个人责任与社会环境

The concept of responsibility is a necessary fiction. Although socities must hold their individuals accountable for their own actions, people's behavior is largely determined by forces not of their own making.

In the title statement, the speaker holds the contention that the concept of 'individual responsibility' is no existence but a fiction. Moreover, the speaker says that the behaviors of human beings are fundamentally determined by the environment which out of their control. Admittedly, one's actions are deeply influenced by laws, societies, schools and families and other exterior forces; individual responsibility exists and functions as a significant role to rule people's behaviors as well.On one hand, the highest social animal as human being is, any individual has his specific role in a certain society. And this specific role gives one social identity and individual responsibility through education in schools and influence of ethical and moral standards. Though some times one would feel that the certain responsibility is obligation from the society and organizations rather than his 'individual responsibility' at first, in most cases, the accountability would presumably become one's own eventually followed by the final identification of his specific social identity, and then direct one's behaviors without the force from the exterior world. For example, a soldier would think it is his duty to obey the rules without any hesitation; a surgeon would consider healing the patients as his accountability; and a historian would feel it is his responsibility to discover what is behind the historical descriptions. In fact, different careers and roles form diverse individual responsibilities, which result in individuals'voluntary behaviors.

On the other hand, there are not only specific individual responsibilities in diverse areas but also some fundamental values and accountabilities, which we all human beings cherish. From the moment one can speak or even is born, the society begins to instill the moral and ethical standards, which is so called humanity in every one's mind. The older one is, the deeper influence the humanity would be. When one is just a little child, he would go directly to what he like and claim it. Then when he is old enough, he would realize that it is incorrect and ashamed. And because of the awareness of what is right and wrong, one would probably never do any misdeed again. Actually, humanity is just the common individual responsibility shared by all of us.