The contradictions within reflect in the chaos without.

We believe that as humans, we are rational beings but the truth is we are full of contradictions. I don't mean to say that we are conscious hypocrites, but subconsciously we may be pulled by opposing forces that we aren't always aware of.


This blog is an attempt to observe these contradictions and the resulting chaos...and the great balancing act that is human life. My belief is that we are here to do 2 things – learn & laugh, if possible together.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

RESPONSIBILITY – PERSONAL OR PUBLIC












In this Ted Talk from 2008, artist Chris Jordan visualises some shocking statistics about America and exhorts Americans to take personal responsibility for the small part each individual must play in bringing about change. Most of the issues he brings up are universal – tobacco-related deaths, drug abuse, crime and environmental irresponsibility, etc. The exact numbers may be unavailable but I’m sure that the same statistics for most other countries would be equally shocking.


When confronted by these unpalatable truths, it’s easy to say someone else must do something – the government, multinational corporations, scientists, doctors, etc. or at least to disassociate ourselves from the people who must have failed to avoid being part of the statistics.


I don’t do drugs. I don’t smoke. I haven’t committed a crime.


But I have eaten chocolates when I know they will make me fat. I have said hurtful things when I could have held my peace. I have used paper cups and plastic bags with the justification that the one I use will not make a difference to the millions already out there. I have done many things that I know I should not have done, but I did them anyway.


So I know the impulse. To do something wrong even when I recognise it as a ‘wrong’. It’s easy to point a finger at someone else and say they should know better. It’s much harder to point it at myself and be similarly responsible.


What would make a government, a multinational corporation, a community of scientists or doctors collectively behave in a responsible manner? When their voters, shareholders, consumers, investors, patients, etc. demand it of them? When these same voters, shareholders, consumers, investors, patients, etc. demonstrate their own personal responsibility and inspire them to instil the same? When each individual that makes up the government, multinational corporation, community of scientists or doctors exercises his own sense of personal responsibility?


It’s only when we are each personally responsible as individuals that we can be collectively responsible as a public.

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