The Invention of Individual Responsibility

Humans love to fix things, to find the cause of a problem, to probe, tinker, and mend. We ask, in many different ways, Why does this happen? What’s the root cause? What’s the origin? What or who is at fault? What or who is responsible? But there are three subjects that have intertwined with the topic of responsibly more than others.
The idea of responsibility has many forms both historically and culturally. Philosophers have debated whether we can be truly responsible for our actions in the context of discussions about free-will; theologians have wrestled with the idea of taking responsibility for our sins; scientists have joined the discussion by searching for causation and exploring the psychology and neurology of our brains.
But today, the idea of individual responsibility is often invoked in discussions about welfare, poverty, and enterprise. Increasingly, throughout the liberal and neoliberal periods, we’ve - in politics and the media, at least - emphasised ‘responsibility for ourselves’ at the expense of other types of responsibilities, moral obligations, or duties.
Is poverty a personal inadequacy? A problem of persons? A problem of character? A problem of culture? Or is it a problem of place? Of systems? Of society?
The particular form ‘individual responsibility’ has taken today - atomised, asocietal, ideally self-dependent, culturally ‘backward’, genetically limited - is a relatively new historical and political concept which is used to justify the dismantling of welfare, the rejection of altruism, and the unravelling of community.
Any cultural interpretation of responsibility is bound-up with politics, language, culture and society, and, has a history that’s not simply progressive and linear. Instead of being responsible for ourselves, the concept of 'mutual obligations' or duties includes the responsibility to work hard and improve ourselves, but can also better accommodate contributing to the world, aiding others, remembering no man is an island and turning our gaze not inwards but outwards.
I look at how this idea of individual responsibility developed in parallel with the history of poverty, looking at Edward Banfield's The Moral Basis of a Backward Soceity, Oscar Lewis' Culture of Poverty, Daniel Moynihan's The Negro Family, Charles Murray's Losing Ground and the Bell Curve, and George Gilder's Wealth and Poverty. We look at poverty and responsibility from the Middle Ages, through to the Poor Laws, to Kennedy, LBJ, The Great Society, The War on Poverty, to the Reagan and Thatcher era and to Obama and Fox News today. Of course, Jordan Peterson also makes an appearance.
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Some sources:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
www.theatlantic.com/business/...
Michael Katz, The Underserving Poor
Yascha Mounnk, The Age of Responsibility: Luck, Choice, and the Welfare State
Nash, Gary B. "Poverty and Poor Relief in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia." The William and Mary Quarterly 33, no. 1 (1976): 3-30. Accessed July 6, 2021. doi:10.2307/1921691.
B. Harris & P. Bridgen, Charity & Mutual Aid in Europe & North America Since 1800
Clive Emsley, Crime & Society in England: 1750-1900
www.historyandpolicy.org/poli...
www.gotquestions.org/personal...
www.openbible.info/topics/per...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/...
Morris, Michael. "From the Culture of Poverty to the Underclass: An Analysis of a Shift in Public Language." The American Sociologist 20, no. 2
Jordan Peterson, 12 Rules for Life
Credits:
Dennis Prager Image: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

[@ThenNow]

Script & sources at: www.thenandnow.co/2023/03/15/the-invention-of-individual-responsibility/ ► Sign up for the newsletter to get concise digestible summaries: www.thenandnow.co/the-newsletter/ ► Why Support Then & Now? www.patreon.com/user/about?u=3517018

[@pulse3554]

God this is such a western take. Barely any examination of this in say parts of Asia or elsewhere, where this sort of thing preceded the west by centuries or millennia. I don't blame you, this absurd eurocentrism is endemic

[@Mikewee777]

The world ended in 1982 .

[@jamesearlcash1758]

@@pulse3554 The westernized social construct is a by product of the far east particularly India and China with regards to the social structure. The westernized social construct is rooted in mental illness.

[@Damesanglante]

@@pulse3554 Have you ever thought this channel is european ? Your brain.exe has stopped working.

[@NuanceOverDogma]

You are a con man & charlatan!

[@seanzibonanzi64]

The personal responsibility debate died with the crash of 2008 when the people we gave the most responsibility did the least responsible things and weren't held responsible

[@threethan1st]

Louder, for the people in the back.

[@maxr.k.pravus9518]

Very, very, very well put

[@el_equidistante]

pff no it did not die because it's always been a fantasy of intellectual idiocy, and fantasies do not die because of events en the real world

[@Tinkering4Time]

@@renatosilva5304 replying so I can find my way back here later.

[@michaelhourigan2599]

Such a simple statement If we had a free market society and more person responsibility the crash would have either never happened or been at least much smaller

[@slimyfisher1370]

"The fact is, if you’re poor, you only get one chance. If you’re wealthy like Bush, you get chance after chance after chance after chance. So you’re a C student at Andover, and you go to Yale, and you go to Harvard Business School, and you’re AWOL from your National Guard unit, and you’re a cokehead, and it doesn’t really matter. You don’t even really have a job till you’re 40 and you become president of the United States" - Chris Hedges.

[@excaliburironforce9908]

Don't forget about the Clinton's, Biden's, etc. 😵‍💫

[@PaperMario64]

@@excaliburironforce9908or your lord and savior, Trump himself.

[@AbdelkaderMoussaoui-fq3dq]

​@@PaperMario64 Well, the majority if not all the politicians in all honesty, they have the privilege of having the time and money to chase after power

[@mns8732]

​@@PaperMario64nope Trump worked. You might not like his work, but he did work at things that made politicians ask him for donations. They certainly didn't mind what he did for a living.

[@pontificous]

@@mns8732 Trump got a million dollar head start from his Dad, and his work was using that money and his Father's connections to buy NYC real-estate for pennies on the dollar while stiffing contractors and getting massive tax breaks from the city. And despite all of that he still managed to bankrupt a casino.

[@WeDeserveBetterNow]

I've always found it odd that the wealthy oligarchs who say it's all of our responsibility to serve their interests never themselves see it as their responsibility to adequately give back to the society that made their riches possible, nor do they take responsibility to take care of the environment that we all depend upon for sustenence.

[@Musikmaker658]

Because as a collective we handed them that power without a fight, even idolising them for it for a time. Because we lived in abundance, now that we don’t anymore we start to shout again. Since we are so lazy when times are peaceful we always create new divides and wars. It’s the peoples fault, not the sovereign's. And that has always been the problem, the sovereign body only reflects the degree of the ailment that plagues its populus.

[@AnnNunnally]

Not to mention they are the first ones with their hands out when things go wrong.

[@MCDreng]

Well they say it's our job to serve our interests. They serve their own interests just fine by hoarding wealth. Capitalism is cancer and a parasite.

[@GabrielBacon]

The thing is, the wealth itself is not what will make the world better or more livable. The only thing that improves lives is people working and doing deeds for one another, whether it be making shoes or studying disease treatments. It all comes down to human work and agency, the wealth itself can only help by incentivizing more work. And that is typically what the wealthy do, invest in businesses and organizations that put people to work. Build opulent house that other people have to work to build and maintain.

[@WeDeserveBetterNow]

@@GabrielBacon Scandinavia proves you wrong, where the average person has a better life than pretty much anywhere else in the world. Where they have high taxation and relatively generous social safety nets. That's how you build a strong, thriving society, not some Ayn Rand bullshit.

[@theagreene6277]

When I was in college living in NYC one of my gentry co workers often spoke of this "value" when faced with the growing homeless population. Meanwhile, her parents paid half her extremely high rent. She bought a house a couple of years ago. They laid the down payment and recently bought her a brand new boiler.

[@maryfrances1307]

I love your use of the word “gentry,” which is synonymous to the word “gentile,” meaning person of a gentle birth. Helps differentiate the real Jews from the real gentiles.

[@vhawk1951kl]

fascinating , so or therefore the fcuk what? Where and what is your syllogism?

[@BasedProletarianJacob420]

"This country has socialism for the rich, and rugged individualism for the poor" MLK

[@fatpotatoe6039]

@@Knaeben We should have rugged individualism for both

[@OccultDemonCassette]

@@fatpotatoe6039 the modern concept of individualism is a bit of a mind poisoning ideology.

[@fatpotatoe6039]

@@OccultDemonCassette In what way?

[@JamesDecker7]

@@fatpotatoe6039 I believe it is because OVER focusing on individual responsibility REDUCES focus on collective (governmental, organizational, group) responsibility which can have FAR greater impact than individual responsibility alone. Here’s an example: forcing companies to recycle 50% of their plastic waste would have FAR more impact than forcing individuals to recycle 50% of their own plastic waste. It also reduces actually holding groups (especially companies) responsible for their negative impacts. A company which causes the death of an individual through policy or company action should face manslaughter charges and be punished accordingly (perhaps dissolved if given the death penalty?). When they pollute they should not be faced with a fine but required to pay for remediation of the pollution. They should be responsible and take responsibility……like they never seem to do…

[@fatpotatoe6039]

@@JamesDecker7 I can't say I disagree. I'm with you on your reasoning 100%. Well said. I just don't think people should use collective responsibility (which is just composed of the sum of their individual actions) to shirk taking individual responsibility to do everything within their power to do the right thing.

[@fredatlas4396]

Poverty is not a lack of character, it's a lack of money

[@jeremiahsaxton8967]

Far too many don't know the difference

[@jasonboursaw3258]

That's bullshit. What % of lottery winners and rich people lose their fortune? Why does shirt sleeves to shirt sleeves in 3 generations exist as a quote?

[@ofimportance5458]

@@jasonboursaw3258 Explain

[@jasonboursaw3258]

@ofimportance5458 poverty is a mindset in most cases. Impoverished people stay that way perpetually often even when fortune smiles on them. MC Hammer was worth $33 million at the height of his career. Instead of investing in assets he squandered his fortune on liabilities and ended up bankrupt. Just one example. The 3 generations quote means that the first generation produced the wealth starting out in shirt sleeves, and by the time the grandson came of age the fortune is squandered by the son n nothing is left for the grandson and the family back to wearing shirts leaves again. Winning the lottery is often the worst thing that happens to a poverty minded individual. When they squander they're fortune they didn't have to work for it absolutely destroys them mentally, while everyone watching from the outside wonders how the hell do you squander free money of that sum? Handouts produce the same behavior. Being given things and money that wasn't earned through blood, sweat, and tears is of no value to many poor. No sacrifice was made to trade for that free stuff, or free money. You don't respect that which you don't earn. A culture that is given because they simply exist and make horrid decision after horrid decision has no individual responsibility. In the modern 1st world nations, poverty is a choice most often. Minus handicaps and mental issues etc.... which is a very small %. It's very simple. Instead of living to profit off the backs of others productivity, equip yourself with skills people are willing to pay you well for. Make that commitment and God willing your health holds up and you learn the actual reality of an asset and a liability, and you'll be in the middle class near guaranteed.

[@ofimportance5458]

@@jasonboursaw3258 I don’t care about rich idiots squandering their wealth. Doesn’t that prove my point. These poor people get rich and then lose it because they weren’t educated on it

[@Paraselene_Tao]

This is an absurdly high-value documentary on the perception of poverty. I will have to watch it a second time to fully grasp everything it went over.

[@ASierra08]

Agreed, commenting to come back to this vid later

[@fawkewemf5616]

Same!!!!!!!!

[@kronos01ful]

What do you mean ?

