A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control

**Shiro** · 05-28-2005, 02:08 PM

People must be held responsible for their actions, and must do all they can to 1) ensure that they have positive results, and 2) to avoid negative ones. This is a straight-up given. With great power comes great responsibility, so ideally, with great responsibility should come an appropriate amount of control over the end result of the handling of that responsibility.

However not EVERYTHING that goes wrong is necessarily a person's fault. A person might have tried to do right, taking what steps were necessary to do so, and wrong resulted in some undetermined fashion.

If culpability is disproportionately low, it empowers those who want to abuse the system, make bullshit excuses and weasel their way out of responsibility. If control is disproportionately low, it renders impotent those who actually want to do right, but are impeded by some factor that they need to be able to control in order to do so. Therefore to adequately determine the level of onus on a person, there must be a balance between culpability and control.

If a person knows that an action has a high level of culpability involved. That is, they are in BIG trouble if it doesn't work, then control is dependent on whether or not they have the option of whether or not to take that course of action.

However, if that person knows that they have a lot of sway over the end result of something, then the level of culpability is entirely based on the potential for knowledge about that course of action and whether or not they are willing to achieve and able to use that knowledge.

One prime example of high Cu/low Co has to do with psychological disorders. Many can lead to extremely bad things that have strong negative effects, but in some cases the best efforts of those who suffer from them end up being wasted. Legally, however, the end result is dangerous enough to warrant high culpability.

One prime example of the reverse has to do with certain areas of public figures. Usually, they have a lot of money, power and influence (High Co), and they often do things that will cause problems, often toward some self-serving goal. However, by some factor of their influence, power and/or money, they manage to maintain a low Cu.

Discuss.

**Aelyn** · 05-28-2005, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiro

[snip]

Any reason for posting this? Some bastard weaselled out of responsibility for something that affected you? The fear of unfair punishment paralyzed you and stopped you from doing something? Or was it just that you had a discussion about it earlier with some friends, and would appreciate a wider viewpoint?

**Mr. Pokemon** · 05-28-2005, 02:20 PM

tl;dr

**Shiro** · 05-28-2005, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aelyn

Any reason for posting this? Some bastard weaselled out of responsibility for something that affected you? The fear of unfair punishment paralyzed you and stopped you from doing something? Or was it just that you had a discussion about it earlier with some friends, and would appreciate a wider viewpoint?

C, and I've been pondering it for the past few months. And in some cases I'd rather not drama up this thread with, there has been some A and B.

**Ohtarello** · 05-28-2005, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiro

C, and I've been pondering it for the past few months. And in some cases I'd rather not drama up this thread with, there has been some A and B.

Uh-uh. If were going to have a discussion about personal responsibility, I've gotta hear some bitching.

**fro** · 05-28-2005, 03:22 PM

boners

**Vandermonde** · 05-28-2005, 03:28 PM

I'm totally abdicating respobsiblity for reading that post.

**Ohtarello** · 05-28-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandermonde

I'm totally abdicating respobsiblity for reading that post.

I'll take Vander's post reading culpability.

**BossHoggAtog** · 05-28-2005, 05:15 PM

Dang.

I thought this was about copper and cobalt.

**Dantes** · 05-28-2005, 05:22 PM

penis

**rooser** · 05-28-2005, 07:44 PM

:/

In Arizona, if you're a pedestrian and you're in the street, and you're not at an intersection/crosswalk, and a car hits you, it's your fault. How's that for personal responsibility?

**Ransom** · 05-28-2005, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rooser

:/

In Arizona, if you're a pedestrian and you're in the street, and you're not at an intersection/crosswalk, and a car hits you, it's your fault. How's that for personal responsibility?

In Portland, a motorist is nearly always the one held responsible for the collision. As a result, I've seen people casually stroll across busy streets when the "Don't Walk" signal is active. How's that for lack of personal responsibility?

**Jentsu** · 05-28-2005, 07:56 PM

I can't be held responsible for not reading this.

**rooser** · 05-28-2005, 08:23 PM

Oh, and in America, if you sue somebody, and then lose, then you're required to pay all of your opponent's legal fees.

Except for that you're not.

**sidar** · 05-28-2005, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rooser

Oh, and in America, if you sue somebody, and then lose, then you're required to pay all of your opponent's legal fees.

Yep. And that's perfectly fair. All we need are more frivilous suits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jentsu

I can't be held responsible for not reading this.

Ignorant foo'

05-28-2005, 02:08 PM	#1
Shiro The 10th Reindeer Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 1,483	A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control People must be held responsible for their actions, and must do all they can to 1) ensure that they have positive results, and 2) to avoid negative ones. This is a straight-up given. With great power comes great responsibility, so ideally, with great responsibility should come an appropriate amount of control over the end result of the handling of that responsibility. However not EVERYTHING that goes wrong is necessarily a person's fault. A person might have tried to do right, taking what steps were necessary to do so, and wrong resulted in some undetermined fashion. If culpability is disproportionately low, it empowers those who want to abuse the system, make bullshit excuses and weasel their way out of responsibility. If control is disproportionately low, it renders impotent those who actually want to do right, but are impeded by some factor that they need to be able to control in order to do so. Therefore to adequately determine the level of onus on a person, there must be a balance between culpability and control. If a person knows that an action has a high level of culpability involved. That is, they are in BIG trouble if it doesn't work, then control is dependent on whether or not they have the option of whether or not to take that course of action. However, if that person knows that they have a lot of sway over the end result of something, then the level of culpability is entirely based on the potential for knowledge about that course of action and whether or not they are willing to achieve and able to use that knowledge. One prime example of high Cu/low Co has to do with psychological disorders. Many can lead to extremely bad things that have strong negative effects, but in some cases the best efforts of those who suffer from them end up being wasted. Legally, however, the end result is dangerous enough to warrant high culpability. One prime example of the reverse has to do with certain areas of public figures. Usually, they have a lot of money, power and influence (High Co), and they often do things that will cause problems, often toward some self-serving goal. However, by some factor of their influence, power and/or money, they manage to maintain a low Cu. Discuss. __________________ Phasing.

05-28-2005, 03:22 PM	#6
fro alcoholic Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,938	Re: A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control boners

05-28-2005, 03:28 PM	#7
Vandermonde (-horrible rape radius-) Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 8,633	Re: A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control I'm totally abdicating respobsiblity for reading that post. __________________ Vandermonde, That awful taste in your mouth first thing in the morning.

05-28-2005, 05:22 PM	#10
Dantes Infinite fist of chaos Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 17,565	Re: A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control penis __________________ . Don't make me retcon punch your mom. Cocky Ace Pilot of the Rebel Alliance. Honor Bugman, for he fought bravely and well.

05-28-2005, 07:44 PM	#11
rooser raises eyebrow Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,203	Re: A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control :/ In Arizona, if you're a pedestrian and you're in the street, and you're not at an intersection/crosswalk, and a car hits you, it's your fault. How's that for personal responsibility? __________________ It's true.

05-28-2005, 07:56 PM	#13
Jentsu -_- Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 4,708	Re: A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control I can't be held responsible for not reading this.

05-28-2005, 08:23 PM	#14
rooser raises eyebrow Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,203	Re: A Treatise on Responsibility, Culpability and Control Oh, and in America, if you sue somebody, and then lose, then you're required to pay all of your opponent's legal fees. Except for that you're not. __________________ It's true.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode