taking responsibility...WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Who is responsible? For what are we responsible? Questions of the ages - no doubt. There must have been a time when responsibility to oneself, a notion of being a citizen of the world was considered. Otherwise, philosophical debate which created many schools of thought would not have evolved. Humankind in barest form is selfish which likely girds our instinct for survival. Education, meant to unleash natural intellect must recall that intellect, the curiosity to learn, is inherent in all. There is no worthless life or mind unless of course the choice is made not to think or analyse, to take no responsibility, in short be a menace to society.

Irresponsibility multipled by many millions destroys the earth and humankind itself, the results of which are easily evidenced but discerned by the responsible mind only. How can this be? Much talk considers the burden of the uneducated poor who are blamed for many global maladies. The poor also have minds to understand but have been moved enmasse by expedient political views ably supported by the educated who know better but champion selfish ends solely.

Yes, we speak of visionless leaders who have misled nations into shadow versions of former national glories but do we truly blame these leaders? I suggest we have not because leaders are mirrors of their people, products of their unique culture and society - that is the point, bad leadership is result of bad society. Despite bitter consequences of irresponsible political choices humankind continue to ignore the link of their role - a simple adage: all actions have inescapable consequences.

Humankind revel in victimhood to butress irresponsibility, they will bemoan bad economics, the indignities of bad scoiety and vote for bad leaders. HBO's Bill Maher commented on some 82% of Americans who lament the misdirection of US policy but half will vote for the incumbent - how can this be? It is tribal politics, a die-hard adherence to the religion of tribalised politics. Again a blaring example of irresponsible intellect, a religious need for a messiah, a saint, a saviour for leader otherwise they must face the leader's flaws and be forced to analyse the issues at hand and invariably themselves.

Humankind fear understanding self and sadly many children are now raised with an inability to know self, they lack resilience, have a healthy notion of the fairy tale. Such persons are open to messianic leaders, bemoan issues that personally affect them but fail to see the mirror impact of same on the lives of others. Humankind have more in common than not but rarely follow such reasoning - the division one from another leads to nations at war with others, such is our inability to arrive at compromise. I have been staggered by the petty reasons that launched the legendary wars through history.

The inevitable depression and hysteria that manifest is irresponsibility at its zenith, then bitter views can justify continued irresponsiblity often played out as disdain and dismissal of politics, the process and the total society itself. In the end there is much chatter and little social contribution. Humankind is usually mired in bigotry, justifying division from minority or controversy issues are the grail of irresponsibility. Martin Luther King wrote in a Birmingham jail that the most destructive in society are persons who know better and do nothing, who smile and promise to act responsibly then fail to follow through.


All are responsible. The poor, rich, educated - children should be guided to be - all are resonsible! Society must have open analysis and responsible, stoic attitudes that lead to responsible national decisions at the political level - how else will national goals be attained? There are no instant rewards for your vote - politics is a philosophical idea as are all human pursuits. Many wait for others to do, to be responsible, to hand them a fit and just society afterwhich they will continue to have no responsibility for their choices including their choice to do nothing. There is no way around it, the mind is the critical fuel of humankind and the mind is a terrible thing to waste.