[@aazhie]

​@@kronos01fulsometimes people have to re watch a dense video in order to get all the details

[@frufrujabenderps5300]

just re-watched again

[@robinsea]

I'm only 17 minutes in and I already want to cry. I simply don't understand how anyone can see another human being with so much contempt

[@stiofanmacamhalghaidhau765]

its easy... stop seeing them as fully human, or as not human at all. far too many people seem to find that way too easy to accomplish. it is deeply disturbing. and terrifying

[@bobbellendovich6825]

Really? Go listen to a modern black person talk about a White person. Pure. Contempt.

[@robinsea]

@Thomas B I'm a pagan... it definitely doesn't make me dislike other people. its more because of capitalism-feuled desperation i think? like they see how many people suffer and how quickly it could become them and instead of trying to build bridges and lift everyone up, they decided to use them as stepping stools. i don't think christian god comes into it all that much?

[@EquestrianKatz]

​@Thomas B This is all purely human problems that require human solutions. "More God" will only bring people like me down. I couldn't figure out how I can reach my full potential when I had to feel like a servant to some divine being while also feeling like a tool for the rich. That is, until I found out that I have my own power within myself to be my own person and make up my own mind. I found value in myself and everyone I meet. Believing in God made me hate myself and look down on others. We're all given the freedom to make up our own minds, but your ideal world will be just as flawed as what we see now.

[@christopherjones9536]

​@Thomas B🏳️‍🌈⃠ Christianity doesn't beIong in our society. No reIigion does, it's a pIague on humanity and shouId be tossed to the ashes

[@raresmircea]

This is one of those times when you’re both amazed and thankful that this kind of quality is available free of charge and at any time you want

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

when the content is free you are the product...

[@raresmircea]

@@therearenoshortcuts9868 I bet that being the intellectually honest person that you are you’re saying this to every blog, channel and podcast you’re following

[@Eeesleep]

It’s not really free of charge. The channel can only continue running because of donations through Patreon. The ads of KZbin only pay a negligible amount to videos with less than 100,000 views.

[@raresmircea]

@@Eeesleep I understand that but what was relevant for my point was the fact that anyone, irrespective of having money or not, can access this content for free.

[@Eeesleep]

@@raresmircea I am glad that people that can’t afford to donate to channels like these, can still enjoy their videos and learn from them.

[@jasonyang6630]

I find it amazing that the eugenics movement, not only determined that the poor are genetically predisposed to poverty and thus it was futile to help them, but could somehow could still believe that they were individually responsible.

[@ivandafoe5451]

They make damn sure that these contradictory beliefs are never stated in the same sentence as you have done here.

[@guy-sl3kr]

Germany took those beliefs to their logical conclusion and the USA both knew about it and approved, even after the war ended (operation paperclip).

[@JohnSmith-ft4gc]

@@guy-sl3kr OP indirectly supported and perpetuated that ideology & exploitation. OP itself was no different to what the Soviet Union did. IE, a grab of personnel of military and technical expertise. EDIT: It's not MY issue that "OP" is interpreted as "Original Poster" in this context. That interpretation is not compatible with the available content of my post. The post I replied to, included Operation Paperclip. Grow up. EDIT2: This is the post I was directly replying to: "Germany took those beliefs to their logical conclusion and the USA both knew about it and approved, even after the war ended (operation paperclip)." Now read my reply together: " OP indirectly supported and perpetuated that ideology & exploitation. OP itself was no different to what the Soviet Union did. IE, a grab of personnel of military and technical expertise." It is NOT my responsibility to spoonfeed ANYONE. If you are essentially conditioned to read "OP" as Original Poster, that is one thing, but for fuck's sake DO NOT expect me to put more effort into being clear than the lazy brat responding with: "What?" Get off the internet.

[@vishalpatkar6819]

@@JohnSmith-ft4gc what ??

[@JohnSmith-ft4gc]

@@vishalpatkar6819 can you read or not? OP=Operation Paperclip.

[@dr.christopherdiaz4473]

All 4 of my grandparents grew up in poverty as pickers in the fields, but one of them did what usually has to be done for a poor family to get over the hump of accessing the middle class: join the military. “The poverty draft” is a very real thing, and if you never see a recruitment station near your house, you are probably doing well. Thanks, Welo 😊

[@vhawk1951kl]

Your grandparents had *No* food *No* clothes and *No* shelter? Remarkable(not to say astonishing) that in those premises that they survived to or managed to cause your causes or parents? Any chance they may have been over egging the puddingor exaggerating? That is the inescapable inference is it not for those with *No* food *No* clothes and *No* shelter, rarely survive to bred.

[@dr.christopherdiaz4473]

​@@vhawk1951kl They were share croppers who grew up in shanties on the edge of the land. They had no electricity, running water, and my grandmother had to wear underwear that was made out of the sacks that raw flour would ship in...I don't know where you got the word "NO" from, or where I implied their poverty meant they were completely without ANY kind of resources. edit: my great grandfather, the father of that grandma I just mentioned, grew up with a bed made out of dried corn husks...they were poor in ways I can't even imagine.

[@vhawk1951kl]

@@dr.christopherdiaz4473 So they were dear boy, so they were, so the fcuk what? where and what is your syllogism

[@kaufmanat1]

It's like a card game... You aren't responsible for the cards you get, but you are responsible for how you play those cards, yet sometimes even if you play it perfectly, you still lose to a better hand, or plain bad luck.

[@Wandering_Owl]

Good way to explain it

[@stewpacalypse7104]

Also, like a poker tournament the top three took everyone else's money. And the top players were able to start the tournament with way more chips than everyone else so they could stay in the game even after a few bad hands even if they aren't very good. Meanwhile, the very best player started with only a few chips and after some bad luck they're out. The difference between the card game and reality is that the player that lost early might have been a poor player but they could've become the surgeon who saves your life or the engineer who invents something that will save the planet. In that instance, everyone loses.

[@luigicostantini8735]

​@@stewpacalypse7104they might have lost because they weren't smart enough, you know, not everyone is a poor victim..

[@stewpacalypse7104]

@luigicostantini8735 No shit? You totally missed the point of the analogy, but thanks for playing.

[@wavydavy9816]

@@luigicostantini8735 I worked with young teenagers who had extremely bad parents (criminals, drug addicts, psychological disorders [or all 3] etc). None of those kids made a choice to be in that situation, and being in that situation means they're never going to achieve their full potential because their formative years are chaotic in the extreme. It's also highly unlikely that they'll be productive members of society in the future, but they live in a world where people judge them by their _own_ experiences - 'Thing's worked out just fine for me, and if they haven't worked out for you them that's your own fault (for whatever reason)'

[@jthompson52087]

I never understood all or nothing philosophies. I see the world as being very complex and nuanced. While the sound mind individual is responsible for their actions they’re not always responsible for their circumstances. I also believe that part of being a responsible individual is compassion for others and a responsibility to the community as a whole.

[@FakingANerve]

Well said! Cheers.

[@cosmefulanito5052]

If the individual is a product of their circumstances, how is one responsible for their actions? The individual does not exist independently from the group. It's the group dynamics that inform the individual how he or she should act and react.

[@MCDreng]

​@@cosmefulanito5052the individual is responsible for the choices they make within their means and the circumstances are responsible for which choices can be made Edit: I thought I thought this first but it turns out it's just paraphrased Marx lol

[@ScotttheCyborg]

And that is why we do not need government welfare. The existence of such gives the individual an excuse NOT to help others, because "someone else will do it." When you see someone in need, HELP THAT PERSON. Government will seize your property, take a very generous "administrative expense" cut, and maybe throw some change at the person in need. Many governments put limits on the administrative expenses of charities, and NO government program comes even close to meeting those same rules.

[@excaliburironforce9908]

Something like that there's a huge difference in a single parent with one or many children who loses the other parent who provided for the responsibility of their chosen actions, but due to unexpected tragedies versus the multitude of opposing parenthood situations when taxpayer's expense are forced into society 🤔

[@brianh9358]

My son suffers from debilitating depression and even though he is on medication that only brings him up to a certain level of functionality. Yes, there are certain things that can help him - getting exercise, eating well, getting some sunshine and time outdoors, doing what is enjoyable, etc. However, I have reached an understanding that I can't just say to him "Take responsibility for yourself!" and somehow that will make it all better. Humans really are sometimes unable to help themselves - or reach a point in their lives where things have broken down either physically or mentally. Those factors block them from being able to progress no matter how much they might want to. I encourage him to do what he can, but also help him as much as I can without treating him like a child. Essentially though I have come to believe that humans are not masters of their own fate. We have some control, but we are also tossed along by the winds of circumstance. We go where the wind takes us. Sometimes our previous choices are compounded and create a path from which we no longer can deviate easily. So yes, we are victims of our own choices but also of just the randomness of life itself. I have become much more tolerant of the people I meet - and I have learned to be that way from my experiences with my son.

[@seansanders5959]

Well said!

[@nakdad]

Bravo

[@iamwhoyousayiam6773]

Yup. You don't choose when you're born, who you're born to, where, what you look like. You don't choose if you're disabled. You don't choose what you're raised eating, or what you're taught. It's not your fault society places you into classes that prevent you from advancing at your maximum speed. It's also no one's fault all jobs are turning automated. You can choose not to hit back when someone punches you... To a point. Sometimes you can't think, you're in the moment. The more I think about it, the less choice we really have.

[@timhenley3602]

As someone who suffers from depression myself, I say...Amen.

[@mind-of-neo]

As a 22 yo living with severe depression and dependent on my father because of it, you sound like a wonderful dad.

[@petereames3041]

"Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good. In area after area - crime, education, housing, race relations - the situation has gotten worse after the bright new theories were put into operation. The amazing thing is that this history of failure and disaster has neither discouraged the social engineers nor discredited them." - Thomas Sowell.

[@thed9599]

"In 1947 the average American family had less than 500 dollars in savings" is a terrifying sentence. $500 in 1947 is the equivalent of $6,750 in today's money, and yet the figure hasn't changed. According to a 2022 study by Prudential, half of Americans don't have $500 dollars in their savings account. This might be addressed later in the video, but it's just something that smacked me in the face as I was starting to get into it. Something has to change.

[@weightelk]

How much do you have saved?

[@Szcza04]

@@weightelkenough to pay bills

[@kevingath9801]

​​@@weightelk what does that have anything to do with it? The point is that one lifetime ago it was scary that people didnt have two month's savings; now people hardly have a week

[@weightelk]

@@kevingath9801 I agree. My original comment was more of an open ended rhetorical question.

[@weightelk]

@@kevingath9801 yes it's "scary" but if you use your agency to work hard and have discipline and learn a marketable skill, then you can be master of your finances and not be in a "scary" situation.

[@troywalkertheprogressivean8433]

its amazing that in the information age, the rich are still able to maintain this charade.

[@renatoalcides5104]

People have been convinced we live in the information age. This is a mirage the past has dreamed of as for centuries we believed there is an intrinsic correlation between information and knowledge. Ours is an Age of Distraction, a place deeper in hell than the age of knowledge.

[@marklampo8164]

Everybody knows the Emperor is naked; he enforces the hallucination with violence!

