Freespace - Us versus society

MY father was a stern man. When my sibling was born, he took me aside and gave me "A Talk".
"You are the older sibling, and this gives you a responsibility. What this means is your sibling will always look up to you as an example, and you will have to lead, whether you like it or not."
I was three years old. However, the gist of what he was trying to convey, made an impression. On occasion, I wonder whether the old man was cracked in the head for initiating "A Talk" the very same age when I had just started to read.
The question of what my responsibilities were, was one that would be reinforced repeatedly throughout my life.
Whether it was to provide an example to my sibling, to look out for my younger cousins when they visited, or to select a course of study, I had to consider what I was created for and what therefore were my responsibilities to the world.
The question of what I am responsible for, is one that he demands of me, to this very day.
On occasion, I teach on topics related to social issues, and am therefore provided the privilege of observing how students frame and understand their surroundings.
In the classroom, we try to detect who it is who is responsible for the issues that ail us. Often, responsibility is attributed to "they" and "society".
When students are pressed on the spot, their definition of "they" starts to falter, particularly for scenarios representing issues that are less thought through.
Just as vague, is the concept of "society". In the midst of discussing issues, we have a tendency to forget that all of us who occupy the classroom are part of society too.
This vagueness is not limited to students in the classroom, for it extends to the rest of us at large. This is unfortunately understandable, given that it is easier to point the finger than to acknowledge one's complicity, in apportioning blame.
Divvying up responsibility in a manner that too easily absolves us is dangerous. There is the tendency to divide ourselves from society via neat categorisation into two camps: us and them.
Delegating one's responsibility to someone else may be seen as freeing, particularly if responsibility is seen to be a burden. However, intended or not, this can have the impact of dis-empowering who we are.
Being fearful of trouble is not always rational if it denies the truth of who we are, or if it gets in the way of speaking truth: particularly if we happen to hold the privilege of being able to speak in circumstances where others must remain silent.
The tempting perspective, to view one's responsibilities are "burdens" as liberating, may have the effect of denying us of our power.
We tell the young to clasp all opportunities to learn and grow, and to seize the occasional opportunity to do a bit of good for society (which includes our very selves, as part of society).
However, I wonder whether we make similar demands of ourselves.
My father tells me often that we live in different times. Therefore, what he means as a paternal figure and a man in society, may diverge from how I interpret the very same principles, as a woman of a different profession and separate generation.
What it means to take responsibility, is a question that I must continue to grapple with, for better or for worse. Given that messages are often lost in translation, I expect to fall short of my father's expectations. One can only aspire to live the spirit behind the question.
The writer is a teacher. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com