civic responsibility

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Exploring the Sense of Civic Responsibility

As citizens of the United States , it is not enough that we just become law-abiding people and follow what the constitution tells us . It is essential , too , that we bear in mind some virtues that promote civic responsibility . We can do this by being involved in addressing social problems in an informed and positive manner within our community . For a community to exist and be sustained , members must share common goals and values aimed at increasing

the quality of life within the community . No one should be surprised that in a community where competitive and individualistic values are taught , people behave in accordance with such values . When that happens in a society , for example , people may stop obeying the law . Running stoplights may become a common occurrence because the individualist thinks it rational to arrive at the destination sooner . If someone is killed , it will be a pedestrian , not the driver . But , each of us is at some time a pedestrian . This is why a community cannot be maintained , unless members value others and the community as a whole , as well as themselves

Civic responsibility is defined as the active participation in the public life of a community , in an informed , committed , and constructive manner , with a focus on the common good (Gottlieb and Robinson , 2002 In any nation that embraces democracy , civic responsibility need to be instilled among the people so that mutual respect can be promoted and unity can be achieved . We all know that democracy cannot flourish if there are deep levels of hostility , animosity , and dislike among its citizens . If citizens are indifferent and uncaring about each other 's plight and circumstances , a democracy will not last . Children and adolescents need to have the experiences necessary to build a caring commitment to all citizens within our society . Urie Bronfrenbrenner (1979 ) stated that

No society can long sustain itself unless its members have learned the sensitivities , motivations , and skills involved in assisting and caring for other human beings . It is possible for a person of 18 years of age to graduate from high school without even having had to do a piece of work on which someone else truly depended . without ever having cared for , or even held , a baby without ever having looked after someone who was old , ill , or lonely or without having comforted or assisted another human being who really needed help (p . 53

An important aspect of caring about other people is civility . Civility is more than politeness and good manners . It is a reflection of conscious intention and awareness of the value and worth of the other person . Genuine civility is how human beings relate to and support one another for the common good . However , Louis Gawthrop (1984 ) coined the term ethic of civility ' in which we he stated that most citizens function under the rule of law , based on written codes and standards rather than of people . We...