Personal Responsibility

 

            People like being told what to do. Aung San Suu Kyi says it is easier for a ruler to ignore the needs of the weak than to respond to their needs. Is it not also easier for a society to escape the responsibility of making a decision and accepting their influence on the repercussions by electing a leader? This leads to tyranny, and is how these tyrants acquire so much power. They relieve their subjects of freedom in return for services such as security or education. Simon Bolivar is correct in his statement that “people rather than governments repeatedly drag tyranny in their train”. People encourage tyranny with their lack of motivation to do what is necessary to sustain a moral system of government.

            Is this dilemma a conscious decision or a flaw in human nature? In the book The Kite Runner there is a character who openly accepts his status in society even though he is oppressed without the right to an education because he was born a Hazra versus being born a Shi’ ai like his masters. What is more intriguing about this character is his happiness. Solely his role is to serve his masters whom he does not receive a just amount of respect for doing. There seems to be comfort in always knowing what your purpose is and this character seemed to enjoy sacrificing his freedoms in order to display his loyalty.