responsibility follow-up

[Adam Blatner]

Thinking about this: 
    1. Moreno's claim we're responsible for the whole universe.
    2. Peter's observation May 05: I was in a Non Violent Communication (NVC) workshop yesterday - and they have the opposite belief - that each person has absolutely no responsibility for anyone else - though I didn't go deep enough to see whether this is an assertion that they want people to take up or whether they actually believe it. It leads to a certain type of intimacy and a certain type of isolation which I found anti-Morenian. However interesting ways of using language were presented - and of course they stopped at empathy rather than role reversal. But you can see, Adam, where Moreno's dictum, wonderfully overblown as it is  -  is a powerful antidote/contrary idea to that one.
           Adam: This contrary assertion throws into contrast the ideal of responsibility and reveals its problem:
   There is a desire or willingness to participate in addressing this or that problem---and communicating and following up on that desire.
    There is a recognition of non-control, and an associate recognition that one can not be "fully" responsible for that which is not fully in his or her control. 
           So responsibility isn't something can be done "fully."
 
       Rather, it is also a responsibility to recognize limitations of what can be and/or should even be attempted to be controlled.
           And sometimes the kindest, most politically wise thing to recognize that one should not try to force, explain interminably, hector, coerce, lecture, and in other ways try to get one's way in all cases. (Much less declare war.)

         Interesting point, addressing as I also do the seductiveness of seemingly noble words. 

   Warmly, Adam
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