[@gfy2979]

It shows what losers the population are too to allow them

[@rustyk4645]

@@marklampo8164 the Emperor puts out Conspiracy Theories in neighbouring villages that say people are being Brainwashed into believing he is naked, when people who are not Sheep and Do Their Own Research realise he is in fact richly clad in ermine and samite. We must stamp out the brainwashing of our children and ban all books in schools that refer to his Nakedness, as that is Critical Nakedness Theory and has no place in Education.

[@marklampo8164]

@@rustyk4645 Research will "prove" bldg seven was fire? In what propagandized manifesto?

[@Tinkering4Time]

I never stopped trying to become financially stable or get an education, but boy howdy did I get my ass handed to me in terms of circumstance. It is validating to know I wasn’t the only one handed a pack of lies and a steep hill of industrial waste and shit to scramble up as it slides underneath me.

[@nahanddejan2984]

And with that, you just exactly proved that YOUR personal responsability for yourself led you to open your eyes and make it at least less suffering a life for you. And yet, you don't seem to see actual irony of your opinion on the matter?....oh well...

[@Tinkering4Time]

@@nahanddejan2984 you are making a lot of assumptions about how my life has gone. You aren’t being clever, just presumptuous and pretentious.

[@scottandrewhutchins]

@@nahanddejan2984 That is the most idiotic response I could possibly imagine.

[@nahanddejan2984]

@@scottandrewhutchins Yes, it is. Yours, i mean. You could just stop trying to pretend to be a smart person. You're not having sucess, you're not helping your peers, and are wasting everyone's time.

[@scottandrewhutchins]

@@nahanddejan2984 says, "IF YOU HAd TOp TeST SCoREs, BUt NO oNe WantS To INtERvIew you fOr a JOb, You ArE a WAstE of fOoD."

[@HebrewsElevenTwentyFive]

A combination of both personal responsibility AND community/societal help where true growth arrives.

[@juliancalero8012]

No man is an island but even islands needs external trade to maintain a modern standard of life

[@Addeladle-St-James]

@hebrewseleventwentyfive as we are speaking about accountability I'll indicate where there is a deficit that trivializes those of literally any individual. Christianity is predicated on coercion, largely of young children. Victims are made to believe they are ill and the only cure is faith in invisible forces. If they do not submit they will suffer unimaginable, neverending torture from which there can be no rescue or hope of escape, an even more toxic pressure tactic than "join or die". The key piece of information that reveals the grotesque cruelty involved is that there is no data to validate these claims as having any veracity or basis in reality. This is not something that a person would find compelling in any other context. Surely if responsibility needs to be displayed it is in addressing the profound injustice indicated here.

[@sr2291]

1. If you got a second job would your first employer reduce your checks 1 dollar for every 2 dollars you earn? 2. If you managed to save from 1500 to 2000 would your first employer cut your checks 100% until you got your savings back down under those levels? 3. If you told your first employer you were planning on going to college to get better job training would your first employer threaten to cut your income 100 percent? 4. Do you even know what I am talking about?

[@brandonjablasone7544]

Personal responsibility can only occur on a personal level. Economical problem have nothing to do with personal responsibility. For instance poverty is an economic issue and is an example of a field economy or state in a particular space and pr aspect.

[@brandonjablasone7544]

@@sr2291I know exactly what you are talking about capitalism breads poverty. The idea of keeping people poor and ignorant to have a pull of low income workers

[@torrencejoseph]

For American Indians and Black Americans, there were neighborhoods that thrived and were "personally responsible." But some in society saw to destroy those communities, reduce opportunities, and leave relative few options other than relying on the government. People moved in to their land and property, benefitted, and then wanted the disenfranchised to get their own. From the Trail of Tears to broken treaties to segregation to redlining..... our country has made it harder for certain individuals to thrive.

[@RedSaint83]

Don't forget "Tulsa race massacre" of 1921, also known as "Black Wall Street massacre". White supremacists even firebombed using airplanes. This was just a couple of years after WW1, so using airplanes to do something like this is hard to imagine.

[@SymbiSpidey]

As a black man, it's crazy to me how often the "personal responsibility" argument gets thrown in the black community's face. Both black men and women are some of the most hard-working, disciplined workers in the entire country while also shouldering the most pressure from society to not screw up. Despite the stereotype of the "black deadbeat dad", all of the black men I've known in my 30 years of life stepped up to become amazing fathers and providers, even to children who weren't there own. I've literally had conversations with my dad when I was younger about how to conduct myself as a young black man and about the importance of pursuing an education to open up opportunities for myself. For black Americans to be told that "personal responsibility" will fix all of their issues from many people who were born into wealth and were allowed to make mistakes without their literal life being at risk is ridiculous.

[@igwehphilip6898]

No We do not have people from all the above mentioned culture groups doing well in their lives and progressing No We do not have any black or latino or any other culture that must have been clearly oppressed and didn't make their lives better No The lives of people are not in the hands of the people No, they cannot change their circumstance No, they have no ability to because they are being opressed!

[@jgunther3398]

@@SymbiSpidey personal responsibility = more education is good advice no matter who says it. you and i both will never have to deal directly with very many people who were "born into wealth" so i wouldn't worry about that :)

[@camwatlington]

I still believe in the importance of being responsible for oneself to the extent that it still makes sense, but this comment hits the infuriating nail on the head about how the concept even at a basic level breaks down in practice because systemic racism and oppression deprived many people of their agency to be “responsible” and in too many cases it stole their lives simply because they were made to be an other by a group with more members, power, and weapons. In an ideal world, the philosophy of individual responsibility would be a pillar right next to communal responsibility, but we don’t live in an ideal world at all. It’s a broken and fallen place even still. Hopefully we can all come to terms with the whole truth of the past and not simply the past that made it into our books. That’s the only way we can begin to get better.

[@aprilshadows8212]

Long ago, as our elders aged we took them into our homes and fed them. Long ago if one hunter was not able to harvest any game, the other hunters would share their game. This is a true society. This is a community that would never allow for the robber barons of the industrial age or our more modern versions. I want to have a good life and I can't do that unless I have helped to make yours better. This idea is seen as weakness. It is the opposite. A society built on this idea can be far stronger than neoliberal idea of personal responsibility and how it divides us all from one another.

[@thewildcardperson]

Then you have no idea how ancient society's worked or how chimpanses work read a damn book moron they had there bezos the leading chimp male will mate with 90% of all the females the rest of the 10% is split between the other males and in ancient society's they had warrior kings who did the same thing for all of human history about 1700ad resources are just the next thing to hoard after women

[@Ardenthios]

Not long ago. Today. Look up 'Khoisan'. But remember, even in modern technology and infrastructure, everyone can get ahead while leaving no one behind. Leaving people behind is a choice that someone doesn't understand.

[@nUmBskulLL]

Do we let old people starve? I don't think we let them stave. Maybe it's different in other countries but I would say that old people are treated better now than when we were hunter gatherers? Surely??

[@Artersa]

@@nUmBskulLL In what way? By placing them in homes so they can remain alive and separated from their families and familiar communities?

[@nUmBskulLL]

@@Artersa remain alive being the main bit there. My grandma is in a home, she is looked after much better than anyone in my family could manage given their work schedules. We invented old peoples homes to look after them.

[@gaillewis5472]

As I frequently say, my parents house cost $17,000 while my nephew's cost $400,000. Generations of flat wages make college and home ownership nearly impossible. It has nothing to do with character and "hustle culture" will not solve gross inequities.

[@jarvisaddison8560]

Facts!

[@michaelahurt]

@@jarvisaddison8560 Calculate the payment as a percentage of household income. It basically hasn't changed since the introduction of the 30 year mortgage. People like to cite this but conveniently forget that interest rates and inflation exist. Homeownership is also higher today than 1990 and just slightly lower than 1980

[@JS-df5vy]

@@michaelahurt People conveniently forget the population increased too. 3-5 year mortgages in the 20's. 10-15 year mortgages, 1930~50. 30-year mortgages, 60-years later, ownership higher than 30-years ago and below that of 10-years earlier... Does this not represent ownership decline?!

[@xs10tl1]

Those inequities were caused by abandoning the Gold Standard in 1971, and the wealth effect of two wage earners per household also knowing they would inherit their parents' estate. As well as making Government a partner in Housing Bubbles.

[@SoMuchFacepalm]

@@xs10tl1 Sorry comrade, you have brought too many fact to this comment section. I will have to ask you to follow the Commissar to the wall.

[@englishguy215]

A great video. It is not often I come across something that makes me sit back and begin to re-evaluate my thinking and perception of things. These ideas are going to be swirling around my head for the next few weeks, thank you.

[@joannewagner7816]

Every person in power should be required to watch this in full ....thank you for posting it

[@vhawk1951kl]

Why* *should* evevery person in power should be *required* to watch it. You creatures get so bossy when stupefied by religion. " in power"in what sense?

[@literallya442ndclonetroope5]

@@vhawk1951kl why the hell are you referring to others as “Creatures”? We all are creatures, but that includes you. Also, it ain’t that deep. He’s 100% referring to politicians. That’s usually what “person in power” is referring to in modern society. Like how kings would he referred to as the “people in power.” Whether it’s true or not is debatable, but there is little question as to what OP is referring to.

[@vhawk1951kl]

@@literallya442ndclonetroope5 Try not to be inquisitive about matters that do not concern you, I will use any word I please, you silly little creature

[@P4DDYW4CK]

Placing the responsibility on the powerless is the most effective tactic any ruling class has in their effort to divide people up into those who are worthy and those who are ‘takers’.

[@larrote6467]

except when that fact becomes an excuse to avoid any type of responsibility; especially since those people just prove those who think that way right. Remember: Libertine is no the same as Liberty

[@letosgoldenpath1993]

@@larrote6467 Only in the extreme. The point of this video is to recognize how the ideology of individual responsibility has been used to suggest people "deserve" their place in society. Embracing this ideology is destructive because it allows the "haves" in any given society to justify their accumulation wealth and exploitation of others while condemning the "have nots" to a victimized class ripe for exploitation. Personal responsibility is, indeed, personal. It is not a "cop out" for the ills of society. Especially in a society where there is more than enough wealth to feed the hungry, shelter those in need, protect the victimized from harm, and promote the health and welfare of all no matter their state of mind. The personal responsibility excuse for societal ills is the selfish person's excuse for denying the social accountability all human beings have for other human beings. If we cannot create a safe community for all, if we cannot make a place for the least of us, if we deny our own contributions and accountability to the community, then personal accountability, the most selfish type of accountability really, is meaningless.

[@PoisonedSoup]

0

[@samkeefer7193]

@@letosgoldenpath1993 💯💯💯 periodt

[@kylehart8829]

@@larrote6467 Analytical thinking and data are against you on this one. Welfare programs do not disincentivize work, a lack of personal responsibility is not responsible for poverty. The rise of the politics of personal responsibility was a direct result of powerful people grabbing more power. Stronger welfare programs mean stronger economies and declining inequality, they encourage taking risks such as starting a small business and allow people's income from work to contribute to comfort and luxury rather than simply putting a roof over their heads, causing a strengthening of the motivation to work and make money. The entire purpose of all arguments in favor of personal responsibility politics is to avoid addressing the problem at hand. The reasoning behind this is sometimes different; it can stem from a literal desire to keep poor people in their place, a lack of empathy, racism, etc., but the effect is always the same. Inequality continues to grow, making society worse for everyone. If you think laziness or lack of responsibility is somehow the root of our societal problems, I'm sorry to break it to you but you are in favor of an indefensible ideology with no legitimate legs to stand on unless you appeal to an argument of genetic superiority.

