Responsibilities Are Based On Paradigms

by Marie Quaresima

Grade 11

All of us have responsibilities in our busy lives. They may be major responsibilities such as running a business, or minor responsibilities such as cooking dinner. Things can get hectic in a in a person’s everyday life. Many people may go through something like this, but you as an individual, are able to decide what you are going to do about it.

The way you look at things and how you live your life depends a lot on your paradigm. You paradigm is the words you choose to live by. This has an affect on your actions. It is what helps you deal with all of the day to day stress of school, work, society, and life, in general. You may as well say “Well, I like to take things day by day.” This is a paradigm. It may make some of your responsibilities easier to handle. Taking things day by day may be the only way you know how to deal with your life. This shows that a person does not like to take on too many things at once. In another sense, a slacker that does not do anything all day, can give a similar “day to day” paradigm. A slacker’s view is not so much “day to day” but a “ I will do it tomorrow” scenario. They show little individual when they do not work toward anything to set them apart from the rest of society. This hurt society because these people are being lazy and when they could be helping the rest of us work and make community safer, cleaner, and easier to live in.

“Tomorrow is another day!” Scarlet O’Hara exclaimed at the end of the famous movie classic Gone With the Wind. Tomorrow is another day? This is an example of a paradigm. In the end of the movie, Scarlet decided to change and fight back. Yet, she put off until “tomorrow”. It is just easier for her that way. That is how people are today. It is easier to put off responsibilities than act on it.

Being responsible for something is a heavy task. In our communities today, things are changing. Our population is growing, and more generations are going up. As we grow older, we ourselves become teachers and mentors. Teaching others how to be a part of society helps make the communities more organized because the younger generations being taught how. The only problem is the fact that people do not always get wiser with age. This means that an older person may teach a younger person the wrong decision to make. Unfortunately, this happens a lot.

As an adult you have teenagers looking up to you. Sometimes it is not that obvious, but they watch you, your success, and your role in society. Then there is the teenagers role. They are in high school, starting out a job, and have other extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, ect. There is also the hanging out with friends, spending time with family or loved ones, and helping out around the house. Things can get in the way and that just messes up plans that made previously. Younger siblings look up to them. Children tend to ask a lot of questions. Sometimes they go unanswered because their older siblings do not even know the solution because they were never taught.

Let’s not just concentrate on how hard and difficult things can be. Sometimes things can be very smooth and simple. It just takes a little planning. Responsibilities will still be there but they will be easier to fulfill. Paradigms may shift a little. This is what we all like to call a “good day.” Good days come and go, but it is life. The harder you work to improve your life, the more good days you will have. The more good days you have, the happier you are, and that makes others happy. It is all connected.

“I’ve seen better days....,” sung by the new age group, Everlast, is a common saying for busy people in this busy world. This paradigm is somewhat negative. It says you are having a bad day and it is not going to get any better. This is not really a positive way to look at life. You have to get on with the day. It is your responsibility to take things into your own hands. This is mainly referring to your life. Things, like making a difference in the world do not just happen. That is where the old saying comes in, “things can only get better.”

Every age group is affected by bad days. Most of the time it has to do with school for youngsters and work for adults and even the elderly. By getting people more involved in society, we should be able to give them a little boost. Kids should have more youth groups so they have something to look forward to everyday. Adults should go out every once in a while or have something relaxing planned at home. There are clubs and groups they can join. Even sports can be a relief after a bad day. The elderly should also be involves and certainly not ignored by the rest of society. If we could all be involved, not only would the society be brighter, but also our lives.

Questions

1. In the U.S., marriage seems to be more of a casual thing today in society. Divorces are a direct result because a lot of times marriage is forced into too quickly and consequences come along. To the citizens of Manus, marriages are a big thing. They treat it as an American would treat an investment - carefully. A divorce would be like going bankrupt.

2. a. 1st; 17 yrs.; Take separate vacations sometimes.

b. 1st; 50 yrs.; Argue all you want then you can make up. Things get better after that.

c. 1st; 24 yrs.; Being there for each other is a big thing. Always having a shoulder to cry on makes you secure along with your marriage.

d. 1st; 14 yrs.; Being a husband and father of 3 girls is pretty tough. Too many girls can drive you nuts. You learn to accept it , someday!

e. 1st; 23 yrs.; We have had some rises and falls but in the end we realize,”hey, we’ve been together this long”

f. 1st; 16 yrs.; When you love someone, you realize nothing can separate you.

g. 1st; 21 yrs.; If you have a bad day, don’t take it out on your better half. They are there to listen.

h. 2nd; 6 months; You can tell we are married with the arguments but it is a part of the package.

i. engaged 9 yrs.; We have been together this long. The ceremony has not come along but we are together and we know how we care about each other.

j. 1st; 1 yr.; We are still new at this but we do know that everyone argues, but if you care enough, you will make up later.

3. According to Mr. Eckersley, our goals should be to “dematerialize society without reducing quality of life.” Our communities are trying to bring too much technology in at once. Some people just are not ready for it.

4. A problem in my community to me is the fact of the rumors that like to fly around about people. I think our goal should be to get to know each other more. People assume too much and it causes problems and rumors throughout the community.

5. The future depends a lot on what we do now. Technology is already making people lazy because they just sit and let the machine do it. Pretty soon people will be replaced when they are not around by computer, or dolls as it was put.

6. Lawyers protect us and help us fight lawsuits. They take on situations that may be taken on by the government. If they can not win, they can go to another state to fight a case. I don’t believe diversity and size have much to do with them but wealth does. In the U.S. we have everything we need practically at out fingertips. With this in mind, a lawyer can fight cases easier.

7. I think fighting all the little cases is sometimes a waste. We have bigger problems that need to be fought for. All the little personal lawsuits sometimes get out of hand. People now that suing someone can put a lot of money in their pocket.

8. The baby boomers are considered healthy, very smart, and determined. Many plan to start up their own businesses. This benefits society because they are getting involved. With them not just sitting around, others observe and do the same. Most of the observers are the next generation.

9. I don’t think the anti- poverty will work. First, similar things have been tested before and it just put us in debt. It didn’t even work. It is costly and not everyone will agree with the decision. Lastly, it is not something you can just jump into. A problem that took a while to come about takes longer to heal.

10. They are similar in a few ways. Both had big dreams. These dreams are what helped them eventually achieve their goal. They were very determined and did everything they could to succeed. Their first and final goal was to serve people and they did.