Why do we take on responsibility?

[Raz]

Maybe that's not the best title for the thread, but I'm reading a book called the dice man, and it has raised a couple of interesting thoughts in my noggin.

One of those thoughts is...why do we take on responsibility in our lives?

What I mean is, what is it that causes you to take the path of greater responsibility over the path of immediate self-gratification? What is it that makes parents give up a lot of the freedom they might otherwise have so they can raise kids? Why do you sit behind a desk for 8 hours a day rather than just steal whatever you need to live? Why don't you drive while you're drunk or drugfucked? etc etc

I'm just curious for the reasons that people have for living a law-abiding life where we generally do right by the people around us...is it because you feel it's morally right? Scared of legal ramifications? Scared of being hurt?

Discuss at will....

 

[OhSoBec]

Is the dice man the one about letting the dice control all your decisions??
Friends used that theme for a doof last year, it's an interesting thought.
If the book is not about that, I am discussing the wrong thing.

Oh, and as for the question, I take on responsibility because I like to. I like feeling I make a contribution to society and I like helping out those around me. Sometimes I do things because I have been brought up thinking that is how people should live their lives.

Responsibility makes me feel like I have a purpose.

 

[Pop Popavich]

Depending on the responsibility, I take it on for a variety of reasons. Some things I choose to take responsibility for because I have an idea on how things should happen, and taking the responsibility for it/doing it myself is the easiest way of making sure it's done how I think it should be (Control Freaks R us ).

Sometimes I'll take responsibility for something because I feel it needs to be done, no-one else seems ready/willing/able to do it and the cost to me is less than the inconvenience or problems caused by not having it done at all. I also like the feeling of being someone that people can rely on when needed, I like being able to provide for people.

In terms of staying on the lighter side of the law, a lot of the time it's because it's just as easy to get things done within the law, and it saves looking over your should all the time. As for stealing whatever I need, I have issues with doing anything that I know is going to be to the detriment of another person, even if I don't know them, . I have less issue where the victim is a bigger corporation where whatever cost you cause is not passed on to people, but that still doesn't mean I will steal from them, mostly it's just aggressive haggling to screw them out of profit and save me some cash for lunch. I guess for me, this one is a moral issue.

Finally, some things I will take responsibility for simply because I have goals or dreams that I hope to achieve, and a lot of the time the responsible path just seems to be the best way of getting there.

 

[Beatlebot]

I think that there might be differences in the way people from different generations answer this question. I definitely think that some people in our parents generation just went ahead and did the married with kids and a 9 to 5 job thing because it was the thing to do, or they bought into the nuclear family dream.

Personally, I don't take on much responsibilty unless I think I'll ultimately get some kind of reward for it. I actually like my job and it's connected to one of my favourite hobbies, meaning that I can get otherwise expensive supplies cheap or free.

I go to uni because I enjoy that and I'm hopig it will help me with my goals.

I take care of the people in my life so that they will return the favour if I need it.
I don't know, maybe there is more to caring about people then just that. I would be very upset if any of them got hurt.

I stay faithful to my partner and behave responsibly toward him so that he will continue to love and care for me as I do for him. Ultimately I value our relationship over the possibilty of casual sex with other people.

So in answer, I would say that we take on resposibilty becasue the rewards for doin so are greater than trying to always remain 'free'.

Which is ultimately the conclsion that book comes to I think. Actually, the way it ends is kind of lame if I remember correctly.

 

[kytnism]

I havent read the book youre referring to, although know that with me and responsibility, i dont totally contemplate a situation until im in it... im a roll with the punches kinda girl, and think that premeditation only leads to disappointment or guilt... and i avoid both emotions at all cost... responsibility finds me, and i deal with it the best i can... if i win, im rapt, if i fail, i try again until im satisfied... i dont call defeat often... im too stubborn...

...kytnism...

 

[Doppelganger]

I think it basically comes down to what quality of life we desire to live...

We can spend our lives void of all personal responsibility, but in the end a higher position of authority will probably try to force responsibility upon us. As you mentioned, we could shoplift - however, if we get caught enough [which will happen if we shoplift consistently], we'll wind up in endless legal battles.

We could neglect our kids and have them starve half to death, however, the idea of having anyone do this to their kids saddens most people. Yet alone the thought of doing it to their own. Once again, eventually the government would get involved and force the parents to take responsibility for their actions [which in this case would probably mean handing the child over to child protection services]. No matter how awful a childs enviroment is - the parents are rarely happy with this idea.

We could live off the dole well into our forties... but naturally, we'll lose the appeal of most of our fellow citizens. If by this age we're still doing nothing with our lives - we'll associate with like-minded people. These people don't tend to be happiest, zany crowd to be around.

So basically, we want to feel that we're happy with what we've done with our lives [this is all relative to each individual]. In accordance with this fact, we apply responsibility wherever relevant to achieve such satisfaction.

This might induce a certain degree of discomfort but it's a price we're prepared to pay for overall result.

Even though a life void of responsibility does sound rather appealing in theory - in reality it tends to be a shitty quality of life.

 

[Pop Popavich]

This thread actually reminds me of something that was drilled into me in High School (thankyou afternoon detentions )

They had a Rights Vs Responsibility matrix, which basically shows that without assuming responsibilities, we can't expect to be given the rights we have come to expect.

This seems to be the case across our society as well. There are a whole lot of rights that people assume everyone is entitled to, but they come with assumed responsibilities. Once you start to shirk those responsibilities (by stealing things for example) then you start to lose your rights (like the right to walk freely down the street without being hassled by police).

