The Responsibility Project Index
What matters to you?
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, undertaken to better understand your views about all things responsibility.
The vast majority of those polled—more than 70%—believe they’re more responsible today than in the past five years, with teachers, young Americans, married people, and African Americans giving themselves the highest rankings for personal responsibility.
And while we value personal responsibility, we don’t necessarily recognize it in others. An overwhelming number of Americans—74%—believe that many people have become less responsible. Could it be that we don’t really know those beyond our families and close friends? A whopping 85% of those polled believe we’re less connected with our neighbors today than 20 years ago.
It’s clear that we form communities differently now than in the past. Less talking over the backyard fence. More coming together online. That’s what hundreds of thousands of you have done by logging onto the ResponsibilityProject.com, to watch the films, read the blog, and take part in the ever-changing conversation about responsibility.
And while the Index tells us a little more about how we view responsibility from a statistical standpoint, the most valuable things we learn about responsibility are from each other. So thanks for your continued involvement in the Responsibility Project.
Tell us what you think: Do you think you’re more responsible now than you were five years ago? Do you believe most of the people around you are less responsible? Does knowing your neighbors matter any more?
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Comments
Coals of war fade out; the fire dies out
We have a moral responsibility to vote in people who are for America’s heritage—and her heritage is almost too good for some that enjoy its benefits. Many would do away with the raison d’etre of the United States of America: God, whose this planet is, is someone to enter into a relationship with; is a holy deity worthy of heartfelt worship and dedicated service.
I prefer to err on the side of caution and therefore would take the next-best to electing Ralph Nader. It would be good to have as a leader someone as upright a man of integrity. And while I’m not one to participate in whisperings and surmisings, still my distrust of America’s sly enemies is such that I would labor to admonish everyone that raises a lever to vote/casts a ballot to consider the imminent danger of having to wage war on our own turf, unless we take a firm hand with our adversaries overseas. Let’s hope that a nice diplomatic solution may be found and that the deluded populace will learn we didn’t arrive to steal the petroleum or to make them our vassals. And then the coals of war will indeed fade out.
ROSALIND Riesen | 1 year, 1 month ago
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CARING
Most of us think about what l can do for me. The WE does not play a big role in our everyday lives. Putting a complete stranger before yourself to most people sounds foolish. Try it sometime, it will make you feel wonderful about yourself.
People today are too self absorbed with their accumulating of STUFF once gotten and the eyes get accustomed to the new Stuff it’s on to the next new STUFF. And so it goes trapped by our own trappings.
What really matters are relationships person to person. On how we conduct ourselves on the human level in our daily lives. Measured by the giving not
always on the take.
Myr Sylvia Nielsen | 1 year, 1 month ago
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I think we should all be responsible, it is about time we stand up, and take responsibility. I just got through reading an article in our local paper, here in Sacramento, Ca. that your Company provided, which I think is outstanding. We need to do more for if we do, we would learn to care, which we don’t do enough of. This is why we are in the problems we are, we have the chance for “CHANGE” to become RESPONSIBLE!!!! I want to thank you. I realize I am only one person in this world, just think if we all become responsible, what we can do?
Anonymous | 10 months, 3 weeks ago
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There are 30 homes on our street in a 386-home neighborhood. My husband and I are fortunate that we know all of our neighbors on our street. We often have neighbors over and vice-versa. We enjoy walking down the street and being greeted with smiles of children and adults alike. We feel we are part of something greater than just us-a community. We look out for our neighbors and they do the same for us. That is our responsibility to ourselves and our neighbors. We create the world we want to live in. I believe we are off to a good start.
Anonymous | 10 months, 1 week ago
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my commute to work
This might seem off point, but…
I drive just about 1 hour one way to work each morning, then again at the end of the day. I commute with about 5000 other people on my particular route to work (I live in one of the top 10 largest cities in US).
It is my impression that more people are being responsible, just by judging the ‘attitude’ of my fellow commuters. This has been since about the middle of summer, when the price of gas started increasing and people started loosing their jobs around the country.
A sense of entitlement can lead to conflicts with ethics & morals, for any of us. With the downturn in the economy, I don’t think many people are feeling entitled.
While my particular state is still in good shape economically, I think people all around are saying, this is it, the time is now…back to the basics with money, time, family, and each other. We have a responsibility to each other to be nice.
elizabeth | 10 months ago
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Know your neighbors!!
I know I have always been responsible for my neighbors and the neighborhood, I guess it was the way I was raised. I don’t know if I would say that my neighbors are less responsible, but times are different. We are not raising our children to be responsible for their neighborhoods or the people in them, THROW AWAY YOUR TRASH instead of throwing it on the ground. You and your neighbors are supposed to be working together for safety, security and protection. The more we stand together the easier the fight for justice will become. Watch ALL the children, no matter who or where you are, they need us to make sure that nothing happens to them. RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS!! STAND UP AND TAKE YOUR PLACE!
Autumn Daley | 7 months ago
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