Personal Responsibility: Now I’m Really Scared

About 2 months ago I wrote an article titled, “What Has Happened to Personal Responsibility.” In it I wrote,

“What worries me most is that people who have led responsible lives will end up paying the bill for those who haven’t. And then, to compound the problem, these irresponsible people are passing on their legacy to their children.”

The article revolved around a story told to me by a friend. It was about a young girl who took out $100,000 in college loans and blew the money on an irresponsible lifestyle because her father advised her that she could declare bankruptcy and never pay back the money.

Of course, this turned out to be horrible advice since the new bankruptcy laws did not allow her to do this and she is now starting her working career with a huge debt that she’s paying off to the tune of $1,200 per month.

Now if you think that’s frightening, here’s the real scary part. One of my readers, Andrea Gold, President of Gold Star Speakers Bureau wrote to me recently with this:

“I thought I’d get a young person’s take on your article, which I found relevant (In other words, she agreed with me). This is from someone I know in Tucson who is 23 years old.”

“I think that each person should have the choice to live their lives in whatever manner they choose to, and within doing so should not be judged for their choices. The people, such as this author who are ‘worried’ that they are going to end up paying for others choices, are in all reality just judging other people who do not make the same choice as them. I think that passing judgment on other people is equally, and or more detrimental than not taking responsibility.”

Whoa! Now I’m really scared. In other words, this woman wants to be able to live her life however she chooses and we’re not allowed to judge her even if we have to pay for her actions. In other words, she wants all the rights without any of the responsibilities. My question is am I not allowed to live my life however I choose? I can’t if I have to also be responsible for someone else’s choices. If you want me to be responsible for the choices you make, aren’t I allowed to have a say in how you make them?

If the woman who took out the student loans would have been allowed to file for bankruptcy, the rest of us would have been paying for her “choice.” How you ask? How about higher interest rates on student loans of the responsible people to help pay for delinquents! Banks don’t like losing money; they’ll just make up their losses on the rest of us.

I have no problem with people living their lives in whatever manner they choose as long as they also understand that they are responsible for those choices.

Under things that sound dumb, but are true:

If youwant to dance to the music, youbetter pay the piper.