What is self responsibility? -- Written 1/5/06
I was reading Richard Dawkins answer to the Edge question, what is your most dangerous idea? (prior blog posting)
His response was "when will we stop beating Faulty's car?", based on the tv show faulty towers.
I've always believed that with out skillful means, karma begat's karma, ie that when a father comes home drunk and beats his kid, that child will be damaged in some way. The common view is that we need to "get over it" and move on with our lives is as reasonable a sentiment as I've ever heard, but sometimes it just doesn't happen, no matter how much one works on oneself, some karma doesn't seem to be processed, and thus gets passed on in some way to one or more people.
Our prisons are filled, and we as a society listen to an accused person's story, attempt to find fact, and then a jury or a judge will pass sentence. We say take some responsibility for your actions, society must have revenge, or you must be away from us until you find a new way.
The one thing that we don't appear to have institutionalized is looking at our society and seeing if we played some part in the drama. Was this person covered as a child? Did they get all the opportunities we wish on our citizens? If not, why not?
If we changed in some (small) way, could this damage have been mitigated? Is this a victimless crime? Is the law in question based on some irrational moral system?
When I was taught management, I was told that all business failures were management failures. If that is so, why aren't at least some of societies failures a failure of society?
His response was "when will we stop beating Faulty's car?", based on the tv show faulty towers.
I've always believed that with out skillful means, karma begat's karma, ie that when a father comes home drunk and beats his kid, that child will be damaged in some way. The common view is that we need to "get over it" and move on with our lives is as reasonable a sentiment as I've ever heard, but sometimes it just doesn't happen, no matter how much one works on oneself, some karma doesn't seem to be processed, and thus gets passed on in some way to one or more people.
Our prisons are filled, and we as a society listen to an accused person's story, attempt to find fact, and then a jury or a judge will pass sentence. We say take some responsibility for your actions, society must have revenge, or you must be away from us until you find a new way.
The one thing that we don't appear to have institutionalized is looking at our society and seeing if we played some part in the drama. Was this person covered as a child? Did they get all the opportunities we wish on our citizens? If not, why not?
If we changed in some (small) way, could this damage have been mitigated? Is this a victimless crime? Is the law in question based on some irrational moral system?
When I was taught management, I was told that all business failures were management failures. If that is so, why aren't at least some of societies failures a failure of society?
posted by Les at
6:06 PM
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