Responsi-damn-bility

This fourth class take away is brought to you in part by the letter R.

There are two things that stuck out to me. And the first is the concept that most people stay within the tiny bubble of what they know. I find this incredibly sad. Don’t get me wrong, I love my bubble. My bubble is cozy and warm and comfortable. But as all bubbles, it is also isolating and restrictive. If you stay in the bubble you can never experience what others experience. You could never understand how or why people in other parts of the world do what they do. You can claim that you read a book about some far off location, you can watch a movie or show. But can you taste the food by reading a book? Can you smell the air when you watch a movie? Can you experience the sunset from that part of the world or what makes that location amazing and terrifying and unique?

Bubbles are comfortable but bubbles eventually pop. Plus if you spread your wings just a little, that experience can broaden your mind and create new avenues for your designs.

And her is where the letter R comes into play.

The second thing that stuck out to me is the concept that we not only have a responsibility to ourselves but to society, and we have to find where the line is drawn. This stuck with me because I’m constantly saying people need to stop blaming everyone else and learn to think for themselves. It is so much easier to blame someone else for your faults and failures. You were dealt a crappy hand. You were sabotaged by a co-worker. You saw it on the internet or TV. You thought it was a bad idea but everyone else was doing it so you did it, too… When did we forget to take responsi-damn-bility (I stole this from …I’m just saying… on YouTube) of our own actions? We have a choice to do what we know to be wrong or to change ourselves.  We have a responsibility to try to be productive members of society. I should not have to shoulder the responsibility for my actions and yours.

That being said, I do take responsibility for what I put out into the world because that is MY choice. I could promote negativity and hate, or I could promote positivity and acceptance. Just because I don’t agree with you doesn’t mean I’m right and you are wrong. I doesn’t mean you’re right and I’m wrong. It could be that we are both right… or both wrong. But I will put out there what I feel is most responsible.  What you do with that is entirely up to you.