I'm entitled, You Should, I demand, It's not fair

I wonder what happened. I wonder how it happened. When did people begin to decide that the Government / Council / Power that be / had ultimate responsibility for their life?

What do I mean?

It seems that many people now expect that the 'Government' should become a kind of surrogate parent providing all that is required for a full and fulfilling life. Money, housing, opportunity even food, clothing and happines; all should be entitled as a right to have these things and if a person can't get them for themselves, the Government should provide.

Yet, these people (and I meet many), consider themselves to be adult, consider that they are in charge of their life, consider that intrusion into how they live their life is unwarranted.

So to an outside viewer they might appear to be more like a petulant teenager than an adult accepting responsibility for their own actions. They ask for lots, give little and accept little responsibility for the outcome of their actions. This sounds more like a 14 year child testing the boundries of childish demands with the desires of a young adult.

Transactional Analysis provides a useful model for this. If one person adopts the child like postion of being demanding, needing constant attention and not able to or unwilling to accept responsibility, the other party in the relationship is almost forced into the position of being the parental provider. (An alternative would have an adult to adult discussion about who can provide help in times of difficulty and who has responsibility for what.)

You can find lots more about Eric Bearne (who first came up with this idea) and Transactional Analysis here: http://www.ericberne.com/transactional_analysis_description.htm

So here is your thought for the day; are you or someone you know demanding that others provide? Are you or someone you know not taking responsibility for what happens in life?

If that is the case, you or they have given someone else (or some organisation) a veto over your happiness and wellbeing. If that organisation is a council or Government what do you suppose is the likelihood of them caring about you deeply enough to consider your happiness. Hint, it's close to zero.

So this morning, today, I urge you to take the controls of your life. To take responsibility for your actions, to become the adult in the transactional analysis diagram, to decide that no one will have a veto on your potential for happiness.

It will not be easy, you will slip and fall but the great advantage is that when you take back control and responsibility for your life, you will find the ability and resources that you need. That may be charity, friendship, courage, drive or determination but the pay-off is HUGE.

Will you do it?