[@heronimousbrapson863]

During the Reagan and Thatcher era, people were told the had to practice personal responsibility more and more. Meanwhile, the corporations were permitted (even encouraged) to outsource labor to countries where wages were lower, or to mechanize the jobs out of existence.

[@landofthesilverpath5823]

And also swamp our countries with third world foreigners(with sub 100 IQ's) who work for less, which simultaneously drives up the cost of living, especially housing, while lowering wages and increasing crime. Which also raises insurance rates.

[@secrets.295]

What's wrong with business outsourcing? I think it's a good thing. First of all these are jobs Americans & British people don't want to do at the first place and if they want to do it. They demand wages that are ridiculously high. It became an unprofitable business and later the government will have to step in and bail them out over and over again. Greece is such a disaster right now because of this, u should thank god Thatcher & Reagan didn't do it. Also, if businesses cannot outsource. Consumer prices will go up and up and goods will become more expensive. Meanwhile you have Japanese companies that can produce the same stuff at half the cost. What will the results be? More American & British companies will go bankrupt and what do u expect to happen? For the government to bail out all manufacturing & mining companies in the US & UK? Throughout the 80s US & UK exports grew by 20% per annum despite outsource by multinational corporations, because SME's were thriving during this era. And it is this micro companies that are supporting the exports growth. Today there are too many regulations that it becomes a nightmare for SME's and SME's could not thrive the way they do in the 80s.

[@sneed3613]

​@@secrets.295I can't understand you with that huge boot mushing your mouth

[@Damesanglante]

@@secrets.295 No it's not. Capitalists sociopaths just miss the child labors and slaves times. Capitalism is a mental illness that plague the world and occupy the mind of most people. They managed to conquer the world and today, even China is capitalist. But keep promoting child labor in cobalt mines. It saves money to the rich, aka, your gods.🤡

[@jesse75]

​@@secrets.295So Americans don't want to work in a steel mill ? Why not send that job overseas. Why not the whole infrastructure. The steel mill itself. Bad idea. Wrong reason.

[@peteygonemadarts4765]

Great video . I believe everyone of us have varying levels of responsibility. The biggest issue I have with the PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ARGUMENT, especially as a capitalist, is that the powerful NEVER take responsibility. As someone pointed out here , this was clearly evident in 2008 . Actually only one bank was held responsible in that disastrous display of irresponsibility and ironically that bank actually had nothing to do with the crash . We have all these poorly run businesses , especially corporations, that routinely taught about personally responsibility but refuse to live by the words they preach . Enron , Walmart, Wells Fargo, The Railroads , Pharmaceutical companies , even politicians ( except in extreme cases usually only putting on an act ) all refuse to take responsibility for the harm they've done to society , communities, even countries . Even the legal system has failed . Most people believe in and want law and order but our legal system from the top all the way to the bottom refuse to take responsibility for their unlawful actions ( though this is finally , if slow , starting to change ) . If the loudest voices expect people to start taking PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY maybe those loudest voices should start being examples of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY instead of vugarly displaying they will not take personal responsibility because they don't believe in the words they themselves preach .

[@eksbocks9438]

I agree. It's a myth. Hard work is a good virtue. But if you're surrounded by bad people: You're just wasting your own energy. They'll keep making demands. And give nothing back. The key is actually Hard Work and Consensus. Which is why immigrant groups do better than us.

[@pauldemeester9298]

If an architect designs, a house or apartment building, and within a year, after being built, it has serious damage or collapses. He is held responsible and made to pay for all the losses on the other hand, if a politician introduces a law that ends up costing the populace, enormous amounts of money, and actually fails and what it was supposed to do that politician will not be accountable at all. In fact, will probably get a promotion. This is where the major problem lies politician, spending money we don’t have, and it simply disappears.

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

Agree. Corporations are able to act as individual people but not when it comes to taking responsibility for their failings.

[@RigelOrionBeta]

Well, the problem IS capitalism. It is precisely capitalism that led us to this position. Capitalists made money, centralized, gained power, and took it away from the people by bribing the only other power structure that prevents them from effectively enslaving us all - the government. The idea of private ownership of production leads directly to this world we have now.

[@briobarb8525]

Soooo TRUE!

[@kiwiopklompen]

Love this topic- it’s one of the core philosophical changes this last century. The more we learn about how this guides our ideological stances in the world - the better. Thank you!

[@douglasphillips5870]

Ever notice that the personal responsibility crowd shifts blame from the individual to the group when it's convenient?

[@shroomer8294]

Jordan Peterson moment

[@jamesbra4410]

They do this with politics but if you see it's done in economics. There are plenty of ways to generate state funds through state enterprises and taxes on corporations but instead any sort of social support is socialized and therefore demeaned. The modern system is oriented to optimize profit in a way it can socialize all fees and costs while socializing the upper classes. Even culture is different on the top you see the richest having nothing to do with the hyper competitive and capitalist masses. The enjoy finer things that society has to offer like food, manners, intact genitals not the slavery and individualism that has been enforced.

[@emilianosintarias7337]

@@jamesbra4410 can you please define your terms or re-state this in more clear terms, I feel you are saying something important and conceptually clear, but statements like "social support is socialized" aren't reflecting that (at least to my feeble mind).

[@jamesbra4410]

@@emilianosintarias7337 Well social programs are usually stopped because they're said to be the biggest burden on the taxpayer and that's partly true but they don't have to be. So by that I mean the costs of social support programs or public infrastructure is paid for directly as a fee on the local population. Instead of taxes being put on the business or another entity that exists on the population worked for by citizens and sold to citizens in return for profit the citizens support themselves. Instead of taxes being put on imports from other countries, which is frowned upon in globalized trade. Instead of nonprofits and state run enterprises being competitive in the market etc... While it makes sense to have the population fund public works but it's specifically dubious that they directly relate taxpayer money to funding social programs among other methods of generating money. It's especially dubious in conservative societies that have little social cohesion if you haven't seen these areas people are usually very hostile to people who they aren't around all the time.

[@nuerotimedivergentuser724]

Nope

[@troywalkertheprogressivean8433]

41:20 they did indeed redefine welfare. by giving the rich unlimited welfare with no strings attached, while making the poor jump through hoops for a crumb.

[@grandsome1]

It's a sadistic system.

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

Yes end the state

[@BlurNZ]

But its not welfare if they are predisposed to success (which the rich obviously are, due to the best nurturing, schooling and place in society), its just a temporary anomaly we should fix, help them back up on the podium so to speak. Supporting the successful to be successful is in no way a circular argument birthed by the powerful being powerful. Prospect theory says you'll fight twice as hard to avoid a loss than to make a gain, so the pauper in the street might give 10% of his net worth to make things better(lets say this is $100), but the wealthly monopolist will give 20% of his worth to prevent his market from danger (lets say this is $200,000,000) so its pretty easy to see where these decisions come from... Also, I'm sorry, I'm sure most monopolists have far more money than that, my 0 finger got tired

[@guy-sl3kr]

@@BlurNZ Yes, plenty of ink has been spilled trying to justify the inequalities of capitalist society indeed. Thanks for spilling some more.

[@BlurNZ]

@@guy-sl3kr I'm worried for you if you thought i was trying to justify it. That said, should I assume blood is preferable to ink? my problem is that the social science exists to nail and fix every single social issue modern society faces, and our politicians sit with their fingers in their ears... or maybe hands in their pocket filled with other peoples money.

[@adamar.96]

The music, the imagery, the script, everything comes together so perfectly. Beautifully crafted video.

[@marc-andreperron219]

Very powerful video. Thank you for posting. What I find an important topic in economics is exploring, debating, and answering: What is personal responsibility? What is social responsibility? A harmonious civilisation requires a balance between these two concepts, and that, I believe is one fundamental role of government.

[@Mimi-cq4bg]

I abandoned the concept of making one’s own destiny on Dec 26 2005. Jane Creba was a tenth grader, was out shopping the Boxing Day sales with her mom. She got shot and killed by a stray bullet, fired by a gangbanger who never met this girl. She did nothing to make that her destiny. Her personal responsibility meant nothing in relation to the path of her life. Your own drive and desire and work and effort can all be undone by one drunk driver in an intersection. As much as we write our own life story, we can’t deny that random luck plays a role. As much as we have a personal responsibility, we also have to acknowledge that some of life’s turns are outside our control.

[@tbirdddd5818]

I struggle with destiny a lot but Yanno… you are here for a reason. Maybe she was taken in that exact moment to teach you something. To make you go home and hug your family. To look at someone struggling and possibly on the same path as that gunman and try to steer them in a better direction… but what you’re talking about is ignorance.. that gunman had/has no concept that another person has feelings, passions, wants and dreams just has powerful as their own. Another mans ignorance has very little to do with your place in the universe I believe…

[@OrinSorinson]

I went to another country for work and it was a big sacrifice. Working as an imigrant away from family and friends was difficult and the work was hard and the treatment was disrespectful and belittling. After two years of hard work I got ran over by some bastard in a hit and run while I was on the sidewalk. I couldn't work anymore. I had no help but the money I worked for and put aside. The police couldn't have cared less. The hospital couldn't have cared less. The driver got away with it and all I got was pain and sacrifice for nothing. I've never received any compensation or help although I tried. The injuries still hurt and the bastard that ran me over with his SUV that was worth more than I could have saved in years of work is free and unaffected by his actions. Control over destiny is fiction. We may have choices but the alternatives were picked for us.

[@jasoncuculo7035]

Correct from personal experience too

[@jasoncuculo7035]

@@binder946 Fate that would not of occurred in a safe billionaire neighborhood like yours

[@wayando]

I think an even higher percentage can Abe attributed to damn luck ... Like maybe 50% ... Certain situations make someone better prepared to partake of whatever opportunities coke their way. And these "situations" are distributed very unevenly.

[@Tocoolant]

We all are responsible for our actions. The rich and the poor. Not only the poor. What always struck me as an absurd is the idea that a man that always made "responsible decisions" and took "responsibility to himself" will be always magically rewarded with success and wellbeing. As well as the the idea that the millionaires always "earned it" by hard work and virtue of character alone and that we should follow their moral example. I always felt that was an absolutely sinister discourse to sell the idea that someone that is in poverty "deserved it". Specially from people who never felt it..

[@EweTuber]

In fewer words, "meritocracy" is a lie.

[@vhawk1951kl]

What does "We all are responsible for our actions" actually mean? What exactly do you mean by responsible?

[@Stophatingjitt]

Bro 90 percent of people that do the right thing will be successful. Most poor people made bad decisions early, some are on drugs and a lot are lazy

[@EweTuber]

@@Stophatingjitt what's your excuse for being poor?

[@NathanTaylor-bo9rb]

Yes sir. That hit.

[@christophercedeno1497]

When someone says "take responsibility for your life. You're responsible for all of your problems" it simply means that they don't care.

[@florentin4061]

It comes from competition and the striving for personal success instead of cooperation and collective success and thus it’s rather egoistic than altruistic.

[@zaydeshaddox7015]

@@florentin4061 that doesn't mean it's bad. Everyone has an ego. And human beings have both competitive and cooperative instincts. When people are free, they can pursue BOTh personal success AND a collective success. The two are not mutually exclusive except to a loser mindset that wants to tear everyone else down in order to feel good about him/herself.

