of a few taking advantage of legal privileges and exploiting their power advantage over clients. Lawyers who screw their clients (literally and figuratively); lawyers engaged in fraud, malfeasance, crime and all kinds of other nefarious activity. These people failed to recognise that responsibility shadows rights and privileges – this is I suppose my own guiding belief.
Living in a civil and functioning society requires all members to be fundamentally responsible. Having said this, to err is to be human and all of us sometimes fall short of acting responsibly.
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?
I think it was Socrates who spoke of the ‘first moral reaction of man’. What do you do when you see a person bleeding and in distress in the street? What do you do if a group of thugs threaten a stranger in the subway car you are riding? What do you do if you learn that your colleagues are involved in corporate fraud as Sherron Watkins did at Enron? These situations require great personal courage and a sense of higher responsibility.
For me the sense of what I would personally do in these kinds of situations arises from what Freud would describe as a strong ‘super-ego’ developed by my parents who embody the principle of ‘self-sacrifice’ and higher purpose.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
I guess like many young people going through their rites of passage, I had an especially bad night when drowning in a toilet became a real possibility after downing far too many tequila shots. The next day I vowed never to be so cavalier with my life again.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I’m writing this the day after the Dow dropped another 8% or so and in the week after Richard Fuld (former CEO of the now bankrupt Lehman Brothers) did his best to justify the half billion dollars or so he ripped out of the company.
Clearly the issue of corporate responsibility has become acute to the point of potentially becoming a more significant issue then global terrorism. Certainly its absence has threatened the world in a way that terrorism hasn’t.
Our stewards of industry, leaders of banks, regulators and individual shareholders and consumers need to build a far more sustainable capitalist model in which we all exercise greater responsibility and restraint.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
I think everyone in the world has a responsibility to protect and uphold human rights. Rick mentioned Darfur and I note that in one of the recent Presidential debates, Obama was asked a similar question. His answer was brilliant – if we had chance to prevent the Jewish Holocaust of course we would. The world may have had a chance to intervene in the Rwandan genocide but failed. The problem is that these global situations are almost always nuanced and occasionally factually ambiguous – yet where there is clear evidence of severe abuse of human rights, history tells us we should act.
The Australian Bar Exam which I took earlier in the year, imbues each aspiring lawyer with a strong sense of the importance of professional responsibility. It is perhaps a measure of how far the reputation of lawyers has fallen as a result of a few taking advantage of legal privileges and exploiting their power advantage over clients. Lawyers who screw their clients (literally and figuratively); lawyers engaged in fraud, malfeasance, crime and all kinds of other nefarious activity. These people failed to recognise that responsibility shadows rights and privileges – this is I suppose my own guiding belief.
Living in a civil and functioning society requires all members to be fundamentally responsible. Having said this, to err is to be human and all of us sometimes fall short of acting responsibly.
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?
I think it was Socrates who spoke of the ‘first moral reaction of man’. What do you do when you see a person bleeding and in distress in the street? What do you do if a group of thugs threaten a stranger in the subway car you are riding? What do you do if you learn that your colleagues are involved in corporate fraud as Sherron Watkins did at Enron? These situations require great personal courage and a sense of higher responsibility.
For me the sense of what I would personally do in these kinds of situations arises from what Freud would describe as a strong ‘super-ego’ developed by my parents who embody the principle of ‘self-sacrifice’ and higher purpose.
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
I guess like many young people going through their rites of passage, I had an especially bad night when drowning in a toilet became a real possibility after downing far too many tequila shots. The next day I vowed never to be so cavalier with my life again.
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
I’m writing this the day after the Dow dropped another 8% or so and in the week after Richard Fuld (former CEO of the now bankrupt Lehman Brothers) did his best to justify the half billion dollars or so he ripped out of the company.
Clearly the issue of corporate responsibility has become acute to the point of potentially becoming a more significant issue then global terrorism. Certainly its absence has threatened the world in a way that terrorism hasn’t.
Our stewards of industry, leaders of banks, regulators and individual shareholders and consumers need to build a far more sustainable capitalist model in which we all exercise greater responsibility and restraint.
