Hello everyone,
For today's topic, I'll be covering citizenship. Well, to start off I have never really thought about what it means to be a good citizen. I would say that one always grows up believing a good citizen is someone who acts in accordance with any kind of law. Whether it be your city's, parent's, or neighbor's law, as a kid that is what you grow up following ( or not following ). If you abide by these "rules" then you are seen as a good citizen of your city.
I would say that as people grow older, its not just about following rules. I would say a majority of people I know follow these rules, but I wouldn't consider them a great citizen. On the contrary, I would consider them, as one brother so eloquently put it, leeches. To "just live" in a town or city that gives its citizens so many benefits, well thats just parasitic in theory and practice. Now I do understand that American society is based around an individualistic nature and that anything you can get for free is considered great on a benefit to cost analysis. However, I believe in order to be an outstanding citizen you have to be active in helping your community
Another topic of consideration is how broad the term citizenship is to be applied. One can be a model citizen their family but not to their city, to their city and not their state, and to their state but not their country. All of these different communities have different requirements for citizenship. So when we are discussing what it means to be a model citizen, one has to consider the broad spectrum that the word can be applied to.
All of these things also go into how you act as a citizen. In the book it discusses that one must be empathetic in nature in ore to be a good citizen. To be able to understand others situations. Not just being openminded, but actually relate to others. This for me is probably the most difficult. Most people, especially growing up in the sheltered suburbs, cant relate to those in dire situations. But, as a model citizen that is what we are "called" to do.
On top of all of this, the last bit of citizenship I believe applies is not just being active yourself, but getting others to be active in your community as well. This shows how citizenship applies to being a leader. No matter how much you do in your community, if you can get others to join your plight you must be doing it in passionate way. This to me is key.
Anyways, I believe all of these different factors go into citizenship and define what it means to be a good citizen.
Loggin off,
Chris
I totally agree that the broad spectrum of being a "citizen" needs to be taken into consideration. I feel like being a good citizen to some, can seem like being a bad citizen to others. Its all a matter of perspective i guess.
ReplyDeleteAnd I also like how you describe a good citizen as someone who not only is involved themselves but, gets other people involved as well.
I like how you touched upon the "individualistic" attitude in society. I understand where that can be taken as a bad thing but that is what a lot of what the "American Dream" is based upon. Someone can come from nothing and develop themselves into having a very very comfortable (wealthy) life if they have the right attitude and work ethic. Without at least a little bit of an individuallistic mentality is it possible for someone to have an investment in the community as a whole?
ReplyDeleteI also liked the getting others to help out. Usually its contagious and all it takes is one person to blaze the trail. (This is a hint)
ReplyDeleteIt really is also all about giving back, otherwise you are a "leech". That analogy really hit home for me. Why squander what you have been given when you can work to improve something.