People often compare human beings to animals, making the point that humans possess certain moral values, unlike other biological creatures. One of these values is a responsibility, which is a particularly interesting topic to consider because people tend to have different points of view on the matter of responsibility. I consider a sense of responsibility to be the driving force of human development.
Who Can Be Called Responsible?
What does it mean to be responsible? When we think about the people we know, it is clear that they all possess different interests and values. However, when it comes to responsibility, it is often easy to divide people into two groups as we intuitively feel who can or cannot be relied on in case of an emergency. For me, being responsible begins with the desire to do so; it involves struggling with your weaker self and coming to the conclusion that teamwork is necessary to accomplish anything. In other words, I believe that the feeling of responsibility is the driving force of the development of society. I am deeply convinced that a person cannot be called responsible unless he or she realizes that responsibility is the foundation of human society. Making responsible choices is not easy, and I agree that “the right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the same” (Maraboli 8).
Responsibility in My Life
Speaking about my feeling of responsibility, I would like to say that responsibility touches upon many spheres of my life, including my career and family. In my opinion, relationships must always be approached with a feeling of responsibility because you may influence another person and change his or her life. Another important point is that this feeling of responsibility should be reciprocal. I cannot feel responsible for those who do not feel responsible for me; I would rather end a relationship than continue to trust a person who cannot be relied on. Moreover, I feel responsible for any choice that I make in this life, and if there are negative consequences for any of my choices, I usually consider them to be my fault. At the same time, there are certain things for which I do not feel responsible, such as the issues and circumstances that occurred as a result of somebody else’s choice. The exception to this rule is when I have the opportunity to influence the choice of someone close to me but do not. If the consequences of this person’s choice are quite serious, it may become a real problem for me even if I realize that nothing can be changed.
Responsibility on a Higher Level
Sometimes my sense of responsibility extends beyond my immediate environment, making me feel a close connection with all of the people on Earth. Most people would probably agree that a feeling of responsibility within a family or company staff is extremely important. However, many of us likely underestimate the importance of being responsible when it concerns the whole of human society. When I was younger, I used to see society as something that exists apart from me, but as I grew older, the real picture became clearer. A sense of responsibility on the level of human society comes from the knowledge that you have something to do with what happens in the world. All big things start from small ones. For example, you may do something wrong and influence another to follow your example; then, he or she may become an example for somebody else, leading to the propagation of negative ideas. I would like this commitment to the responsibility to be shared by all people, as it would make our world better. I believe that a sense of responsibility on many levels is an essential feature of any conscious citizen.
Works Cited
Maraboli, Steve. Life, the Truth, and Being Free. Anniversary edition 2014. Port Washington, New York: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Print.