[@zaydeshaddox7015]

The second statement doesn't necessarily reflect the first. Personal responsibility simply means understanding that you make choices, which render certain results and can have consequences. The other option is to blame everyone else for your problems and just continue to make crappy choices. To know that you are the author of your own destiny is empowering. To believe that you are controlled by forces of circumstance is disempowering and, indeed, degrading.

[@florentin4061]

@@zaydeshaddox7015 I agree with the first comment. Although, economically, I prefer cooperation instead of competition but that’s another story. But do you believe in free will?

[@zaydeshaddox7015]

@@florentin4061 in biological terms, yes. We make choices. But if you're talking about something like the Gulag Archipelago, the choices become quite limited. What you said that economically, you prefer cooperative, it doesn't matter what you prefer. Human nature is what it is and the competitive instincts will play out in one way or another. We live on a finite planet with finite resources and so it's inevitable. We are still animals.

[@Sythemn]

Yup, we're 100% responsible for every aspect of our lives. We totally had complete agency/choice in our DNA, the constructed environment, the quality of our education, exposure various toxic substances, childhood diseases, the quality of our parental care, the economy, cost of housing, etc. Thank you for the video.

[@Cross_theline]

Allow me to add the long term effects of child abuse

[@vicariousgamer2871]

The problem with achieving a financial goal is that one needs others in cooperation, willing or unwilling, knowing or unknowing to do so. There is no such thing as being "self made." These are words uttered by egomaniacs, braggarts and narcissists.

[@artofthepossible7329]

Ever heard of a 'rag-to-riches' story? We call such people 'self-made'. How they got there doesn't really matter, people will still call the likes of John D. Rockefeller and Abraham Lincoln 'self-made men'. Reminds me of how the Greek hero was "someone who performed great deeds", morality need not apply, now that I think about it.

[@JohnMiller-hg7ty]

Good point!!!

[@andrewsmith3257]

Right? I even saw one video saying that Elon Musk was "self-made". He's the son of an Apartheid emerald miner. His parents were loaded. The self made thing is a gaslighting tactic.

[@artofthepossible7329]

@@andrewsmith3257 Elon Musk's self-made score on Forbes is 8, which is "Self-made who came from a middle-class or upper-middle-class background:" By way of comparison: Donald Trump has a rank of 4: "Inherited fortune and increasing it in a meaningful way:" And since Forbes is the go to authority for nearly all things billionaire, people are going to call Elon Musk 'a self-made man'.

[@andrewsmith3257]

@@artofthepossible7329 Trump I respect. Musk is just an Asperger's douchebag imo

[@annikagarratt4208]

It never occurred to them that growing up in poverty might affect a child’s performance in school. Are children responsible for their parents income? Do children choose who they are born to?

[@danielverwey4701]

The wings of politics need to compromise. The left cannot keep blaming everything external, but the right does need to understand that a child from a township definitely does not have equal opportunity to their trust fund babies.

[@radiofreeacab]

​@@danielverwey4701 only a liberal could find a way to continue blaming the poor in the comments of a video like this one

[@spacewad8745]

richer parents can provide better learning opportunities to their children, better textbooks, better tutors, and what not so naturally, there will be a gap in the academic performance of rich children and poor children.

[@john2432]

@@radiofreeacab Where did he ever blame the poor?

[@ashleighsparkle8810]

No one chooses what we are born into. Some are born into horror. But we all at some point chose what to do with that and how to be productive with the cards we are given.

[@JorgePetraglia2009]

Personal responsibility only applies when a person, surrounded by benefits and a decent education, refuses to be part of a collective effort of the society as a whole. When we , as a society, allow a few to turn ourselves into individualist who stop caring for each other, it is a personal responsibility as well. Entire sectors of our societies have been put aside and negated of the most basic needs to become instrumental and thrive based on concepts that "it has to be genetic" and that was, sadly still is, one of the worst crimes of many of our nations. Asking for individual responsibility to a person(s) while denying them of the opportunities to develop is not only irresponsible, it is criminally immoral as well. Social justice must prevail and the resources to make it happens must to be put in the right place. Regarding personal economic wealth as a sign of achievement has put our modern societies into the madness we all live today. Amazing research, please keep these videos coming. Greetings from Toronto.

[@briobarb8525]

SO WELL SAID...Thank you! Namaste!

[@ancientfuture9690]

Having personal responsibility WITHIN a group is where it's at. And I'm sure that taking ownership over one's life isn't an invention, it's a necessity.

[@Vrmickyperry]

"Help yourself, but here's no opportunity or resources,& we'll makes sure to set up institutions too hinder you if you try to use our "equal opportunity" entitlement programs! Good luck!"

[@canduscanty8583]

🎯

[@jasoncuculo7035]

I have said this too many times. It becomes tiresome. Conservatives do not belief a truth that they are looking straight at if it does not suit them anyway. Once while returning from a delivery at the restaurant, I worked 62-65 hours a week to support my widowed mother at, a Republican asked why I was not in school. I said I had to work when Reagan cancelled my mother's check. He called me a bum and I should get a job. I told him I work here as a dishwasher and just returned from a delivery. I went into the back of the open kitchen where I was completely visible. He said cops would come to arrest me. I said look the girl behind the register and the cooks did not blink an eye of alarm when I came in here because I work here. I worked there over 4 years. I went to Bronx Highschool of Science a school one in seven passed the entrance exam but free. I do not and did not drink, smoke or take drugs and was born in wedlock my mother was a widow (she passed in 2012). I became mentally disabled after muggers split my head while delivering food. My SSI Check is below the absolute poverty line. Republicans are evil. Half of all homeless worked full time but were evicted due to unaffordable rents, three fourths of SNAP beneficiaries work full time for the pathetically small minimum wages. I am currently a graduate student despite my disabilities.

[@coopergates9680]

That sucks, was this a Proud Boy, as opposed to possibly the most wonderful GOP person on the planet, Olivia Troye?

[@Stophatingjitt]

“Individual responsibility” that man tries to save you if you had went to school and let your mother fend for herself you wouldn’t be in that situation you’d probably have a office job with a decent life

[@jasoncuculo7035]

@@Stophatingjitt I also financially supported myself as well as my mother so what are saying? Reagan tried saving nobody.

[@coopergates9680]

@@Stophatingjitt You'd rather have his mother out on the streets?

[@jacobhafar538]

@@Stophatingjitt You are psychopathic

[@jamesfridinger3329]

Knowledge of self is what gave me the power to take responsibility for myself stop blaming others and search for answers to stop my drug addiction.....it was only after i quit blaming others i could ask myself why I'm i doing what is killing me every day that I realized I wasn't happy and poor ego and outlook on the world and my life was the cause of my suffering.....i believe that the government knew teaching these people good morals and self responsible would have helped these people and they purposely refused to educate them and demonize them instead

[@NeighborhoodOfBlue]

Personal responsibility only goes so far when you lack basic resources to survive. Our system has to guarantee basic survival to it's citizens if the concept of personal responsibility stands a chance of being true. Congrats on your sobriety.

[@vhawk1951kl]

Oh ho! , such swagger from such a small mouse(nothing and nobody) Keep asking questions as for example when you" ask myself(yourself), what the fcuk is going on *there*? Does not the teller know (means what?) more than the told? How to remain silent still ans awake in front of a living question*without* turning it in the corpse of a question or answer which is the doing of not doing or the trying on not trying or the sound of one hand clapping if you re *very* awake and *very relaxed and *very* silent and *don't* know *all* about that, but before you know it one of you will. I need not so much for whatever is meant by " know" but to search for how to whatever is meant by " understand"- to understand*that I am not one but legion is but the first step to fcuk knows what.Inch foot gem time. The *search* to know to understand to *Be*goes on as long as the searcher does he who would valiant be.. tida ti da etc.*How* to be a pilgrim?There is a certain freedom and life in *not* knowing and a rather good exchange between Krishnamurti and the now sadly dead Jerry Needleman on youtube under the title the state of*not* knowing *is*intelligence.It's long because K did bang on but there is a *huge* amount in it for the pilgrim or anyone in the busness of becoming oneself, as in "become yourself, then god and the devil don't matter"

[@charlesk22]

First time I heard people blaming homeless people for being homeless struck me hard and I failed to fathom how someone can think like that. Even hearing them say that they (homeless) love being homeless struck me, what is worse is that there's so many people, in the US, that believe that unironically. I knew it had to be manufactured and brainwash, no way a reasonable human being can actually believe that by themselves.

[@boremir3956]

People have a very limited capacity to put themselves in other's shoes and understand what people go through to get to where they are. They just don't understand and prefer to listen to simplistic opinions and statistics that help them make sense of the world, or so they think.

[@bigvinnie3]

I've hung out with a lot of homeless people and done drugs with them and some really do love the freedom about it. There's also a lot people who would rather spend their money on drugs than housing. Everyone is an individual and reasons always vary but in my experience those are two big reasons mental health is also sometimes tied in but not always. There are people who just got dealt a shit hand in life and aren't hooked on drugs or alcohol but they're the minority.

[@boremir3956]

@@bigvinnie3 Even if those homeless people told you themselves they love the freedom about being homeless. You have to take it with a lot of scepticism. There is a lot of coping involved that people do to convince themselves that things aren't as bad as they are. I guarantee you almost all of those people if they experienced a stable, fullfilled and enriched life would choose that immediatly over their current situation.

[@bigvinnie3]

@@boremir3956 IDK man were all different and some people really like not having anything tying them down. Some people like just having whats on their back and a bit of cash to get high and drift around. Were not all the same what you find enriching and fulfilling not everyone else will. To some people drifting and partying is fulfilling. To some having a family home and stable job is fulfilling. everyone is different and I can assure you there are some who really do like it. Most of the ones i met would stay in cheap motels, but there were a few who lived in tents as well. There's also a lot who would rather not be homeless but when faced with choosing between their addiction of choice and paying for housing they pay for their addiction. It's just a different mindset and way of thinking.

[@boremir3956]

@@bigvinnie3 I agree people are different and that the people you spoke to may have had that mindset. But you have to factor in what drives people to become like that. It's not just because they want to feel free. You can be free with a nice house, no addiction, no money problems etc. It's more than that. No kid grows up thinking I want to be addicted and homeless. That just does not make sense. It is a lot more likely that they have grown to feel this way because they, for whatever reason don't fit into society. Most of those reason are often because of the pressures we face. A broken family environment, doing bad at school, having health issues etc etc. All these things can drive people to grow up and wanting to escape. And once you are in that spiral and see no way to become the "model" citizen and fit in, it's extremely hard to choose that path to recovery. People have traumas, have insecurities, they see a mountain of obstacles that they rather remain in their current condition. Anyways If this didn't convince you that's ok, we can agree to disagree.

[@cosmic_jon]

Trump was a millionaire by age 8 because, you know... personal responsibility or something.

[@danaberries]

Cant let go of trump even though hes gone eh. So i guess hunter biden is able to sell paintings for $500,000 because he is such a good artist? Please.

[@cosmic_jon]

@@danaberries he's not gone, unfortunately. He is saying privately he will run again. At least he will act like it to milk money from his supporters. And no, Hunter Biden is obviously also corrupt lol don't make assumptions about my views. Trump just has several corrupt kids, and they had top-secret clearance which Hunter doesn't, so...

