What are the benefits of accountability and responsibility for my actions?

Question

Peace and Love

Answer 1

A very good question. Action and Consequence making us responsible and accountable for our own as well as others happiness. Please allow me a smile and bow to your insightful and interesting question.

I am Buddhist and would like the opportunity to answer this very intuitive question if I may from a Theravada Buddhist's perspective. I understand that the question may be aimed at Christians but I may be able to use Buddhist Dharma or Teaching to provide some insight for useful and perhaps interesting comparison if I may be so permitted.

The Lord Buddha had some insight into our personal accountability for ourselves and each other in his Teachings on Karma and the inevitability of Rebirth as a consequence of our Actions in each Life. I understand that others reading this may not understand or even want to hear about Rebirth or Karma and I will only therefore concentrate on Consequence of Action and I'll only touch briefly on those other more controversial subjects for reference as I don't wish to cause offence.

From a Buddhist perspective then our Actions in Life are those things we do in our everyday interactions with other Life Forms including Human Beings as well as other Beings. These Actions include but are not limited to thoughts, words, deeds and include inaction as inaction can itself have negative consequence for example if we see that a car will hit another person and we do nothing then that person will be hurt.

Actions then are what we do in each moment of our lives. These actions can have negative, positive and sometimes neutral consequence. An example would be for example if we abuse a person in a queue. That person would suffer immediate embarrassment, that could translate to counter abuse which could escalate to physical abuse or even assault, physical harm. These counter actions then could be thought of as having consequence for us or even involve innocents. This only being an example it can be seen that negative Action has negative consequence, further those negative consequences can include others who are innocent of the initial Acion and suffering results.

This is the basis of the Buddhist concept of Karma, the term is simply a name for a phenomenon....a noun...often misunderstood and very much misquoted. Positive consequence then is the result of Positive Action and again can involve other 'innocents', a concept which Buddhists embrace, that being to allow other beings to enjoy the positive consequence of our positive Karma which our positive Actions are sure to cause. Our accountability for other's to put it simply is a right for other's to enjoy...to be happy, or as the Lord Buddha put it, to be free of suffering and we can and do affect that.

As a Buddhist and a human being I am directly responsible to others with whom I come into contact for their well being before, during and after that interaction and it is up to me to ensure that therefore the contact is a postive one regardless of their atitude to me because other beings are also involved we are never so isolated as to have no outflowing influence.

We are an interactive and fluid being. We have a great capacity for good if we only decide to do so, for by doing so and acting so we will be causing such good consequence and interacting with such purposeful and insightful conscious effort that with practise it will be a delight to just be rather than an effort to just try to be.

I hope you find this small insight of interest for comparison. I'm sure you have similar if not more profound insight than my poor example. Please forgive my poor expression if it has caused offence it was not intended.

Peace my friends in the recent and to me active season of joy.

From a Buddhist

Answer 2

How to answer this question depends on context; but generally speaking, in almost all situations, the benefit is in knowing that you are a person of integrity. Knowing the extent of your own moral code and/or personal honour has meaning and value, if to no one other than yourself.

Answer 3

It makes you more of a man...next time around you won't hestitate to accept responsibility for your own actions... It should say alot about your character

Answer 4

Self respect and self esteem.

Answer 5

For me........ it makes me feel more peace within myself

Answer 6

You will gain wisdom. And with that wisdom you will live a happier, more fulfilled life.