The standard response from those in the private sector was similar - "well it's not our fault either, and the country's in a financial mess because the public servant's are paid too much. They get too many sick days, or holidays, guaranteed pensions and jobs for life." The private sector maintain that they are the ones who created the economic boom and were paid for their efforts, while saying that the public sector didn't contribute to the boom yet they got massive increases in their salaries in the first benchmarking negotiations.
The Murphy report on the handling of the allegations of child sexual abuse has just been published and again we are into a round of recriminations and the blame game. It's the Bishop's fault, or the Gardai for not acting on their authority, or the Health Boards for not following up on reports. Once again anyone but me.
All of the above arguments have validity and if you take each one at face value, it seems to be reasonable. But what appears to be missing to me is the aspect of personal responsibility. We have an way about us in Ireland of saying "Sure it'll be grand". If you give it a while it will all blow over. But until we stand up and face reality, it won't blow over.
Yes the workers in the private sector worked hard and were rewarded for their efforst with higher salaries and bonuses. But we also took the cheap money from the banks and we decided that we really needed that new SUV, or the second home in Alicante or where ever was the in place to have a holiday home. In just the same way the workers in the private sector took the benchmarking increases for no equivalent increase in their productivity, in the main. Some in the public sector see their 15 or 20 days uncertidies sick leaveas a target in the same way as many of us looked on our credit card limits.
In the allegations about clerical abuse, we as a nation stood and did nothing while children were beaten, abused and raped. There was an attitude of laissez faire. Children who told adults, either parents or guardians, were often chastised for accusing poor father X of doing something horrendous. The Murphy report finally has acknowledged that all of these things happened. At the very least, those children, who for years have stood accused of misleading the authorities, have an open acknowledgement of their bravery.
But who can say that they were not aware that "something was wrong". How many of us stood by in the belief that someone else would do something about it. Which of those among us can say - "I didn't take that increase because I didn't do anything to deserve it" or "I don't need a 4 bedroom apartment or villa in Spain or Bulgaria that I might visit once a year".
There is also a tendency to let things go on the basis that we can blame society. "It's the way society has gone". Dictionary.com defines society as:
a highly structured system of human organization for large-scale community living that normally furnishes protection, continuity, security, and a national identity for its members:
So we need to ask ourselves did I furnish protection, continuity and security for all the members of my community? What part did I play in developing this society? Did I look the other way? Am I guilty by omission?
In each aspect of our lives we need to take responsibility for our inactions as well as our actions. In order for society to function, and we are society, each person must hold their hand up for their part in it, and be prepared to take the consequences of that. Each of us have options and choices available to us. Sometimes we make the wrong choice. That's OK. But when we do - it's our choice and our responsibility.
"Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually."
The Dalai Lama.
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