[@nahanddejan2984]

Trump was in that situation, as any other would be....personal responsability...from his parents. Just like this whole silly video: don't blame the middleclass or poor parents that had kids knowingly putting them in a harst life path, oh no don't act responsibly. Just say it was the other people.

[@grandsome1]

@@nahanddejan2984 And those parents are poor because of the "personal responsibility" of their own parents, and them themselves were poor because of the "personal responsibility" of their own parents which were poor in turn because of the "personal responsibility" of their own parents which were in fact poor because of the res.. Well, you get the gist of the absurdity that comes from your statement. No children chooses their circumstances and you cannot use the flawed framework of personal responsibility for systemic issues like poverty and condemn everyone that find themselves in those dire circumstances.

[@nahanddejan2984]

@@grandsome1 What I pointed out is sensible in the face of the de-responsabilization of the individual in acting to improve its own life. This video blatantly throws that away, because its easier to not face oneself, and blame society at large. Also, with what I said, I most definitely DID NOT make it as to 'condemn' poor people to their misery: it would be great if misery in the world were to be diminushed or eliminated altogheter. However, people should be realistic about circumstances - including personal responsability in their situation. You can clearly see some examples from Africa where some people in very poor comunities STILL try and make it to themselves to improve on their situation. Their are not suddenly wealthy, but some are most definitely slighty better that those that simply stay still waiting for a handout. Now transpose that to 1rst world countries and their social ladder.

[@harperwelch5147]

Since the emergence of cities in human history, the notion of the benefits of collective efforts have been established. The individual nomadic life was too hard, too risky. Easier to divide up resources and assign tasks that build a society. We are responsible for one another because it’s most beneficial for ourselves as well.

[@Alex-lg6nz]

Cities? Good luck hunting that wholly mammoth by yourself. . .

[@s.b.3275]

There was never an individual nomadic life until now, which we now call homelessness. My wife and I have been on that path before we even met. Coming both from low income household, no education we had to leave and perform on the street, work on farms and try to get to warmer places before winter would come around. People don't know what it's like because they think being homeless is a crazy guy smoking meth and crack on the street, yelling random 💩, but what do sane people do when they are forced to the streets? They become nomads because there is no other way to survive but to follow the seasons...

[@Alex-lg6nz]

@@s.b.3275 It's definitely very inconvenient and difficult life, but it was also the most freedom I've ever experienced.

[@s.b.3275]

@@Alex-lg6nz I've never found it to be difficult, we still live like that. We rent out places here and there, have a camper back in Canada, live out winters down south, plus we have savings, money is never a problem. I find it much more convenient 😉

[@Alex-lg6nz]

@@s.b.3275 Money not being a major challenge in your case is wonderful. Unfortunately, some of us didn't exactly choose this lifestyle. For example, in my case, it was the result of getting cut out from my familiar environment and being dumped into a completely alien and hostile society, cut off from all my friends and family by a narcissistic parent, who destroyed my self esteem and belief in goodness of humankind. Waking up one day naked and with a knife in your back, while surrounded by enemies, seems somewhat different from your experience. Could be the reason we have a different evaluation of the difficulty.

[@timothyappleseed2986]

Responsibility, freedom and liability all three go hand in hand in hand. You can't have any one of them without taking on all three of them.

[@vitali7629]

The narrowest road is often the most difficult, and most rewarding traveled.

[@hezigler]

"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior justification for selfishness." John Kenneth Galbraith

[@WesternCommie]

It is not easy to improve yourself without resources.. Great video.

[@Manuel-4]

Material conditions comrade

[@joeypropeller]

"The goal of the future is full unemployment." - Arthur C. Clarke

[@nicolakirton2252]

I have been saying that since this latest crisis started, and particularly since the start of the pandemic.

[@isidoreaerys8745]

As in Fully Automated Luxury Gay Space Communism? Or a the complete eradication of Labor’s negotiating power?

[@Ivan-qk2rn]

it's kinda an ominous phrase knowing the things gig economy does. you're unemployed and worked to the bones with an order to enjoy your freedom. it's a witty remark, nothing more

[@joeypropeller]

@@isidoreaerys8745 No need to negotiate in a post-work post-scarcity system.

[@isidoreaerys8745]

@@joeypropeller yes that’s good then

[@joujou264]

Meritocracy used to be the antithesis to nobility, but in time the nobles, the aristocrats, the born-rich burgeosie, have captured this term and mangled it. The modern incarnation of those born into power have managed to turn a term meant for social mobility, a term intended to show that ability will bring you to the best position for your skills, into a term to keep the poor schakled to the idea that they may become part of the rich if they just donated their whole lives to the benefit of the rich and powerful. And the sick joke of it all is that there is never a concrete answer for when the riches will come, it is blatantly, honestly shown as a lottery, but treated as a certainty.

[@RajeshSrivastava-fr7qz]

Smart move to invesigate.

[@louisesumrell6331]

We are all responsible for each other. 🙏💖🙏🌄

[@chrisjohnssolarcross]

This should be required viewing across the halls of all American High School classrooms. Papers written. Dialogue-driven exploration of the topics, etc. Of course, if that happened, how would the wealthy class continue to drive these false narratives and exploit all of us...

[@FakingANerve]

I couldn't agree more! 🍻

[@turtleboy1188]

They would do it very easil😮

[@lisaw150]

I hate this so much! When I think of my accomplishments, I could say they are down to me "taking responsibility". Realistically, it's luck (being born in the right place, at the right time) and the consequences of social democracy (parents born in poverty but first generation to get a proper education, parents bought a house as part of communal a housing programme, I went to law school on a scholarship)... people need to be a little more humble and realise their success is not entirely their own doing!

[@rafaelabreu2873]

Condition for themselves doesn't do a thing for us. Even if you have a rich father isn't your father's money that does the things for you, is rather you or/and your father that does the things for you with recourse to the money. Conditions are the base upon which you do your own work. Merit happens when my conditions are similar or worse to others but I can still contribute to the world in a valued way.

[@SpaceLemon.]

The most a single human could do on it's own is survive *MAYBE* if it's lucky. On the other hand, there is no limit to what a troupe of humans can do.

[@LieutenantSteel]

@@SpaceLemon. Yep; as Kropotkin said: 'Survival of the fittest is the law of the jungle; cooperation is the law of societies'

[@KerriEverlasting]

It's about standing in two places. That's pretty much what life is anyway. Acknowledging both places. 💖

[@thewildcardperson]

Yes it is we still got educated and aren't committing crimes having a bad start isn't an excuse either like all of these pathetic commentary is saying

[@LisaPellegrino]

There are very few videos that I watch that I tell myself, I need to watch this a second time. This is definitely one of them. Thank you so much for all of your stellar coverage and storytelling.

[@KimchiFarts]

I wish we still lived in a time where an investigative report shared by impartial experts led to positive changes for the country. That’s what happens when you have politicians and citizens who actually care

[@Anonymous-vd5yt]

These should be like on a streaming platform

[@eldano99]

Fuck em, KZbin is more democratic

[@MoCsomeone]

@@eldano99 we need a decentralized video platform

[@minhoca4269]

like... KZbin?

[@Anonymous-vd5yt]

@@minhoca4269 something more decentralized and less alt-right-y

[@amcd85]

There are people, who in early stages of childhood, develop an inability to consider or concern themselves with the needs and autonomy of others (as a form of protection from their immediate lack of control environment). For these people, the concept of “individual responsibility” is a reasonable take. They direct and navigate their own lives as they see fit and anyone who is negatively affected by their choices simply had the opportunity to “make a better choice” and avoid that affect. This theory falls apart because of what it is formed on, selfishness, and the complete inability to perceive or conceive of anything beyond oneself. They must account for those who did not develop as they did, but the development itself refuses that allowance.

[@natesmodelsdoodles5403]

Ok, I'll bite: Isn't that psychopathy you're describing there?

[@kitt5736]

@@natesmodelsdoodles5403 more sociopathy, i believe

[@amcd85]

Neither of those are clinical terms according to the current diagnostic manual. ASPD (antisocial personality disorder) is the current terminology used for either of those, although whether or not it is born (head trauma) or bred (maladaptive coping development), or a combo of either in some instances, is still being considered. I am simply referring to the existence, nature, and logical consequences of pathological self-centeredness, selfishness, and self-absorption. Whether or not those are also components in a list of criteria relating to a specific personality disorder dx, a result could very well be an irrational conclusion and genuine belief in this concept of “individual/personal responsibility”.

[@trolloftheyear7963]

Narcissists can't perceive or conceive of anything beyond themselves, and we have an epidemic of them in the U.S.

[@tbirdddd5818]

@@amcd85 meh, you kind of defeated your own argument here. I had a pretty troubled childhood, and I developed exactly like you said.. parents always said I was selfish but I wasn’t cruel towards anyone I just did my own thing without very little reflection.. fast forward to my teens and I started trying psychedelics. Wala, suddenly the perception that all man shares the same struggles and perceives things just as I do (autonomy) which has given me the ability to reflect not everyone had my troubled childhood so…. When I say most people I know who are struggling do so willingly I mean it. They don’t want to work hard, they don’t want to work long, and they certainly aren’t willing to do what they don’t want to do to get where they want to be… which for someone like me who had a horrible start and is starting to be on the same playing field and advancing past my peers I’m just baffled. Two parent households with no abuse and siblings… full education and still struggling. Personal… responsibility. I’m sorry life is hard but if it was easy there would be alot more of us than the planet could sustain.

[@AllTimeScary]

What a phenomenal video and channel. Thank you for all your hard work and research.

[@starlight4130]

Thank you for all of your hard work and to all the ppl supporting this channel

[@BluetheRaccoon]

greed by the few at the top keeps those nearer the bottom most oppressed. Edited to add- As a veteran with 6 years service but also chronic health issues, and someone who is highly intelligent and able to navigate social welfare programs well- if I can't make it on what is currently available for social supports and become stable, those with less are honestly doomed. The owner class is very good at keeping up facades and convincing those that have more that we are leeching off them. The motive there is to keep the working class distracted and desperate for even greater distraction. Your ignorance is profitable. I was convinced out of desperate hope until a few years ago that I really was entirely responsible for where I'm at in life- but then I took a good hard look at the choices I've made and evaluated what I could do differently...I've honestly made the best decisions available to me, and that I wouldn't change the choices I've made. I'm an honest, good person and was Christian for a long time. I don't deserve this, and neither does anyone else struggling like this. Remember- the Sackler Family profited off the addiction of our people, and that's not a moral failing on their part- it's a moral failing on The Sackler family. The ruling class in this nation are the ones with the moral failing.

[@trolloftheyear7963]

💯% correct.

[@katfayegarrett3872]

Well said, sir

[@icyx9268]

yep and why are they so greedy at the top because they know it is all LUCK!!!! and in latest times this has been proven through endless studies disecting every last detail of billionaires life and see if they were born 10 micro millseconds later it wouldn't have been them and even if your to unknowledgable to understand or comprehend technicalities of this there is one simple point that even these thoughtless toddler level intellect billionaire brainwashed ppl cant deny which is if it wasn't all random luck why would they be unsustainably milking it through exploitation

[@Uzeil21]

Clearly you have very poor judgment.

[@georgeholmer8563]

There is quite a difference between saying that we "are responsible" and that we "should take responsibility".

