"It was Christmas, one year back, when I realized what a lonely world we live in. I was in the hectic hallways of the local mall on Christmas Eve finishing up my shopping. While humming 'Jingle Bells' and weaving through the crowd I was suddenly knocked to the floor, by a boy no older than eight. 'Damn kid,' I thought picking up my bags. Then it hit me, my purse. 'He stole my purse,' I exclaimed, 'Stop him.' Nobody flinched.

At the time I was outraged, one that my purse was stolen and two it was by such a young boy. But later I was saddened by the reaction, or lack of reaction, by everyone else,. It was then I realized the wall we have built between each others misery. What was happened to where our consciousness readily accepts the 'not my problem' philosophy?

This selfish outlook on life stems from irresponsibility. After all it is responsibility that binds us together as families and as a society. We are privileged to live in a Nation based on freedoms, but freedom goes hand and hand with responsibility. Responsibility which we greatly lack. We, as a Nation, have adopted some extremely detrimental concepts, such as the ends justify the means. This is most prevalent in the workforce, where good guys finish last. Take for example Oliver North. The role he was put in at the White House made him feel as if it was ethically correct to lie to complete his tasks. Somehow role morality has found a place in our society. Yet with the complex and numerous roles we hold today who could develop any sound ethical beliefs to guide oneself in the right direction.

This new founded irresponsibility can be seen in any courtroom in America. Courtroom superstars like Stella Ciebeck, Brian Fortay and the Menendez brothers have coined 'it's not my fault' as the new American battle cry. As Scott Montgomery put it, 'America, the land of the free: guilt free, fault free, and responsibility free.' This country was founded on the ideal of individual liberty. Yet the citizens of this land have manipulated it to where all those individual freedoms outweigh the welfare of society as a whole. We've turned our back to each other and in turn to the country. Personal responsibility is the first building block to a responsible Nation. For the people to grasp the concept of personal responsibility they must realize that individual decisions sooner or later create a culture. I was in the fourth grade the first and only time I cheated on a test. I didn't think anything of it, everyone cheated once in a while. Luckily, I was caught. I clearly remember my mother saying 'that's what's wrong with the world today' and thinking she was crazy blaming the world's problems on a little dishonesty. She couldn't of been more right.

Like dominoes, a little dishonesty turns quickly to massive lies. Lies create a false consciousness. this type of consciousness creates an essence of estrangement. We become strangers to parts of ourselves, other human beings, and to the world. Instead we need a consciousness of immanence - an awareness of the world as alive, interdependent, and interacting. We can not isolate ourselves from the pain of other people; they are of the world, of each other. Illusions that individuals gain. . .at others' expense must be destroyed in the workforce and in everyday life.

Any change in consciousness does not come easy. It is a slow but vital and rewarding process. The Institute for Global Ethics interviewed two dozen individuals from sixteen nations. These interviews did not seek to discover the ethical failings, but rather ethical common grounds that will bind us together in the twenty-first century. Some moral values agreed upon included love, truthfulness, unity, tolerance, responsibility, and respect for life. Encompassing these values into our daily practices gives us a foundation to reach our desired goal of an immanent society.

"My mother has never understood my fascination in corny old movies from the forties and fifties. I suppose it is due to the role in society each character plays. It is so foreign to me. Ladies acted [like ladies] and there really were true gentlemen. Society forced people to accept responsibility for their actions. hardships came with the territory. For example, when Millie, in 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers', realized that the married life she had pictured was not her reality, she dealt with the negatives but focused on the positive aspects. When I describe the world I have lived in during my 18 years, I don't apply any of these phrases. In fact, I would go so far as to say it its quite the opposite. . .Watching 'It's a Wonderful Life' and even 'The Brady Bunch' and comparing them to 'National Lampoon's Vacation' and 'Beverly Hills, 90210' I can see another distinct difference: the portrayal of family relationships. I can see a few standard families, with a mother, father and children . However, I don't have any examples of families that honestly get along, much less unconditional love. Parents don't seem to want to, or have time to educate, and children aren't around enough to care. It becomes a life of occasional obligation rather than a family. The traditional values that used to accompany families are now non-existent. David Blankman, from the Institute of American Values, still believes, 'The moral rule is that you don't bring a child into this world without a mother and a father devoted to that child's well being at the highest level.' Imagine that. He feels that if the two parent family isn't re-established, the effect will be disastrous; another generation of 'victims' will be brought up.

"My mother, a second grade teacher, bemoans the insidious decay of 'little kid' values. The need for values is more important today than ever. Even in our small communities, the surge of drugs and violence has changed the care-free lives of children. Kids used to get into fist fights. . .that was the worst of it. Just last week, however, a young man was suspended from our school for hitting another student with a monkey wrench. That's quite a sharp contrast to the old days.

"As each of us grow older, it's our responsibility to give something back for what we've taken from society. Maybe each of us should take the time to spend with a young person, to care about them and show them what it means to take responsibility. In the end, the rest is up to them."
Heather Cameron, Carbondale Community High School, Carbondale, Illinois