No Man Is An Island ... More Than Just a Simon & Garfunkle Song

Why is it everyone wants the freedom to do or say whatever they want, whenever they want, but don't want to be held personally accountable for their own actions, words or thoughts?

I'm all for freedom and I'll be the first to get my dander up if I feel one of our liberties, rights, or privileges are being infringed upon (yeah, I'm one of "those." I don't like big government, no matter what party it is, and I hold the Constitution of the United States as it was originally written and intended to be one of the most sacred - for lack of a better term - documents we have.) However, I'm not talking about political ideologies.

I post the question on a personal level. I want to challenge people to think about the ramifications of their words, actions, and thoughts because they DO affect all those around them - whether intended to or not. 

Why do we act with such bravado, then get angry when someone asks us to explain ourselves? Are we so distorted by pride that we feel we are above being questioned for our own actions or words? I pondered this thought and came to some conclusions for myself, whether or not anyone else agrees.

We know there are two kinds of pride. One type is the pride you feel in doing something well, or when your child or someone you love has accomplished something at which they have been working, or it is what you feel with the person you love or admire because they exemplify solid character, etc.

The other type of pride is the kind that warps reality. It blinds people to their real condition. Pride is the root cause of not being able to admit when we are wrong. Pride causes us to focus on the faults in others so we can feel better about ourselves. "At least I'm not like so-and-so!" Pride is false confidence, which is why some people get angry when they are questioned about their actions, words, or beliefs.

I would venture to say that anyone who is not willing to be held PERSONALLY accountable for their actions, words, thoughts, or beliefs is acting out of self-centeredness and pride rather than true confidence. When someone truly knows or believes something, they don't feel defensive about that thing. It just IS. Truth cannot be changed. You can disagree with it, dislike it, war against it, or pretend it doesn't exist ... but it cannot be changed.

This brings me back to my original point. Everything we do affects someone or something. We cannot act irresponsibly in the name of freedom, and we cannot refuse to give account for ourselves, for that would be anarchy. We are not demi-gods who have the self-appointed right to do or say whatever, whenever, to whomever, then dare anyone to say one word to the contrary.

This type of mindset and behavior requires no thinking. It stubbornly refuses true self-reflection because it doesn't want to see any personal faults. How do we grow if we don't take an honest self-assessment on occasion? You can't leave rotten fish in the refrigerator without it stinking up the whole kitchen! We are all mortal humans and we all have rotten fish that needs to be thrown out from time to time, and we are not above reproach or beyond question.

Intelligent people question until they find an answer. When they arrive at the truth, they can hold to it with pure confidence. They are not shaken by being questioned and are more than willing to be personally accountable. Truth is never intimidated.