5. Is everyone in the world “responsible” for everyone else in the world? Is a country responsible for something greater than their country?
I think everyone in the world has a responsibility to protect and uphold human rights. Rick mentioned Darfur and I note that in one of the recent Presidential debates, Obama was asked a similar question. His answer was brilliant – if we had chance to prevent the Jewish Holocaust of course we would. The world may have had a chance to intervene in the Rwandan genocide but failed. The problem is that these global situations are almost always nuanced and occasionally factually ambiguous – yet where there is clear evidence of severe abuse of human rights, history tells us we should act.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
WEEK TWO: Five Questions on RESPONSIBILITY
WEEK TWO: Five Questions on RESPONSIBILITY
AUTHOR IN CHARGE OF THIS WEEK: Rick Von Feldt
RESPONSIBILITY is defined as, “the quality or state of being responsible: as a: moral, legal, or mental accountability”
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).
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?
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
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?
BACKGROUND ON THE QUESTION
Dear readers – my apologies for dropping the ball over the last 10 days on our next set of questions. There are details behind the reason, including a misunderstanding with another author as well as my own “under the weather” reasons, but let me get back to the mission at hand. (You can ready more about my own situation at my blog – listed in the left hand column).
Since I needed to provide a second weeks worth of questions, I debated for several days on what to write next. It has been a struggle.
Like many Americans, we are in shock as the melt down of our economy. Investments are going away. Markets are down. Bank accounts are down. For me personally – it of course affects me dramatically – as my “future” life of choice was a little dependent upon my savings not only doing well – but staying around. Oh well. Time to be flexible!
I thought about having the economy be central to this week’s set of questions. But it surely was only a US crisis, right? But on Monday, the global economy became infected, proving that the world is smaller than ever. Not only was America hoping to make a fast buck, but we talked the rest of the world in to buying portfolios based upon this “upside potential” promise.
So, the crisis is now a global crisis. But is this worth writing about?
Instead, I am choosing to ask FIVE QUESTIONS around a related theme: RESPONSIBILITY.
In my opinion, this is central to not only the financial crisis, our American election – but it is something that Americans are learning harshly in a lesson. Our government hasn’t been responsible. Many people haven’t been responsible. And now – we are paying a price.
So – let’s talk about RESPONSIBILITY – and five questions around it…
AUTHOR IN CHARGE OF THIS WEEK: Rick Von Feldt
RESPONSIBILITY is defined as, “the quality or state of being responsible: as a: moral, legal, or mental accountability”
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).
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?
3. What is something you learned from being irresponsible
4. What is an example in the world today in which you, or someone greater than you needs to take more responsibility?
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?
BACKGROUND ON THE QUESTION
Dear readers – my apologies for dropping the ball over the last 10 days on our next set of questions. There are details behind the reason, including a misunderstanding with another author as well as my own “under the weather” reasons, but let me get back to the mission at hand. (You can ready more about my own situation at my blog – listed in the left hand column).
Since I needed to provide a second weeks worth of questions, I debated for several days on what to write next. It has been a struggle.
Like many Americans, we are in shock as the melt down of our economy. Investments are going away. Markets are down. Bank accounts are down. For me personally – it of course affects me dramatically – as my “future” life of choice was a little dependent upon my savings not only doing well – but staying around. Oh well. Time to be flexible!
I thought about having the economy be central to this week’s set of questions. But it surely was only a US crisis, right? But on Monday, the global economy became infected, proving that the world is smaller than ever. Not only was America hoping to make a fast buck, but we talked the rest of the world in to buying portfolios based upon this “upside potential” promise.
So, the crisis is now a global crisis. But is this worth writing about?
Instead, I am choosing to ask FIVE QUESTIONS around a related theme: RESPONSIBILITY.
In my opinion, this is central to not only the financial crisis, our American election – but it is something that Americans are learning harshly in a lesson. Our government hasn’t been responsible. Many people haven’t been responsible. And now – we are paying a price.
So – let’s talk about RESPONSIBILITY – and five questions around it…
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