Was It You?

And who, may I ask, is responsible for this?

You might hear the question but I would be willing to bet that you will be waiting some time to get an answer.  A very long time.

Seems that these days no one, anywhere, at any time is responsible for anything.  Ever.

Slight correction.  Someone is of course responsible but no one admits responsibility and no one, for damn sure, is ever held responsible.  Ever.

I hear it all the time on TV and more so on radio commercials:  “It’s not your fault.”

All the time parents seem to find ways and reasons to dismiss the clear evidence that clearly implicates their child in something that often is not very serious at all.  It is as if by assigning blame to their children they are admitting some sort of flaw or shortcoming in themselves.  God forbid they are ever held to account either.  Not ever.  Neither.

I wonder what type of society we have created with all this re-assignment of blame and this abdication of responsibility.  Actually I really don’t need to wonder.

Some young adults seem absolutely floored when they finally hit the real world and someone, a co-worker, a boss, a (gad!) customer holds them responsible for some action.  They really don’t seem able to process the thought that something they did 1) caused a problem and 2) um, they were the ones who did it.  Cause and effect is hard to outrun.

I blame parents and I blame teachers and schools and I blame sports coaches and teams and leagues and I blame youth leaders and groups and I blame the government.  Yes, I said it and you heard it- the government.  Especially the current administration but maybe they are just the crest of the wave.

In the sixth year of this administration I cannot really recall a single time when the president of this country has admitted responsibility and then also carried through on that admission in terms of making it right or fixing it or doing something differently in the future because of something that has been done wrong in the past.  That used to be commonplace when families were as well.

Seriously, it seems to me that with the dissolution of the family so came the abdication of responsibility.

In terms of blame or responsibility it’s easier to allow than correct; to dismiss than to address; to deflect than accept; to deny than admit; to run than to stand.

To stand and admit that it was me, that I was responsible, and that I am ready to make it right.

I wonder what type of society we would create then with such a resurgence of the acceptance of personal responsibility.

It’s kind of hard the first time that you do it, no doubt.  That is a great reason to start with your kids when they are young.  Let them know that actions have consequences and that those actions and their consequences have an owner.  Own it, learn from it, grow from it, and be a much better person in the long run.  Simple enough right?

Imagine if we had a whole slew of such young folks that we could send to Washington to take over the leadership of this country.

I wonder what kind of country we would have then.

All from just a simple childhood lesson that seems to have disappeared somewhere back in the late sixties.

Imagine.