I hear adults in their 50 and 60s blaming or praising their parents/teachers/siblings for the way their lives turned out and I can't stop wondering where is that elusive boundary between upbringing and the choices we make. Unlike canned food, upbringing doesn't come with an expiry date. Its impact diminishes with time, making room for personal responsibility. Or does it?
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Upbringing vs.Personal Responsibility
I hear adults in their 50 and 60s blaming or praising their parents/teachers/siblings for the way their lives turned out and I can't stop wondering where is that elusive boundary between upbringing and the choices we make. Unlike canned food, upbringing doesn't come with an expiry date. Its impact diminishes with time, making room for personal responsibility. Or does it?
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2 comments:
Absolutely! I'm sick of this, too! Whatever happened in your childhood, well... you're an adult now. You can make choices about what you do, eat, study, etc.
Its impact should, but doesn't always, for the simple reason that life doesn't always operate by the rules we think it should.
It depends partly on what the childhood experiences were, and individual character and personality.
Personal responsibility is a great slogan for a bumper sticker, but to quote two old Middle Eastern proverbs
Kama tadun tudana (as you judge, so will you be judged)
Al tadun et haverha ad shtaamod bimkomo
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