Barack Obama and 'Personal Responsibility"
Posted 20 weeks 6 days ago byWho is Senator Obama speaking to when he calls for more "personal responsibility" in our daily lives? I am bothered by Senator Obama's constant call to "personal responisiblity" when speaking about poverty and education. Is this because there is a small minority of black people who also insist on the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps"mentality? Is he saying this to appease white people who believe that the poor are NOT responsible? Who are these people who are not responsible? The poor? The unemployed? The hungry? Those living on the streets? All of us? I do not go to church. Is he speaking of me? My son didn't finish all his homework this week. Is he speaking of me? What other things have I done just this week that speak to my lack of "personal responsiblity? Is there some kind of secret code that I just am not getting? Please inform me, red and blue alike...
Thoughts
No, not everyone believes in personal responsibility
Submitted on July 17th, 2008 by AnonymousNo, not everyone believes in personal responsibility. Some think that it's someone else’s job to make things work for them. Or that someone else is responsible for their behavior. Haven't you ever heard someone charged as an accomplice to a crime say "i was just caught up"? Don’t you know that there are men out there who say “I shouldn’t have to pay for that baby! She was the one who decided to have it” Or the idea that a woman should get endless help from the state because she can’t afford the children she decided to have?
I don’t say that there are not situations beyond ones control. But you should take personal responsibility for your life. That’s your number one job. Not someone else’s.
The "n"
Submitted on April 5th, 2008 by AnonymousI intentualy left out the "n" in responsible to show how intentualy irresponsible I sometimes am.
catch 22
Submitted on April 5th, 2008 by AnonymousI personaly don't want to be held resposible for the action or inactions of anyone other than myself.
Having said that, I have to remind myself I have a child to raise who needs to learn from me how to be personaly resposible for their own success or failure in life.
I agree that his ability to
Submitted on April 5th, 2008 by ansuyoI agree that his ability to throw out a statement that sounds good but has no real meaning is a gift. Does he take "personal responsibility" for staying in his church? Does he take "personal responsibility" for all the half-truths he utters?
I have to say that people who are against corporations that make money -- making money is why they stay in business for the most part. What we don't hear about are the jobs they provide and all the other good things they can use that money for like research and development, charity, and more. We definitely do not take personal responsibility when we blame corporations for poverty, gas prices... Maybe we should look at the taxes lobbied on everything? Stepping of my soap box now :)
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Defining Personal Responsibility
Submitted on April 5th, 2008 by catsmilerBarrie wrote :
" I am afraid you have missed my point. I want to know why Sen Obama is using Personal Responsibility as a straw man. Everyone believes in personal responsibility, don't they7? I want to know who these people are that don't ...."
It's funny how that phrase has altered so much in the last few years. It does not mean that one must act in the socially defined "responsible" way. It means that an individual be responsible for the choices they make.
Which shows you how the notion of "personal responsibility" gets easily twisted .
Nowadays it means that each individual, even in his deepest, most intimate choices, is actually responsible to society at large-- a fine Maoist concept-- which is the meaning being applied here by Obama.
For those unsure of what personal responsibility actually is, here is a definition :
Acknowledging that you are solely responsible for the choices in your life, and accepting that you cannot blame others for the choices you have made.
Recognizing that as you enter adulthood and maturity, YOU determine how your self-esteem will develop, it is not reasonable or healthy for you to depend on others to make you feel good about yourself. You are your best cheerleader.
What do people believe who have not accepted personal responsibility?
I want you to fix me.
Yes, Barrie, there are plenty of these folks " out there ".
Pesonal Responsibility is a Crock
Submitted on April 5th, 2008 by Barrie ChurchDots
I am afraid you have missed my point. I want to know why Sen Obama is using Personal Responsiblity as a straw man. Everyone believes in personal resposiblity, don't they7? I want to know who these people are that don't .... and how poverty and lack of education fits into that arguement.
Are you saying that Republicans who don't want to pay taxes don't believe in responsiblity? I would disagree. I think they may be ignorant, and perhaps a bit intellectually lazy, but they would say that personal responsibility is all that matters. Is Sen Obama echoing their thoughts?
And I don't know a Democrat who doesn't believe in personal responsibility, do you? We just also happen to believe that government has an important role to play in America.
Anyone?
LEARN ENGLISH!
Submitted on April 5th, 2008 by AnonymousLEARN ENGLISH!
Personal responsibility is a crock
Submitted on April 4th, 2008 by dotsYeah, That Obama keeps talking about personal responsibility as if it is not the governments job to educate and feed us. That is just a cop out. He just wants to be president and not provide for us like a true leader should. Everybody knows we should eliminate taxes and have free health care for everyone. We should fight a war on every country that isn't with us or against us.
Barrie, don't worry about your son finishing his homework. That "No Child Left Behind" covers even students with bad parents. Don't let this "personal responsibility" talk scare you. This here is America.
anonymous
Submitted on April 4th, 2008 by debater15Go to blogs and you will see most recomened. I haven't really put much thought about bootstraps. Companies like their money and want to keep it so they are the only milionaries. I mean we can work hard its just that they have us under their thumbs and we can't do anything about it
That Way
Submitted on April 4th, 2008 by AnonymousDebater15
Do you agree with the Bootstraps idea? Are we all just too lazy to be millionaires? Or is poverty so debilitating that personal responsibiliry is just not enough?
THAT AWAY
Submitted on April 4th, 2008 by debater15The press is always talking about obama and how good he is but the American people know wat he is talking about! I dont know wat he is trying to say like all of his speeches. He's all talk and no action! please read MY THOUGHTS and tell me about your thoughts!