[@Hoellewood_Solutions]

Amen. As a free human being, we have the responsibility to turn our weaknesses into strengths. We are NOT owed a handout. That is not the law of nature and it breaks many balances.

[@treshaunrogers]

@@Hoellewood_Solutions swoosh

[@FreerunTMac]

@HOELLEWOOD_Pro lol, not sure you quite got it.

[@vizerandevir6422]

​@@Hoellewood_Solutions None of us are free... Try to squat on land or divert water sources for your use and find out for yourself. We have been used, abused and shook down for much of our lives, particularly in the US. We are owed a handout as reparation for the conditions that are generations in the making... then we are obligated to take the reigns of power from the owner class who see us as cattle. That's what I believe this video is exploring, not the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps and learn to love the taskmaster" programming that likely hijacks your every thought on the matter. Most of our societal problems are systemic, NOT a matter of individual responsibility. On "natural law", you should probably abandon that notion as soon as you start talking about structures of power that are manmade... that's the same flawed thinking that leads people to believe there are "alpha and beta" humans when it's much more complicated than that.

[@fuzzirodekill]

Wrong

[@danielschwanke7580]

This was an incredible video and was a subject of curiosity for me into the labeling of poor as nothing more than immoral, irresponsible individuals. It’s interesting how people soak up propaganda to the degree that they view others as less than or undeserving of a safety net.

[@freeallfaded]

I stopped giving an f when half my family that live like leaches have never amounted to anything. stereotypes are a thing for a reason.

[@spencersmith4373]

The poor in America create their own poverty, anyone who actually lived in a poor community and moved on from it knows that.

[@howlrichard1028]

@@spencersmith4373 That's called survivor bias.

[@mireillelebeau2513]

Propaganda?

[@youtubesucks1499]

You aren't entitled to other people's services. I own 3 construction companies. You aren't entitled to affordable housing. That means I have to work for less money. I am not entitled to healthcare. Why should a doctor be forced to take a paycut?

[@pameiuioigoutu]

I can't keep watching these insightful, honest and nuanced videos without doing any contribution anymore, so for my conscience sake here's my patreon subscription :)

[@jamarkustrunk9217]

Terrific job on this educational documentary bringing to light the importance of nuance in language: personal responsibility:duty as is family:responsibility

[@tropics8407]

Nobody is saying that social welfare should not be available. What we do say is that it must be constantly evaluated and reported on to ensure it is actually working as intended. Even the people from the 60s and 70s could see the flaws and non intended consequences and they attempted to fix and improve. 👍

[@arieraaphorst1998]

We?

[@futurehistory2110]

As someone on the autism spectrum, I feel fortunate to be living in the digital age in that I can work full-time from home. If I were born 50 or 100 years earlier, it would've been extremely difficult for me. I struggle greatly working in busy environments full of people. I found it overwhelming and near-on-impossible to properly focus on my work. In the end, I found enough remote work to rent my own place. But if I were born a little too soon, the theory of individual responsibility would assert that career failings or an inability to hold down a real-world full-time job was because of my lack of responsibility. Ultimately, the world would never understand the psychological torment for someone like me to endure 'normal situations' on a day to day, week to week basis. It hurts more to contemplate that scenario because I am a hard working person with plenty of skills (for e.g. I can type at up to 100 words a minute). Perhaps that is more also to do with a world not designed to take autistic people into account as it is a criticism of individual responsibility being the answer to everything. Yes, I did figure things out in my case but some 80% of autistic people are under- or unemployed. Not everyone has strong computer skills or other skills related to the sort of work widely available in the remote work sector. Obviously, working from home is NOT a mental health necessity for anyone with autism, that is my case but it would be in many and the same for many others with intense social anxiety etc.

[@SleepyMatt-zzz]

I'm also Autistic, and avoid working "normal" jobs, I just can't handle it. I often find it difficult to focus, follow directions, and engage with other people in such arbitrary scripted workplace fashion. There's so much fucking time wasted on formalities. I'm most comfortable performing self-directed tasks. The level of inefficiency society operates on is so disfunctional it's maddening. It's honestly not surprising that most Autistic people can't handle a normal job when most normies can barely tolerate it. People often lable Autistic people as being regid and hung up on routines, however I think it's the opposite. Society is hugely regid, the only reason why most normies don't notice is because they either benefit from it, don't question it, or are comfortable enough in it. The scenario you mentioned involving you being alive 50-100 years would have been FAR worse. At best you would have been sent to an asylum, at worst you would have died soon after being born from birth complications (We tend to come out a bit "undercooked"), or been exterminated by extreamists or Nazis. Pretty amazing to live in 2022 and still witnessed how misunderstood and discrimated we are, on top of right-wingers still trying to scape goat Autistic people.

[@shaunsteele8244]

if you were born 50-100 years ago, you wouldn't have autism

[@gratefulkm]

The bit missing from your education, is these 1 Autism's root is the Amygdala , it controls how you feel(heart rate, muscle tension, blood pressure and oxygen to the brain(which makes your imagination more real) 2 The Amygdala and its functionality was removed from common knowledge thousands of years ago by the Abrahamic slavers (Romans, Arabs), anybody that knew anything about the Amygdala was killed 3 The Amygdala controls how you feel by altering its size, the bigger it is the more scared you are ! 4 If you reduce the size of the Amygdala, You reduce the physical fear you feel 5 This can be done via teachings from the east ,All Yogis Gurus, mystical people in the east are on the Spectrum of fear in the east Autistic people are elevated, in the west we were killed 6 Autism exposes the Abrahamic lie of one/no god, this is why you are abused in a Abrahamic society 7 The most powerful anti infalmmatory known to man is LSD and Magic mush , just a very tiny dose reduces the the Size of the Amygdala for 4 hours , so for 4 hours you feel less fear 8 The hippies preaching love is all you need in the 60,s were all Autistic people 9 then the military took our medicine away and made it illegal and forced all Autistic people into Anti, depressants that don't work in any way shape or form

[@SleepyMatt-zzz]

​@@gratefulkm While I have read some information on how the Amygdala is correlated with Autism, I would love to know where you get your information, because everythingelse you said sounds nonsensical and probably anti-semitic.

[@cindyeisenberg3273]

I have schizoaffective disorder which is getting much worse. I worked for a long time. I am going to be unable to find a job and 2 years prior to earliest retirement time, I was layed of. The weakness people that have severe: mental disorders are forgotten. Instead of the terrible and abusive care given in the mental hospital are either in jail or on the street. There’s physical disabilities as well. My nephew has autism. But, luckily my sister gives him shelter, food and clothing. I have no idea what will happen to me if my Illness gets worse. I also visit the psychiatrist and take my medications faithfully. It angers me to no end. People need help. If we take this attitude, disabled people will die from injuries, illnesses, malnutrition and addiction. People need to stop judging others an adding cruel labels. There’s elderly people working and on the street. Carma will catch up to them. Eugenics will be dangerous. While my illness is hereditary, it can skip generations. Society owes the elderly, mentally disabled and physically disabled people, especially who contributed to society, more help.

[@somecuriosities]

Dude - long time viewer - I don't know what it is but lately you've been hitting it out of the park with your choice of subject matter and analysis. Keep up the great work! 👍

[@mephisxx]

he also began show to his face and hate the way he sips his coffee.

[@JohnZyski]

This is one of your best ones. This should be shown in schools.

[@incognitosecret2377]

You are one of my favorite youtubers. Amazing quality and content. Thank you so much!

[@PapaSmurf11182nd]

You touched on this in the description. In my experience “personal responsibility” is a bumper sticker slogan. It isn’t incredibly substantive (in my opinion). It’s just a hammer used to hit others over the head with

[@Godsen5]

That's the bad part of ideologies and the only part of the bad ideologies: it is used to hit others like a hammer. In general, an ideology is viable only if, even though it inevitably can and will be used like a hammer to hit, it can be used also like a hammer to build, if the ideology is built around a promise of something new and not the simple destruction of what already is.

[@devinfaux6987]

Look into the concept of the "thought-terminating cliche." Pretty sure it fits the bill.

[@thewildcardperson]

Stop blaming other people for your problems any therapist will tell you that

[@PapaSmurf11182nd]

@@thewildcardperson I do. Maybe you should take responsibility for you being triggered - by my original statement

[@Pensnmusic]

@@thewildcardperson stop accusing people of things when you don't know anything about them A good therapist would tell *you* that.

[@syourke3]

“Individual responsibility” is just a way to deny “social responsibility” and thus to excuse the state from doing anything to ameliorate the differing of the poor and the oppressed. If we are completely responsible for our own lives then we have no one to blame for our problems than its elves. Are you poor? Anxious? Depressed? Unhappy? Well, don’t ask the rich and powerful for help, you’re responsibility for your own life, so you’re on your own. It’s no accident that the mantra of “individual responsibility” became the rallying cry of the Reagan and Thatcher types who abolished the government programs aimed at helping the less fortunate.

[@watsons4233]

What’s your solution? I can only see two paths from here: 1) make everyone poor or 2) continue the path

[@syourke3]

@@watsons4233 Redistribute the wealth from the billionaires to the working people.

[@brandonjablasone7544]

@@watsons4233more government intervention, bring back work union, social program, more school funding, road, infrastructure and job creation. Bring back job security etc.

[@aazhie]

​@watsons4233 people used to live in tribes and share their wealth. In ye Olden Britain, a village took care of the poorest and shared food. It's not uncommon in nature. Vampire bats exchange food with unlucky neighbors, many birds will create daycare for babies and look out for one another. It doesn't save everyone all the time, but surely we can be smarter and more effect than animals.

[@syourke3]

@@aazhie In olden days, we threw the psychopaths off a cliff but now we let them rule the world!

[@amymarch8221]

Although I cannot deny that I am an "Individual Me", I am also a product of my environment. My strategy to exist within my environment is to be observant, sincere, and spontaneous.

[@vhawk1951kl]

You don't even know what individual means, nor what a high aim it is to wish to become one.

[@todddanforth8853]

Excellent, thought provoking history and commentary.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

5:50 - Chapter 1 - Shapes of responsibility 18:40 - Chapter 2 - The Cultures of Poverty 34:15 - Chapter 3 - The new individual 45:40 - Chapter 4 - Duties & obligations - Chapter 5 - - Chapter 6 -

[@strivvy6852]

To those who unironically say, "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," I say, "with great power comes great responsibility."

[@afgor1088]

"what if i don't have boots?" is my go to

[@strivvy6852]

@@afgor1088 That's a good one too

[@vurpo7080]

Also, literally how are you supposed to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps? That phrase was originally used to represent an impossible task.

[@mrsuspicious1743]

@@vurpo7080 And it was supposed to be so obviously, ridiculously absurd, that it was trusted to the reader to realise that without it being explictly spelt out. A damning indictment of our collective wisdom, I suppose.

[@lesslycarthan4963]

Where can I get the boot's size 15

[@hisownfool1]

"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.” Herman Melville.

[@staninjapan07]

You did a great job with this. Very balanced view. No drama. No significant political bias - at least none that I was able to see. A great round up of major players' opinions on the topic. Thank you.

[@ericp0012]

I think we need a balance between the responsibility between ourselves and others within our communities. If we help each other, we will most likely receive help in return in times of need.

[@ivandafoe5451]

Corporate propaganda that constantly stirs up hatred and division is an attempt to make sure that doesn't happen.

