Social Responsibility
Week 1 Discussion
My definition of social responsibility is being aware that every action you take (and equally, every action you do not take) impacts someone else. Examples of this can be seen in the book, "The Butterfly Effect" by Andy Andrews. In this book, the author discusses the hypothesis proposed by a doctoral student that a butterfly could flap its wings and set in motion molecules of air that would move other molecules of air, eventually capable of causing a hurricane on the other side of the earth (Andrews, 2009). Seemingly preposterous, until thirty years later when physics professors from colleges and universities around the world came to the conclusion that "The Butterfly Effect" was indeed possible and it has since been accorded the status of a law known as "The Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions."
If we live life with this law in mind, we understand how much even the smallest actions we take can have on our surroundings and the people we come in contact with. Whether it was Rosa Parks refusing to move from her seat on a bus one day or whether a sixty-eight year old widow who continually encouraged Virginia Ramirez to go back to school (Loeb, 2010) our actions can be the catalyst to positive change in our or someone else 's environment.
One of the ways I am using this theory is in my workplace. I have inherited an office full of discipline issues and employees who have learned to point fingers of blame instead of taking personal responsibility for their situations. I want them to see that they can be affectors instead of infectors and that they can have a positive influence no matter what their job title.
References:
Andrews, A. (2009). The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters. Naperville. Simple Truths, LLC.
Loeb, P.R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction inchallenging times. New York. St. Martin 's Press.
My definition of social responsibility is being aware that every action you take (and equally, every action you do not take) impacts someone else. Examples of this can be seen in the book, "The Butterfly Effect" by Andy Andrews. In this book, the author discusses the hypothesis proposed by a doctoral student that a butterfly could flap its wings and set in motion molecules of air that would move other molecules of air, eventually capable of causing a hurricane on the other side of the earth (Andrews, 2009). Seemingly preposterous, until thirty years later when physics professors from colleges and universities around the world came to the conclusion that "The Butterfly Effect" was indeed possible and it has since been accorded the status of a law known as "The Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions."
If we live life with this law in mind, we understand how much even the smallest actions we take can have on our surroundings and the people we come in contact with. Whether it was Rosa Parks refusing to move from her seat on a bus one day or whether a sixty-eight year old widow who continually encouraged Virginia Ramirez to go back to school (Loeb, 2010) our actions can be the catalyst to positive change in our or someone else 's environment.
One of the ways I am using this theory is in my workplace. I have inherited an office full of discipline issues and employees who have learned to point fingers of blame instead of taking personal responsibility for their situations. I want them to see that they can be affectors instead of infectors and that they can have a positive influence no matter what their job title.
References:
Andrews, A. (2009). The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters. Naperville. Simple Truths, LLC.
Loeb, P.R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction inchallenging times. New York. St. Martin 's Press.
References: Andrews, A. (2009). The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters. Naperville. Simple Truths, LLC. Loeb, P.R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction inchallenging times. New York. St. Martin 's Press.