Monday, November 30, 2009
Post No. 141: Is Taking Full Responsibility Ever Enough?
A prominent person in society once said, “Never complain. Never explain.”
Day in and day out, we engage our readers in a discussion about personal responsibility. The following is the official statement, wherein he takes full and sole responsibility for his recent traffic incident, proffered by golfer Tiger Woods.
Is this good enough?
“As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week, and sustained some injuries. I have some cuts, bruising and right now I'm pretty sore.
“This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again.
“This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible.
“The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble.
“She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.
“This incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.”
Are you satisfied, and if not, why not?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The explanation (which is really a non-explanation) makes no sense. I can't even piece together a likely scenario from what I've heard so far. I'm completely baffled.
ReplyDeleteVery few people in American society take responsibility for their conduct. That's significantly because taking full responsibility doesn't get one anywhere in this world. People are most interested in JUDGING your conduct and determining whether there is a way in which they condemn that conduct. This attitude significant stems from the religious underpinnings of our society, and the competition to get into heaven, and avoid hell.
ReplyDeleteYou folks hypocritically talk all day and night about personal responsibility, but that is always a poor route to take, if you're savvy. Listen to all of the PR professionals on the news show talk about how poor a job Tiger has done in managing this issue. Because he has not told people what they WANT to hear in order to be able to move on.
It's about what gets it done to ensure minimal damage, not about doing what is right, which gets people ahead in America.
Rodak: Why do you or society need to be provided with a likely scenario?
ReplyDeleteWould you or society prefer that he provide one even if it were not true?
The explanation Tiger Woods gave for the incident may be completely true and yet is not a description of what happened. For the most part I don't think it is anyone's business just because he is a celebrity and subject to constant scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Tiger Woods could clear this whole thing up simply by showing us his birth certificate?
ReplyDeleteInspector--
ReplyDeleteTiger Woods owes me nothing, including an explanation. But since the whole talking world is going to be discussing this incident non-stop for the immediate future, I might just as well try to develop an interest in it. Tiger Woods is the only contemporary pro golfer whose name and face I recognize. I'm not a fan. I have very little interest in him and/or his life. But now he's in my face, so long as I watch my daily cable news/talk menu. That's the world we live in.
define "full reesponsibility", he asked (a bit facetiously).
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the true and whole story is. I suspect it is embarrassing to Woods and his family. Or we'd have heard a full accounting. If he wasn't world famous, or even a minor celeb, it wouldn't be news and most of us wouldn't give it half a thought. Maybe we still shouldn't.
Who the heck did he hurt in the one car accident? No property was damaged but his own,it was he who was injured. It happened on his property and he is paying a fine. This should be the end of the story but it won't be. Unlucky for Mr.Woods that the Pope didn't decide to take up ballroom dancing as a hobby. That would get the press off him for a few days.
ReplyDeleteWe'd be curious to see an analysis of how much media air time, virtual space, hard copy space, and radio time was spent on the escalation of our efforts in Afghanistan versus the Woods story.
ReplyDeleteInspector--
ReplyDeleteTiger Woods owes me nothing, including an explanation. But since the whole talking world is going to be discussing this incident non-stop for the immediate future, I might just as well try to develop an interest in it. Tiger Woods is the only contemporary pro golfer whose name and face I recognize. I'm not a fan. I have very little interest in him and/or his life. But now he's in my face, so long as I watch my daily cable news/talk menu. That's the world we live in.
The explanation Tiger Woods gave for the incident may be completely true and yet is not a description of what happened. For the most part I don't think it is anyone's business just because he is a celebrity and subject to constant scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteRodak: Why do you or society need to be provided with a likely scenario?
ReplyDeleteWould you or society prefer that he provide one even if it were not true?