[@Gobble_de_Goop]

Shhhh! Quit being reasonable & making sense! The nihilists here in these comments can't handle the thought that they bear ANY responsibility whatsoever for their own failure to launch. They much rather like to blame others for their cynicism & systemic lack of initiative.

[@adelabdulsahib3149]

Community is good.

[@MeisterBrowster]

Sure!! Like billionaires left to themselves would ever " spare" one DIME!!! To those less fortunate..." It all began in earnest!-- with JFK!!:" ASK NOT!-:" what your COUNTRY can " do" for you...but what YOU can do for your COUNTRY. .ENDING in ( RONALD RAGNUTZ):" PULL YOURSELF UP BY YOUR BOOT STRAPS...AND " GO FOR IT, AMERICA!"-- VIA THE VOODOO ECONOMIST KING AND " EMPEROR" HIMSELF...EVVVERRRY ASPIRING INCURABLY WHITE COLLARED INSANE PERSON'S PATRON SAINT...RONALD (?=RHYMES WITH " DONALD"!) REAGAN...BIIIGGGEST UNDER QUALIFIED MORON DOTARD!! TO EVVVERR DISGRACE THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A.!!!

[@MeisterBrowster]

See!!( book!): RONALD REAGAN; THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD- debunking the MYTH!!- OF his " greatness" as a U.S. president....and SONG" VOODOO ECONOMICS"-- BY THE PROLETARIAT( EARLY 80S PUNK ROCK BAND)!!!

[@Who-vt9oh]

We have got to do something about greed. I never hear anyone talking about the pathology of greed. Why do some people feel the impulse to accumulate an unending amount of wealth and property? What are the negative consequences of people indulging that impulse? The fact is, greed necessitates poverty. If everyone is a millionaire, no one is. For wealth to mean anything, as many people as possible must be poor, relative to the wealthy few. How can we all continue to go along with the lie that greed is good, or, at least, that greed does good? At this point it should be abundantly clear that the notion that greed is good, is completely false.

[@aaronaragon7838]

Very good. Leveling mechanisms like salary caps mitigate unrelenting wealth. The Meso Americans sent folks back to the bottom when the top was reached. The NFL shows the way. The GB Packers compete with NY Giants thru luxury taxes.

[@artofthepossible7329]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5rZgIKAm7GSkNU Would be a good place to start.

[@justinlewis8889]

This was extremely well structured, well researched, and well written. Thank you.

[@edwardallan197]

This brilliant work reveals the core role of IDEOLOGY in the lives of everyone. The tint filter thru which all is percieved, until you study & self-examine it, work to transcend it.❤

[@grmpEqweer]

Personal responsibility is for poor people. The rich don't have to deal with that.

[@xs10tl1]

And that is why the Rich talk the poor into both personal responsibility as well as Socialism. Either gets them off the hook.

[@SoMuchFacepalm]

I believe that called cronyism.

[@Noam_.Menashe]

They've managed to build a net for themselves that catches them even when they make poor choices. So bad.

[@sunsoza8320]

Humans are a social creature so it bears to show we need each other. Yes personal responsibility but also social responsibility. U need social responsibility in order to enable personal responsibility, also vice versa

[@blue_wolfproductions12]

Exactly

[@scarecrow8836]

Definitely

[@lesslycarthan4963]

My friend gives me bottles and cans I give them to another friend for gas money he takes me shopping I buy food and share it with my community everybody wins

[@Samuellwright]

Very comprehensive and an unbiased take on the subject.The monotone voice the way the clips were put together, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I will like share and subscribe. For the algorithm 😅 Edit: They don't make KZbin videos like this anymore. Keep up the good work brother 👏

[@jasonreimer9769]

the ones who succeed are those who can pass the blame to others and never admit when they are wrong - Albert Einstien

[@kwahujakquai6726]

Thank you so very much for this video! I love how you took the time at the beginning to show how an ideology of work ethics for survival, has been transformed, into a work ethic for cheap labor at an individuals expense. I've watched your video 3 times and learned something each and every time! Thank you!!

[@jaynemacklyne1462]

I feel exactly the same way. I'm sharing this because it's the best overview I've ever seen

[@elbruces]

The thing is, we HAVE created a culture in the USA where "individual responsibility" is seen as the primary solution to social problems. And yet, we're doing worse than other developed nations that employ other approaches by every measurable statistic, particularly quality of life measurements. Therefore this approach is failing. This is simple logic based on measurable facts.

[@beccangavin]

I think that the reason is that the goal is not to actually improve our performance on these metrics, but to adhere to a ideological standard that includes a mythology of “personal responsibility”. It doesn’t matter if, for example, our health outcomes lag behind other developed nations despite the huge amounts of money we spend on it as long as we preserve “freedom” by which they mean not having a public option which they view as equivalent to communism. There is a large segment of our society that is eschewing logic in favor of the ideological and they don’t care if it actually has the potential to reduce the quality of life in the U.S.

[@elbruces]

Yep, that's what we need to change first.

[@leealexander3507]

@@elbruces Maybe the first thing needing change is big money buying our politicians. That's the root cause of their refusal to care about the well being of the majority of people.

[@kartzzy6101]

I I do think that accepting personal responsibility as a virtue is a necessary foundation for each individual, but as mentioned in the video, accepting a personal duty is better. Also I don't think comparing things 1 to 1 with America vs X-country is fair at all. Doing so fails to account for all the other things in either country that are either effected by, or an effect of, or both, in relation to the stated outcome. For instance: saying that "insert European country here" is better because their public transportation systems are better than in the U.S. . It fails to take into account America's much larger size and how all cities and areas are much further apart than in "insert European country here".

[@elbruces]

@@kartzzy6101 Well, having larger distances to cover would be MORE of an argument for why we would need high-speed rail, not less.

[@productionf1lms]

Personal responsibility is the philosophy of the people who look at a homeless guy and think, "Why don't they just get a job?"

[@boblukasik323]

I'm starting to see where all of my older relatives got their talking points. Great video

[@somecuriosities]

You have heard it said, "There is no such 'thing' as society..." But now we have lived to see why, "...Because we find society in _every_ 'thing'. "

[@artofthepossible7329]

"I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand ‘I have a problem, it is the Government’s job to cope with it!’ or ‘I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!’ ‘I am homeless, the Government must house me!’ and so they are casting their problems on society and who is society? There is no such thing! There are individual men and women and there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first. … It is, I think, one of the tragedies in which many of the benefits we give, which were meant to reassure people that if they were sick or ill there was a safety net and there was help, that many of the benefits which were meant to help people who were unfortunate … that was the objective, but somehow there are some people who have been manipulating the system … when people come and say: ‘But what is the point of working? I can get as much on the dole!'" Margaret Thatcher I await the rebuttal. Edit: added the name of the person I am quoting, because apparently it wasn't clear that I was quoting someone.

[@iamnohere]

@@artofthepossible7329 I: Have you even watched the video? Also, humans are social animals, quite literally. We depend upon cooperation with others whether we want it or not. Cooperation is what has made us successful (?) as a species so far

[@celestecanyon]

@@artofthepossible7329 Of course, you wouldn't say that if you really did have problems. You'd change your tune then. I'm sure of it

[@artofthepossible7329]

@@iamnohere Did you notice the "" that begin and end that speech? Or that the OP has "you have heard it said that 'there is no such thing as society'" which, as my quote should make apparent, is missing much context from where it comes from, I merely added in the context. Please correct me if I'm interpreting this wrong, but you seem to have 'cooperation' and 'the state' as synonyms. If so /how/?

[@iamnohere]

@@artofthepossible7329 I: I´m sorry, didn´t catch that you were quoting someone. Though still, the "I await the rebuttal." made me think you agreed with the sentiment. "Cooperation" and "the state"? I haven´t even mentioned "the state" in any capacity. Did my wording sound like I was implying it? Genuinely confused.

[@MWhaleK]

The biggest advocates of "Individual Responsibility" tend to be the least likely to take responsibility for their own words and actions as well as the impact their decisions have on others.

[@lisaahmari7199]

You nailed it. So true.

[@lisaahmari7199]

Like "self-made millionaire" drumpf, who needs scapegoats the way he needs air.

[@luigicostantini8735]

The biggest advocate of "collective responsability" want an alibi to justify every bad decision they make because "the system made me to do it". Very curious this applies only if someone fails, but if he succeeds it's just luck.

[@cubesolver2564]

@@luigicostantini8735 You can absolutely use this same justification in a system that advocates for "personal responsibility" above all else. You will have to fend for yourself to "earn" the ability to live even a decent life that isn't drowned in luxuries. The lengths people are willing to go just to survive, even in a system that is this callous to its own members is where the phrase "the system made me do it" is the most valid. If you care about people not making bad decisions, it would be in your best interest to not advocate for a system that allows any person to go without their basic needs being met (especially not when their only "crime" was not making enough money on a regular basis). People in these positions don't have many good options for finding a way out of that mess, especially when they don't have many means to negotiate, and there's a time limit on how long they can wait/resist before their body simply gives out. If you want people to make good choices, you'd have to start with making sure they have the means to make good choices in the first place. This includes affordable/free quality education so people can develop the mental capacity to know what a good/bad choice even is, and protections of rights and access to necessities so they cannot be put in a situation where they can be forced or heavily pressured into accepting an exploitative contract from those who try to take advantage of someone else's plight.

[@battmarn]

This video is incredibly well made and informative, but the background music at time is far too loud and drowns out the voiceover

[@botowner8623]

That may be true for money. But for personal care, excersize, comfourt zones, socialisation and personal life taking responsibility and growing is a must!

[@brandonmiles8174]

This certainly should be more widely distributed to the public

[@JTPCovers]

Here's what I could find on the soundtrack. Feel free to fill in any of the unknowns: 1. 0:01 - 1:13 / Unknown 2. 1:13 - 2:35 / Ian Post - Night Rider 3. 2:35 - 3:16 / Kyle Preston - Bear Dreams 4. 3:41 - 5:49 / Robby Tower - Snowstorm 5. 6:36 - 11:20 / Sivan Talmor, Yehezkel Raz - When the Sunrise 6. 11:22 - 14:17 / Unknown 7. 15:40 - 18:40 / Unknown 8. 18:40 - 22:12 / Unknown 9. 22:25 - 26:00 / The Bows - Access granted 10. 28:06 - 29:43 / The Bows - Access granted 11. 32:05 - 33:27 / Ian Post - Night Rider 12. 34:14 - 37:10 / Yehezkel Raz - Ganymede 13. 37:10 - 39:52 / Syncro - Wonder Boy 14. 41:01 - 41:42 / Unknown 15. 41:43 - 45:52 / Yehezkel Raz - Ganymede 16. 45:58 - 48:55 / Kyle Preston - Bear Dreams 17. 49:19 - 51:20 / The Bows - Access granted 18. 51:20 - 52:14 / Unknown

[@MarkoKraguljac]

Thank you for doing this. I searched for song (4.) "Robby Tower - Snowstorm". Nothing can be found except on Spotify and there it doesnt work for some reason. Video creators should always include these. Any ideas where to find this song if that is indeed it?

[@pmajudge]

TOTALLY BRILLANT INDEED !! " THEN & NOW" MANY THANKS !! FROM U.K. (2023).

[@ladavis1959]

People should measure themselves by their creativity and their ability to inspire others instead of how much they possess

[@dionysise5008]

I like this channel more and more