The idea of accepting personal responsibility for anything seems to have gone the same way as straw hat and white gloves with a summer dress, an anachronism that we barely remember and cannot begin to conjure up an explanation for.

Polly Samson clearly sees herself as the victim and graciously accepts the commiserations of her fan club as she bemoans the fate of her ‘poor gentle boy’, incarcerated by the overbearing state she wishes to see enlarged … perhaps in his Harry Potter reincarnation conjured up for the TV news as he went to court, complete with suitably studious rimless glasses, she was able to convince herself that he was either poor or gentle:

[blackbirdpie id=”91893126519730177″]

But the unwashed version, holding a rock and a red flag that appeared in the national papers should surely have introduced a spot of self recrimination in her victimhood? Perhaps she should not have left learning the meaning of the cenotaph to Cambridge University at such a late stage in his life? Perhaps she could have done that spot of educating herself?

But then it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t recognise the cenotaph, it was all the fault of the LSD, Valium and Whisky that he had combined before his ‘student riot’ excursion.

It wasn’t even his responsibility that he had taken that cocktail – that was the responsibility of his natural father who had written an e-mail to him that he disliked. I haven’t yet uncovered whose fault it was that Father had penned that missive, but no doubt it was down to the Gas Board wrongly calculating his bill that month…..

A few doors away from us, a holiday home recently changed hands. The previous incumbent was sadly diagnosed with breast cancer, and decided to retreat back to the NHS rather than grapple with the French language and avail herself of the excellent French medical service. C’est sa vie.

A long standing row had been ranging with her neighbour, another holiday home only occupied six weeks of the year, over the level of noise made by the lavatory if you please. No sooner had the new owner – a delightful permanent resident –moved in, than the holiday residents appeared for their annual six week stay.

The new owner was aware that they had complained to the Notaire about this problem wasn’t she? No. But they had left strict instructions with the Estate Agent that any prospective purchasers were to be made aware that they required the bathroom to be moved and the wall soundproofed! Sheesh!

‘B-b-b-ut, the wall has two sides’ said I, in my simplistic way, ‘why don’t they just soundproof their side of the wall if they are that bothered?’ Why should they, was the general response, it’s not their fault that she doesn’t go to bed until 11 0’clock at night and then flushes the loo……..

Everything is someone else’s fault, not your responsibility.

In England, Minister’s are ‘shamed’ by the 8% increase in the number of plastic bags on beaches. It is not the fault of those who throw their bags away on beaches, it is the fault of ministers who have failed in their task of banning the public from access to these bags.

Jake Davis emerges from Westminster Magistrates Court in designer sunglasses, waving the fashionable white flag of Autism to the assembled press – ‘it’s not my fault’, autism made me hack….

In America, a man is suing the Hilton Hotel Group for 5 million dollars compensation for leaving a ‘free’ newspaper outside his bedroom door, he didn’t want it, wasn’t interested in US news – Such “offensive waste of precious resources and energy” undermines government policy “to avoid unnecessary waste and accumulation of garbage, to conserve energy sources and to protect the environment from unnecessary and unreasonable impact,” he said.

Against this background, Guido ‘Don Quixote’ Fawkes is tilting at Capital Punishment, ‘Bring Back Hanging’ – the ultimate example of taking personal responsibility; he must be joking! Nice idea Guido, but you would have more chance of bringing back the hat and white gloves….

We might have judges happy to sentence elderly ladies to death because its ‘not their fault’ that they can’t make the decision that they want to die themselves…but heaven forbid that we should become a country where murderers take responsibility for their actions.

Zaphod August 4, 2011 at 18:02

@Bobo, I sometimes get quite angry about things that do not inconvenience
me personally. Don’t you? Principle?

Although I don’t appear to agree with C G’s politics, (understatment!) I
still think the punishment was extremely disproportionate.

Bobo August 4, 2011 at 09:10

What , exactly, was Charlie Gilmour rioting about? His father is a
multi-millionaire. The royalities from ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ alone will keep
Charlie and all the other little Gilmours in LSD, private education, and
floppy haircuts unto the nth generation. Whatever additional financial burden
the ‘cuts’ will place on Mater and Pater Gilmour’s resources is approx one
squillionth of their net wealth and Charlie, for all his gormlessness, must
know this.

Zaphod August 3, 2011 at 20:22

I consider Charlie Gilmour’s punishment to be grossly disproportionate, and
counter-productive.

I haven’t done the research that L Doherty requires, though. So maybe I’m
just axe-grinding, and should shut up?

Who the hell is Mr Doherty, that any of us should be reprimanded by
him?

