Quotes about responsibility
page 35

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj photo

“Of course, when you are in office, you have certain responsibilities. But when you are out of office, you also have more freedom to express your ideas.”

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj (1963) Mongolian politician

Source: "When You Live Next to an Autocracy" in The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/12/china-democracy-mongolia/617391/ (15 December 2020)

“I did not expect that God would act so quickly in my life. Building my relationship with God, I have never envisioned myself as a bishop. To be one is a great privilege and responsibility. From the human perspective, it is a very challenging life.”

Karol Kulczycki (1966) Polish Roman Catholic prelate, working in Australia, who was been bishop of Port Pirie since 2020

Source: Statement from Bishop-Elect Karol Kulczycki SDS https://www.pp.catholic.org.au/__files/d/9824/Statement%20from%20Bishop-Elect%20Karol%20Kulczycki.pdf (1 August 2020)

Franjo Tuđman photo

“Many people operate as if there are two separate and equal sources of information—the self and others, where the number of others is irrelevant. The result is a “truly” false-consensus effect in the context of knowing one’s own plus a certain number of others’ responses.”

Robyn Dawes (1936–2010) American psychologist

Source: Everyday Irrationality: How Pseudo-Scientists, Lunatics, and the Rest of Us Systematically Fail to Think Rationally (2001), Chapter 8, “Connecting Ourselves with Others, Without Recourse to a Good Story” (p. 148)

Arulselvam Rayappan photo
Joe Biden photo

“[W]hen people talk about climate, I think jobs. Within our climate response lies an extraordinary engine of job creation and economic opportunity ready to be fired up.”

Joe Biden (1942) 47th Vice President of the United States (in office from 2009 to 2017)

2021, April 2021
Source: 22 April 2021 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/04/22/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-virtual-leaders-summit-on-climate-opening-session/

Vera Stanley Alder photo
Liu Wen (model) photo

“My responsibility as a supermodel is to put fame aside and use my actions to encourage those who might need support, so that others also feel motivated on their own journeys.”

Liu Wen (model) (1988) Chinese model

Source: "Liu Wen opens up about fame, responsibility and finding meaning in her career" in Vogue https://vogue.sg/liu-wen-cover-vogue-singapore-leslie-zhang/ (1 March 2021)

Liu Yandong photo

“China has always followed the path of peaceful development, pursued a mutually beneficial and win-win opening strategy, strengthened friendly exchanges with other countries, and actively fulfilled its international responsibilities and obligations.”

Liu Yandong (1945) Chinese politician

Source: "刘延东出席第五届世界和平论坛开幕式并致辞" https://www.mfa.gov.cn/ce/celk//chn/zgxw/t1382124.htm (16 July 2017)

Vera Stanley Alder photo
Neo Masisi photo

“True leadership does not believe in grand titles but in taking responsibility of other people’s lives.”

Neo Masisi (1962) first lady of Botswana

Source: https://www.weekendpost.co.bw/17805/news/neo-masisi-on-first-lady-duties/ Neo Masisi ,Neo Masisi on First Lady Duties by Keamogetse Motone, (18 November 2019) Retrieved 5 November.

Wojciech Jaruzelski photo
James D. Watson photo

“I find such a moralistic response to be profoundly immoral.”

James D. Watson (1928) American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist.

Coda: Our Genes and Our Future (p. 433)
Source: DNA: The Story of the Genetic Revolution (2003/2017)

Carola Rackete photo

“It's our *white* responsibility to make sure people who speak out about racism are safe at all times. This means ending structural racism in our societies, authorities and media.”

Carola Rackete (1988) German merchant navy captain

Source: Twitter https://twitter.com/CaroRackete/status/1276803845465636864 (27 June 2020)

Bülent Ecevit photo

“Yet, whatever the negative effects of such external factors may be, surmounting our deficiencies is primarily our own task and responsibility.”

Bülent Ecevit (1925–2006) former Prime Minister of Turkey (1925-2006)

Source: "Statement of Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit in Helsinki on Turkey´s Candidacy to the EU" https://web.archive.org/web/20160716153818/https://www.mfa.gov.tr/statement-of-prime-minister-bulent-ecevit-in-helsinki-on-turkey_s-candidacy-to-the-eu_br_december-11_-1999-.en.mfa (11 December 1999)

Naruhito photo

“I pledge hereby that I shall act according to the Constitution and fulfill my responsibility as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people of Japan, while always wishing for the happiness of the people and the peace of the world, turning my thoughts to the people and standing by them.”

Naruhito (1960) Emperor of Japan since 2019

Source: "Naruhito: Japan’s emperor formally proclaims enthronement in centuries-old ceremony" in CNN https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/21/asia/japan-enthronement-emperor-intl-hnk/index.html (22 October 2019)

Joe Biden photo

“220,000 deaths.
If you hear nothing else I say tonight, hear this:
Anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain President of the United States.”

