What are your thoughts on personal responsibility?

Question

Keeping in mind the section we're in, of course...=0)

Marooned: Clarify? Please.

Just illustrating a point, Mr. Gray...=0)

Answer 1

It's all God's fault. He put me here! lol

Answer 2

Our human nature is such that we will always try to rationalize and justify our behavior. We cannot be the unbiased judge of our own behavior. That's one reason why court judges must not try cases in which they are personally involved.

When someone says, "I take responsibility for my own action", it sounds good but it really means they are going to rationalize their behavior and minimize the consequences to themselves.

Personal responsibility must include setting up a moral oversight or we will always judge ourselves to be at least "basically good". I've read that even criminals plotting their next crime think themselves to be basically good. We need a higher Moral Authority or we will just shift the standard to where we fit.

Answer 3

That people should exhibit it.

And people are also affected and shaped by external forces. For example, the sense of entitlement I've seen among generational welfare recipients is taught to each successive generation. Being born poor and then taught to stay poor is something we have to take into account. Which is not to say those people aren't responsible if they merely freeload - they definitely are. But without admitting and responding compassionately to factors that shape and drive people I think we are looking at people as less than human.

Applied to religion, I think the same thing. We expect people to sometimes be selfish, to sin, whatever. The fact that I sometimes sin because of the effects external factors have on me makes it no less my choice and no less wrong. But if I want to change, I have to find and deal with those neurotic things that drive my behaviors.

Answer 4

It is a persons responsible to take care of themself so that they don't turn into someone who destroys the lives of others.

In this regard it is also their responsibility to protect their family and friends, because without them they will also be without protection. And everyone has moments of weakness when they need protection.

Finally, it is everyones personal responsibility to do what is right for the entire population of the species because if we don't then we start wars, and people die.

And if that doesn't motivate you then the chance that you will die should.

So, it's our personal responsibility to care about our world because without it we're just floating in space...and I don't know about you, but I need oxygen and gravity pretty badly.

Answer 5

it is one of the principles of my religion Bettie .. probably the most important
we are all responsible for our lives and this planet

" This principle is the one which places responsibility for wrongful thoughts and deeds where it belongs - with the individual. It is the acceptance of responsibility for every aspect of our lives and the use to which we place our lives depends entirely upon ourselves. It is not possible for any other person, or outside influence, to interfere with our spiritual development, unless we are willing to allow this. No one can put right the wrongdoing except the offender. As we are given freedom of choice (freewill) so also are we given the ability to recognise what is right from what is wrong. We are totally, as well as personally, responsible. "

Answer 6

Personal responsibility is the difference between saying, "Oh well, I know I'm a sinner, so there's no point in striving to be better" and someone who realizes they are responsible for their actions and tries to actively not make mistakes and does whatever it takes to make things right when they have done something wrong.

I know not all Christians think that way, but two Christians in my life that I am very close to both think that way and it drives me nuts.

Answer 7

It isn't just ethically sound, but a good tool for controlling your own life. We do make our own lives with the actions we take. Recognizing this basic fact allows us to begin to cognitively chose our own way.

Nice question. If we had more like this, I'd come here more often.

Answer 8

My personal responsibility in life is to make myself happy. (which is also everyone else's) most people do not realize that everyone lives for themselves. people don't like admitting this, but it is true. people do everything for themselves, which doesn't mean they are bad people. i know that most people will argue, but there is no way around it. so personal responsibility can only be actions that YOU are ok with. and they should change over time. (if they don't then you haven't changed either)

Answer 9

We as a society shirk the hard responsibilities and over emphasis the wrong aspects. An example of this is our norms on sex, we tell kids not to have it but neglect teaching them how to be responsible at it.

Answer 10

You're responsible for all the things you control or should control. (Your actions, thoughts, emotions, the things you own, etc.)

Of course, you're also only responsible to society for the things you do. The rest is just your personal accountability for how your life is...

Answer 11

I think it means that when something bad happens in your life, you look objectively at the situation and try to understand what you did that brought it about so that you can avoid repeating your mistake. It also means that when something good happens, you give yourself credit for facilitating it and you try to understand it so you can duplicate it in the future.
A good example of NOT taking personal responsibility in your life is blaming one fictional supernatural being for all the bad in your life and giving credit to another fictional supernatural being for all the good.