Is there now a lack of personal responsibility?

[niknak1234]

Is there now a lack of personal responsibility?

Another thread inspired me to ask this question.

Now don't get me wrong there have been events over the last few years that have increased the cost of living. COVID, Truss budget, Ukraine/Russia, Iran etc.

Now I am by no means denying they haven't had a big impact, but are people using them to avoid failings in their lives?

Are you feeling that you have a lack of personal responsibility?

Oh yeah. I’m always late to work because of Russia invading Ukraine….

You are really going to have to give some examples if you want to persuade us you’re right. I seriously can’t think of anyone ignoring a blatantly personal cause of something and blaming an outside event.

I can't buy a house because of Trump, Putin, etc.

That's an example.

Provide an example.

I think yes, in general, we no longer have a culture of self-reliance. The expansion of the state in the last century has been a wonderful thing in terms of the safety net it provides, but there are also unintended downsides. One of them is disempowerment.

To give an example, the school in my village has recently been earmarked for potential closure. The local people are outraged because they feel blindsided by this news. The leadership and governors are saying that it's just one of those things, terribly sorry, demographic changes, increased provision elsewhere and so on.

100 years ago, local people would have been working at the school and would be connected into the community. The school would have been run by locals and in a way the locals could understand. Now, the school is run by a multi-academy trust. No one from the village works there. No one local has a hope of understanding the bureaucracy and management-speak involved in running the school, so naturally they don't understand why all this is happening. If they had understood, possibly before it got to this point they could have been fund-raising or doing other things to try and keep the school open.

Basically, the running of things has been taken out of people's hands and given to the state. The quality of provision is probably higher in most respects, but people feel disconnected from it, like children. And, like children, all they can do is complain when they feels things are going wrong.

This applies to education, welfare, health services and everything else.

But you can buy a house. Probably not one as expensive as you want because the mortgage rate has gone up, but I don't think you have been legally barred or anything, have you? In the long run house prices will come down because they aren't selling as people can't afford big mortgages.

Do you really think Trump and Putin etc will stop what they are doing because it is causing an increase in interest rates in the UK?

Lack of personal responsibility has been a problem for years now

Your example is pretty off the wall, though

I think you misunderstood.

I was asked to provide an example, and that's what I did.

For what its worth I am in full agreement with you.

The example might be, but it seems you are in agreement.

Yes.

What does that have to do with personal responsibility?!

And where is the evidence that “100 years ago schools would have been run by locals”? Are people simply not working schools because they have other jobs they are doing. That’s not a lack of personal responsibility.

I think we need a few more examples. I've never ever heard of I can't buy a house cos of Trump, unless you are in US maybe?

I've heard no point in saving for a deposit cos houses cost too much, from someone who spends all money on designer shoes and takeaways. Is that the kind of thing you mean?

People complaining no one is picking up litter outside their house when they could pick it up themselves.

Complaining kids are addicted to screens while letting their kids get addicted to screens.

I half expected to be shot down, but it appears the majority agree with me.

Do you have an example as nobody says they cannot buy a house because of Putin.

The below is lifted directly from another thread.

"To think that my hard working son, who gets minimum wage is now strugglying to make end meet because of an egotistical, corrupt, millionaire/billionaire pervert is giving me sleepless nights. To think that the whole world is being held to ransom by men like Trump and Putin is making me so depressed and angry that its affecting my every day life"

@Groullt I think you make a good point. Complacency is a thing, people don't get out and protest or take action if they have concerns. They just shrug and let it happen. I think it comes from a position of privilege, a school closure might be disappointing but most people can drive to the next one. If people experienced true poverty or injustice they would have unfathomable anger and they would make their voices heard. People today in the Western world thankfully don't suffer enough to have that kind of collective anger.

That’s not somebody refusing to take responsibility for their own life. Do you mean something different by it?

I agree with you, how many people on here blame the government for everything and landlords and the police and retail workers

That's just the way small village schools were run. Because of the lack of transportation and communications, they would have been run by people who lived in the community. People are no longer able to take responsibility for themselves and local assets like schools because of the way modern bureaucracy works. Everything is run by detached, faceless bureaucrats with no skin in the game. The modern state prevents people from being empowered to take responsibility in their own communities. Not consciously and deliberately, but this is what has happened.

No I don't.

If I could think if a way to use covid or Trump to avoid my responsibilities then I'd be very tempted. But I'm wracking my brains here and...no. Can't see it...?

I agree with you, although I also think modern systems are really bewildering to a lot of people. Even for a highly educated and motivated person it can be difficult to get stuck in and make a change. To continue with the school example, to have any hope of 'taking responsibility' you would have to be in local government, or at the very least a school governor. To be a school governor you have to be highly literate, computer literate and able to behave appropriately in a professional environment. You have to be able to do all sorts of training and understand complex government documents. In the past it would have been much easier and more natural for ordinary people to get involved with things.

I know what you're saying & I agree, there has been a change over the generations. I think of my nan's generation (she would be mid 90's now if she were alive), hardworking, stoic & self reliant & they are now sadly dying off.

Yes, you are correct. People shy away from taking responsibility for their own decisions, finances, actions, health, learning...

Instead of accepting that if you can't be bothered to do your homework, and you always piss about in class, you will do badly - they blame the teachers for not being interesting enough.

Instead of accepting that, for most people, being fat is a sign of too much food and not enough movement - they blame the food industry/supermarkets/granny's cake baking habit. As though they have no control over their consumption at all.

They decide to drink and drive - and blame the pub, or the off licence, or their wife because 'she nags', or anyone else but themselves.

People don't like to feel uncomfortable, and taking responsibility for yourself is uncomfortable. Much easier to blame someone else.

Most people say they can't buy a house because house prices are extremely high in relation to average wages, and the cost of living rises make it harder than ever to save for a deposit.

Which is true.

An individual has no personal responsibility for the economic reality of the era they live in, and whilst a few will be above average in financial success, the majority will be closer to the average.