Do you think people have lost touch with the idea of personal responsibility? Wh

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   KrystalDposted 10 years ago

   Do you think people have lost touch with the idea of personal responsibility? Why or why not?
   
   Yesterday I asked a question about blaming rape victims and someone made a very interesting point about how people frown upon personal responsibility. While no one deserves to be violated in ways such as sexual assault or robbery, we each have a personal responsibility to take actions to protect ourselves. When people put themselves in harms way, there is some bad decision making that can lead to being victimized. What are your thoughts on this subject.

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   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   Quite awhile back I wrote a hub titled "Acknowledging An Obligation To Be "Aware" Is Not "Blaming The Victim"!
   Essentially it concurs with what you stated in your question. We as a society have bent too far over in the opposite direction in such a way that if you dare to mention anything which may have reduced the odds of  being victimized you are crucified and accused of blaming the victim!
   In a perfect world we would lead a crime free existence. However that is not the world we live in!
   No one is "justified" in attacking someone or ripping them off.
   Nevertheless you don't want to make it (easy) for people to take advantage of you either! Going to bed leaving your patio door open, leaving your car keys in your ignition, counting your money as you walk the streets at night, becoming intoxicated at a party, leaving your purse/wallet laying on a table while you hit the dance floor or go outside to smoke....etc These are not (wise) decisions.
   On a TV  talk show discussing rape one woman stood up and said;
   "I don't care if a woman walks down the street butt naked that does not give any man {the right} to rape her!"
   She received thunderous applause.
   My response to her would have been;
   "Is that the (smart thing) to do though?"
   Pedestrians have (the right of the road) and yet we tell children to look both ways before crossing the street!
   It pays to be aware of your surroundings and look out for #1!
   If you're not careful you could end up "dead right".

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      KrystalDposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      This reminds me of a book entitled "The Power of Fear." It details this concept that inside ourselves, we know when danger lurks and our true problem is ignoring that voice. It's a touchy subject, I think, because so many people have been victimized.

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   RTalloniposted 10 years ago

   Well put.  This topic is always an interesting and important discussion.  Sometimes the blame game really boils down to the old saying that responsibility for an issue is "six in one hand, half a dozen in the other." 
   
   It's always curious to see a women demanding the right to dress and behave provocatively while claiming the right to protection from victimization at the same time.  However, while she may not be physically harmed by another person as a result of her choices, she may in fact be directly responsible for causing someone else, particularly another woman or child, to be harmed.  The "not my responsibility" argument simply is no ground to stand on.
   
   More to your point on personal responsibility as a protection for one's self, an example of the many college girls who wind up as victims is a reflection of a society that has come to believe that "we are special so the rules are different for us."  That people generally think "bad things" happen to "other" people is not new, but what is relatively new is the thinking of modern society that we have evolved either personally or socially to an elevated state.
   
   Today, though, the rules aren't different (just viewed differently--as in "you can say a dog has five legs if you call the tail a leg, but that doesn't make the tail a leg), the consequences of unwise behavior continue, "we" are not special, life is not fair. 
   
   Concepts about responsible conduct are no less applicable for individuals than for scientists, but personal liberty has muddied the waters of personal responsibility.  Duty, moral obligation, fidelity and other exacting aspects of high character have fallen to the idol of self-satisfaction. 
   
   Some great posts on the topic include:
   
   http://www.scarymommy.com/articles/you- … 7AKAO2RyCy
   
   http://www.citylab.com/commute/2013/05/ … ment/5565/

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      KrystalDposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      This is really excellent and well thought out. As a matter of personal responsibility, we must always look at the part we play in the outcomes of our lives. No, life is not fair and lots of things happen to all people but we do have many choices.

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   Evaneposted 10 years ago

   Yes, I think so. And, I believe that. People have lost sense of responsibility in so many aspects of life because of the convenience that technology gives them.

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