(noun) the quality or state of being accountable; especially : an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions <public officials lacking accountability>
Where have we as a society lost our ability to hold ourselves accountable?
There are plenty of people, famous and non-famous, that find it easy to blame someone else for their faults or error while it is easy to accept praise and inflate our own egos.
For instance, you have someone who fails a class at school. The majority of people will blame the teacher or the class for being difficult or unfair. While there is a tiny minority that actually admits they didn't study as hard as they should have or didn't do the necessary work outside of class to succeed.
This applies also to life outside of school.
I work in collections for a living. I don't enjoy the job but I do learn a few good life lessons along the way. I hear from people almost daily who blame their misfortunes on the government. Now I realize that politics and the government is hardly innocent. But if one blames everyone else for their misfortunes; are they really getting ahead in the world?
I also hear, again almost daily, of people who'd rather collect unemployment than work. They're fully capable of working. They have no health issues and the only thing they lack is the drive to succeed.
Also, don't get this twisted. I am not wealthy. I am not sitting on a nest egg nor do I own any stock options or bonds. I'm just like any other college student. I work 35 hours a week and take 16 hours worth of classes. All while juggling family and attempting to have a social life.
If I can do it, anyone can.
Let's wake up, America.
I think you have a great point, and this is because I have experienced blaming others for my faults and errors. In the past year and a half I went to Christian Brothers University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I was a lazy person in the past and I never wanted to do anything. I hated the thought of school and did not want to go at all. I never went to any of my classes so I basically just failed every class I was taking. I came to the realization that I could not just blame everyone else for my problems. I blamed anything and everything for my faults and errors at Christian Brothers University. I blamed the school, the teachers, video games, and anything else I could think when I know it was my own fault the whole time. I finally decided to come to the University of Memphis and I am an undecided major. I made all A’s my first semester back in college and I plan to continue on that streak by making good grades for the rest of my time at UoM.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Trevor. Welcome to the University of Memphis! I have a couple of friends that go to CBU. Brennen Reynolds and Laura Duncan. Not sure if you've heard of them or not.
ReplyDeleteEither way, school is like that. We praise it when we do well and we hate it when we fail. But in the end, we're in control of our destinies and that is what America needs a wake up call for.
See you around,
Drew