Personal Responsibility in Improving the Community

What is wrong with American communities and how can they be improved?

By Holly Flippo

Grade 12, Age 18

There are many problems facing today's communities. We have school violence where there once was none. Poverty still runs rampant even in small communities. Divorce rates are higher than ever. Teen pregnancy and births to unwed mothers remain at a high rate. How can we alleviate these problems? What can be done to reverse the damage already done? A few ways for individuals to improve their community are volunteerism, school responsibility, work responsibility, monitoring personal character, and showing responsibility as a family member.

Many people don't think of the one major way that they can improve their community. This is volunteerism. Volunteering helps everyone. There are a variety of different things people can do to volunteer. In each community the opportunities are vast in number. In larger cities volunteers may be needed to help feed the homeless. Volunteering time with children is always a great way to improve the community. The younger generation relies on teachings from the older generation. Jonathan Alter of Newsweek writes, "The experts all agree: any effort to help the next generation-especially children at risk-must include mentoring." Mentoring children guides them and gives them the direction they desperately need.

Volunteering improves the individual as well as society. Each person has a responsibility to other community members. It makes a person feel good about himself, because he knows that he's helped other people. Volunteering increases self-esteem and communication skills. People learn how to work as team members. Cooperation and communication are basic skills needed to work as a group.

Another way to improve the community is by showing responsibility at school. Each person is responsible for doing his own work and putting forth effort in class. This is the individual's responsibility. Teachers have a responsibility to provide the best learning environment they possibly can for their students. They are there for guidance and assistance in the learning process. The principal's role is to make sure students have a safe environment. He disciplines those who misbehave and reward those who show responsibility. Every one of these people is a role model to someone else. There is always someone looking up to another person no matter who he is. Someone is always watching and it is the individual's responsibility to act appropriately. He should act the way that he would want other people to act.

Showing responsibility in school will help lead a person to a higher education and more fulfilling career. This keeps the individual happy and keeps them from becoming a burden on society. So many people lack the education and drive to succeed, and end up poor, hungry, or even homeless. This problem is getting better, however, as more and more people realize how important an education is. According to The Economist, "Almost four million people have lifted themselves above the poverty line since 1993."

Being responsible on the job helps improve the quality of life in the community, also. Each person is responsible for having good work ethics. Common sense should tell someone that they need to be on time and be there every day. Attendance is vital in any job and can be the difference between losing a job and keeping it. Tardiness can result in penalties or even termination. An employer does not want someone who cannot be there and get started on time. Each individual has to work as a team member no matter what his career is. Showing respect for others and their property is part of being a responsible employee. Being pleasant makes everyone feel more comfortable. Having an uplifting and positive personality makes everyone happier.

Another way that each citizen can help improve his community is by monitoring his own personal character. By making sure he has good morals and shows responsibility, he is helping to shape the community. People may not think that what they do matters, but it does. For example, a lot of people think that they don't need to go out and vote, because they don't think their vote matters. In reality their vote could be the one that decides who will win the election. Taking part in the community benefits everyone.

Honesty is one of the many characteristics that is important in maintaining a good character. Many problems are started because someone lies to someone else. Caring for others is also vital in helping improve communities. If everyone watched out for his neighbor, communities would be better. Organizations such as a Neighborhood Watch are set up to help citizens watch out and take care of one another.

The final way to improve the community is by being a responsible family member. Marriage is a plus for most people, but some people choose to stay single. In a marriage, each partner has a responsibility to be loving, loyal, and honest to the other. Each parent is responsible for taking care of each other and any children in the home. Children have a responsibility to obey and respect their parents.

There are many different ways to improve the community. Volunteerism, school responsibility, work responsibility, monitoring personal character and family responsibility are just a few ways to help improve the community. Even little things make a big difference. Taking care and being responsible for oneself is the beginning in the long process of decreasing crime and poverty and making the world a better place.

Answers to Questions for Required Reading

1. How does society invest in marriage in the USA and in Manus?

In Manus, relatives invest dogs' teeth and shell money for the male child and recipients on the bride's side pay these amounts back later in pigs and oil. The USA is like that because society puts images in people's head about the way marriage should be. Manus is hesitant to back a divorced man, like the U.S. is hesitant to back a man that has been bankrupt.

2. Interview 10 married people. (No names.) State the length and number of each one's marriages and a line or two of advice from each on how to maintain a long, happy relationship.

One person I talked to had been married twice, three years the first time and 28 years the second time. Her advice was make a wise choice when choosing a partner and make a commitment to that person. A couple I talked to had been married twice also. The first time they were married for 40 years, they got divorced, then remarried each other 10 years later. Trust and belief in God is their advice for a happy marriage. Someone else I talked to said they had been married once for 23 years. She said that being honest and committed in your relationship is the best way to have a long, happy relationship. Another couple said that they are newlyweds and the best way to stay happy is to be able to trust the other person.

3. According to Richard Eckersley, what should our collective goal be?

Our goal should be to dematerialize society without reducing the quality of life.

4. Write a worthy goal for your local community.

Our community should invest time mentoring to our children and teaching them how to have good character and carry on healthy relationships.

5. Comment on the excerpts from "Tomorrow's Child."

The first part of the excerpt is sort of being cynical by saying that kids will have the idea of their mother to carry around, since their mothers are not always around. So many mothers are busy with their careers and some forget their roles at home. The last part says that in the next century, the differences between races are either going to get smaller and less noticeable or they are going to increase dramatically. That choice is in our hands.

6. How does the fact the USA is a democracy make lawyers particularly helpful, according to Kathleen Sullivan? How does our diversity, wealth, and size make lawyers particularly helpful?

We are so independent as individuals, because we are allowed to be in this democracy. Lawyers help protect us from being controlled by a majority. Diversity makes lawyers helpful because our country is a salad bowl full of different cultures and races. Lawyers help protect our diversity. Lawyers help to solve problems about life, the earth and other important issues. Lawyers help set up processes, procedures, and rules that enable the same kind of transaction among lots of different people. It also makes them cheaper.

7. Ms. Sullivan claims bad practices are changed either by regulations or punitive damages. Which do you prefer and why? Can you think of an alternative?

I prefer punitive damages even though only one or a few people benefit. The company realizes when they have to pay a lot of money that something needs to be done about it. If they did a combination of both it would be better. They should have to pay damages and come up with other regulations to prevent that sort of thing

8. Briefly describe three ways society would benefit form the coming retirement of baby boomers, according to the required reading.

The retired baby boomers may open businesses of their own providing more experience than "younger" businesses. Another benefit is that opportunities may arrive for teenage entrepreneurs by helping the elderly with daily chores and errands. A final benefit would be that some Generation X'ers may go into business for themselves providing services to the elderly.

9. Evaluate the likelihood of President Clinton's anti-poverty program making a real impact. Give at least three reasons to back up your conclusions.

I believe it will make an impact. First of all, companies have never had an incentive and this may be what they need. Secondly I think that companies are always

looking for new workers and the poor without jobs may have untapped skills. Improvements have been made to programs and organizations and I believe that will help this program make an impact.

10. Name three things Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis have in common.

They were both persistent in what they did. They both wanted to do something to help other people. They were both retired when they went into business.