Mind you, without me abusing my responsibilities, and subsequently losing my right to enjoy my afternoons detention free, I would probably never have remembered this interesting tidbit, so it can't be all bad.

 

[pl4yer0ne]

I stay faithful to my partner and behave responsibly toward him so that he will continue to love and care for me as I do for him. Ultimately I value our relationship over the possibilty of casual sex with other people.

Perhaps we feel similar towards society as we do each other, almost like a big brother watching out for us that we dont want to offend or annoy.
No-one would like to be an outcast, to be discarded by society and left to thier own devices.

I am similar to Pops, I take responsibilty on because i can, and its less hassle for me to do it than worry about "why isnt <thing> being done?".

Also very similar in the moral stakes... never hurt the little guy but with corporates or multinationals its game on!

But mainly i would say its from two reasons, A) im fucking anal and like things to be done properly. and B) I am really really inquisitive and like to know whats going on.

 

[Pop Popavich]

Bingo!

But mainly i would say its from two reasons, A) im fucking anal and like things to be done properly. and B) I am really really inquisitive and like to know whats going on.

It's like you've known me all my life!

 

[MooShiE]

Taking responsibility for me leads me to a healthier and happier life full of things i desire.

If i choose to not abit by the law and become a criminal, I wont get a job so i can have money for myself and my future.

If i dont put up with those crappy days at work, I may miss out on the great days and opportunities.

If i dont keep my house clean, someone important might pop over and ill be shamed to death

Those things bring me self confidence and happiness, not because the world says they do, but because I know they do for me.

 

[hoptis]

Sometimes I'm prone to doing really stupid things. I'd rather not give examples, but most people who know me probably wouldn't believe them anyway. So not often, and not very regularly, but I do fuck up and when I do, I do a pretty good job of it.

For whatever reason; anger, fear, selfishness... all the usual human failings.

Recently I was in a shop and found a black, elastic wristband that I bought for $2.

The only marking on it is the word 'FREEDOM' on one side. I wear it often when I'm out. Yes, I know it's uber-cheesy

The point isn't to remind me about the freedoms that I have, because I know enough about them. I know that I have more of it than most people. It's supposed to be a reminder of the responsiblities that come with those freedoms, and hopefully make me think twice the next time I'm in a position where I could do something monstrously stupid.

I'm not naive enough to think that a $2 wristband will save me a lifetime's worth of stupid decisions, but I (along with most people) know how bad it feels when I hurt the people I care about most and subsequently let myself down.

As we all know, it's pretty much the worst feeling imaginable.

Which is one of the main reasons why I take on responsiblities and try to live up to them.

 

[lok1]

Im becoming more responsible and mature because in a serious relationship you cant afford the luxuries of single life, like being a jerk all the time.

 

[muzby]

i take responsibility for my life cause i've seen what can happen when you don't...

i've seen friends waste their lives on drugs... i've seen mates go to jail... i've watched my family disintergrate due to my dad living the "instant" life.. i've seen friends lose self respect due to how they treat themselves...

i'm living my life now, setting myself up for the future, so that when i have kids, i can give them the life i never had..

whilst instant gratification is fun, its a road to ruin... enjoy yourself as you go through life, but always have a plan b in place for tomorrow... just in case...

 

[lady grey]

i take responsibility for my life cause i've seen what can happen when you don't...

i've seen friends waste their lives on drugs... i've seen mates go to jail... i've watched my family disintergrate due to my dad living the "instant" life.. i've seen friends lose self respect due to how they treat themselves...

i'm living my life now, setting myself up for the future, so that when i have kids, i can give them the life i never had..

whilst instant gratification is fun, its a road to ruin... enjoy yourself as you go through life, but always have a plan b in place for tomorrow... just in case...

^^Couldnt agree more!
Doing silly things for instant gratification is all well and good when your young but the older you get the more mistakes you make and see others make and you learn from these and become a better person because of this.
I dont think everyone is ever totally responsible but i think you just realize the consiquences just arent worth it.

 

[Samadhi]

i take responsibility for my life cause i've seen what can happen when you don't...

i've seen friends waste their lives on drugs... i've seen mates go to jail... i've watched my family disintergrate due to my dad living the "instant" life.. i've seen friends lose self respect due to how they treat themselves...

i'm living my life now, setting myself up for the future, so that when i have kids, i can give them the life i never had..

whilst instant gratification is fun, its a road to ruin... enjoy yourself as you go through life, but always have a plan b in place for tomorrow... just in case...

I couldn't have said it better myself. Shirking responsibility can only lead to negative results. I love my parents dearly, but they weren't really responsible, and it f**ked me up royally, on many different levels. Having said that, i know that i am now responsible for my life, and don't let their mistakes shape who I am now.

Shirking responsibility may, in some cases, lead to a instant positive result, but everyone should remember that one day, your lack of responsibility will come back to bite you in the arse. It all comes down to your own moral code; I know that, when my time is up, i'll only have myself to answer to, and i want to know that i lived my life as responsibly and as morally as i could have.

As humans, we have been given the wonderful gift of free will, but with that, comes responsibility. Newton's third law can sometimes be used when discussing the idea of responsibility; "For every action, there is an equal, opposite reaction". When applied to this discussion, the law could be restated to say that for every decision we make there is a consequence.

 

[Mona Lisa]

It's the 'Christian' thing to do. It's about using the gifts that God gave us, to do His calling...to follow the Golden Rule.

 

[^Pipit^]

I think being occupied in an ethically/morally responsible way gives us purpose and fulfillment. Its a cultural thing.