L Doherty August 3, 2011 at 12:00

If you think you’re “leading the field with responsible ‘racoontage’”,
whatever that means, then surely the onus is on you to accurately report what
Charlie Gilmour was charged with, which was violent disorder, and on which he
was found guilty – on two counts, only one of which was proven. Get your facts
straight Ms Raccoon – it’s obvious you’re just axe-grinding without bothering
to research your story.

Anna
Raccoon August 3, 2011 at 12:59

Mr Docherty, I think you will find there are no ‘incorrect facts’ in that
piece. I am not a ‘reporter’, I am a commentator. As such I am entitled to
comment on whether Ms Samson bears any responsibility for Charlie’s reported
comments that he did not know what the cenotaph was – and under no
obligation whatsoever to ‘accurately report’ what he was charged with – I
made no comment on ‘what he was charged with’. You may be used to some
publicity that reflects your requirements, but you are in the Blogosphere
now – and we write what we want, not what we are told to.

Gildas the Monk
August 2, 2011 at 20:25

Spot on!

Matt
Wardman August 2, 2011 at 23:26

Aha. I got your avatar, Gildas.

Tis a monk in a Scriptorium.

I had it down as a selfish Oran-Utan with a banana.

honestbroker
August 2, 2011 at 18:41

I must pop by my GP surgery for a prescription for more blood pressure
tablets and it’s all Anna’s fault — she’s back raising it again …

Good to see you back and in such fine form, Anna. Hope you’re feeling much
better.

I shan’t sue, honest …

JuliaM August 2,
2011 at 17:33

And that US court case should be thrown out as vexatious litigation,
surely?

JuliaM August 2,
2011 at 17:31

“Everything is someone else’s fault, not your responsibility.”

Spot on!

Ed P August 2, 2011 at 17:26

I gave up caring about Gilmour when it emerged he was studying history, but
did not know the significance of the Cenotaph. The dumbing down/lefty
political infiltration of education has allowed such ignorance, even amongst
the students at top universities. I hope Gove sorts out the curriculum
soon!

the doctor August 2, 2011 at 17:10

I do so hope that you are feeling better , I look forward to hearing of
your hospital experiences .

Spiral Architect
August 2, 2011 at 16:11

I should perhaps add that the lack of dignity in blaming others for one’s
misfortunes and misadventures is extremely cloying, and betrays both cheapness
and weakness in society.

No doubt many will say that in keeping emotions in check and personal
feelings, well, personal, Britain (and the British) were too uptight, too
repressed.

Along with a few other factors – such as ascedency of female and homosexual
rights – then came the death of Princess Diana and it became suddenly
acceptable, almost obligatory in fact, to emote in streams. It seems that it
is also far preferable that this to be done in full public view.

Are we so unhappy, so insecure, so weak that we need to unburden ourselves
in front of strangers? Are the opinion-formers so strong that they can
convince people that this is normal, healthy and desirable?

If so, we are truly Donald Ducked – read the obituaries in the Daily
Telegraph of men and women who achieved great things in the adversity of war –
real adversity, not just having one’s feeling hurt by an ‘uncaring boss’. Read
how these people were courageous, unselfish, clever, loyal and unflagging in
their efforts, and read how post-war, they steeled themselves to lead
dignified, productive and selfless lives whilst keeping the horrors of what
they had seen and done to themselves or at least to the company of their
fellow comrades and close family.

I despair at modern Britain – although the England cricket team is
restoring my morale.

Spiral Architect
August 2, 2011 at 15:45

Can’t quite get to the bottom of your neighbours’ travails but your other
examples are pertinent.

Absolutely, life is so smooth when we can blame somebody/something else
when things do not go according to plan.

Charlie Gilmour has the perfect right to protest about what he perceives as
injustice, but he must do so within the confines of the law. People are also
reasonably free to take protest beyond this boundary, but must surely do so in
the full knowledge and acceptance of any consequences; want to throw large
rocks at policemen? Fine, but don’t whinge if they turn up and smack you on
the head with a truncheon. Want to insult the war dead to make your point?
Fine, but know this, such actions are abhorrent to the vast majority of the
population, and should you get caught – expect this abhorrence to be reflected
in the position adopted by the judge/magistrate.

Simple isn’t it? Not for the likes of Gilmour, Samson and sympathisers it
appears.

No doubt it is not just Charlie Gilmour who is looking to blame somebody
else; it seems that Polly Samson cannot accept that her failings as a mother
to teach her son right from wrong are contributory to the pickle he finds
himself in.

In all truth, I have no idea how the mind of people like that work. But it
is entirely correct that people who assume responsibility for their actions
begin to question the actions of the feckless, reckless, idle and
self-indulged.

Let’s hope a wee spell in chokey will help them both understand what it
means to be a responsible citizen.