Tony is executive produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney. Actor Tate Donovan stars as Michael, a relentlessly responsible father. But the Tony at issue isn’t his son. It’s his son’s teddy bear. Or more vexingly, his 6-year-old son’s lost teddy bear. And therein lies the crisis, the challenge, and the question: Can you ever be too responsible?... Read full article

When it comes to defining personal responsibility, many people say taking care of themselves and their family is at the very top of their list. Knowing their neighbors is at the bottom. Those are some of the findings from our Responsibility Project Index, a poll of Americans across the country. What matters to you?... Read full article

Should a bad mother be prohibited from having more children? A 20-year-old Texas mother admitted that she failed to protect her 19-month-old daughter from being beaten by her father. A judge sentenced her to 10 years probation, with the unusual condition that she not conceive or bear any more children during that time. Should the government decide who can be a mother?... Read full article

After years of quietly gathering speed, there’s a growing movement to elevate public service to national service and in the process, set up incentives and opportunities that make it easier for each person to help another in need. The goal is to make volunteering as fundamental as voting.... Read full article

We are a nation that pulls itself up by the bootstraps. But are we also a nation that needs to pull up its pants? A 17-year-old Florida boy was recently jailed overnight for violating a local “sagging pants” law after a police officer spotted him riding his bike with his pants slung low enough to reveal four or five inches of boxer shorts. Should government be responsible for telling citizens what to wear?... Read full article

Can we talk? Not if you’re using Slydial. As its name suggests, Slydial subverts the process of calling someone on their cell phone by routing the caller directly to the recipient’s voicemail, giving the “illusion” of communicating without the chance – or risk – of having a conversation. But some question whether a tool that encourages users to avoid direct communication is a responsible use of technology.... Read full article

A recent newspaper headline sounded more like a lesson in parenting: Why punish a kid for the crime of being too good? The kid, in this case, was 9-year-old Jericho Scott, who played summer baseball on a youth team in New Haven, Connecticut. Jericho’s “crime” is his pitching talent. But the prodigy pitcher himself was struck out—by adults.... Read full article