Joe Biden (1942) 47th Vice President of the United States (in office from 2009 to 2017)

2020, October 2020
Source: 22 October 2020 tweet https://twitter.com/joebiden/status/1319446692236791814 about Donald Trump as of December 2021 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59645307 the death toll under Biden's administration surpassed 800,000

Mark Rutte photo

“I made mistakes, in communication. In the beginning, I put too much emphasis on people's own responsibility and not enough on the mandatory measures (with regards to COVID-19 pandemic). The second is that I did not succeed in convincing people to a sufficient extent about the basic measures.”

Mark Rutte (1967) 50th Prime Minister of the Netherlands

Source: Mark Rutte (2021) cited in: " Rutte: I made coronavirus policy mistakes; King can help speed up Cabinet formation https://nltimes.nl/2021/12/24/rutte-made-coronavirus-policy-mistakes-king-can-help-speed-cabinet-formation" in NL Times, 24 December 2021.

Alice A. Bailey photo

“Injustice ... regardless to whomever acted upon or performed against, is still injustice. The unjust person is never relieved of the responsibility of these acts under the pretext that the injustice is done against a heterodox and not to a believer. As our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels said do not oppress or accuse anyone falsely; do not make any distinction or give room to the believers to injure those of another belief.”

Metrophanes III of Constantinople (1520–1580) Patriarch of Constantinople

Statement condemning the mistreatment of Jews on the Island of Crete by Orthodox powers.
Source: An Orthodox Christian View of Non-Christian Religions https://www.goarch.org/-/an-orthodox-christian-view-of-non-christian-religions by Rev. Dr. George C. Papademetriou; Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Charlton Heston photo
Jack Vance photo
Jean Zerbo photo
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad photo
Reinaldo Arenas photo

“The writer has a fundamental responsibility to write well or to write the best he can, because if he doesn’t he’s not a writer. And when a writer writes, he’s always referring to a social and historical context…”

Reinaldo Arenas (1943–1990) Cuban poet/novelist/playwright

Source: On a writer’s responsibility in “The Literature of Uprootedness: An Interview with Reinaldo Arenas” https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-literature-of-uprootedness-an-interview-with-reinaldo-arenas in The New Yorker (2013 Dec 5)

Josip Mrzljak photo

“I would like everyone to understand that the Church in this society is not a foreign element but a profoundly domestic reality that truly wants the good for each person. We hope to find agreement and a suitable response from the other side.”

Josip Mrzljak (1944) Croatian Roman Catholic bishop

Source: Josip Mrzljak Appointed as the New Bishop of Varaždin https://ika.hkm.hr/english/josip-mrzljak-appointed-as-the-new-bishop-of-varazdin/ (2007)

“As a black woman I feel a responsibility to black people and to women. My responsibility is not to be compromising. Even if the content is not positively biased or doesn’t fall in line with an agenda or ideology, I want people to be satisfied by the honesty.”

Theresa Ikoko English psychologist, playwright

Source: quoted in Award winning and unapologetic playwright Theresa Ikoko brings Girls to Soho Theatre, Mattie Lacey-Davidson, 29th September 2016, 2016, en, 25 January 2022, 2022 https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/leisure/latest/14770119.award-winning-and-unapologetic-playwright-theresa-ikoko-brings-girls-to-soho-theatre/,

Joseph Fiorenza photo
Dick Winters photo
António Costa photo

“An absolute majority doesn't mean absolute power. It doesn't mean governing alone. It's an increased responsibility.”

António Costa (1961) Prime Minister of Portugal

Source: António Costa (2022) cited in: " Portugal election: Socialists win unexpected majority https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-60194375" in BBC News, 31 January 2022.

Jonathan Bailey photo

“It is a private matter [sexuality], but if there are opportunities to say something . . . I wonder if, if it would be beneficial to someone else, that responsibility is on you. It’s complicated.”

Jonathan Bailey (1988) British actor

"Jonathan Bailey: From Broadchurch to the West End: the star of Sondheim’s smash hit Company in The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/from-broadchurch-to-the-west-end-the-star-of-sondheims-smash-hit-company-mjppfprkr (31 October 2018)

Jordan Peterson photo

“You should watch when you talk to young men about responsibility. They're so thrilled about it. It just blows me away. Really?! That's what the counter-culture is? Grow up and do something useful. "Really? I can do that? Oh, I'm so excited by that idea. No one ever mentioned that before."”

Jordan Peterson (1962) Canadian clinical psychologist, cultural critic, and professor of psychology

Rights, rights, rights, rights… Jesus! It's appalling. People have had enough of that. And they better have, because it's a non-productive mode of being. Responsibility, man: that's where the meaning in life is.
Other

“That means we have nothing to shoot at, no efficacious response. So we do something pointless. And we feel better.”

Charles E. Gannon (1960) American novelist

Source: Trial by Fire (2014), Chapter 17 (p. 256)

Dmitry Muratov photo

“It’s okay to be a responsible member of society if only you know what you’re going to be held responsible for.”

Source: The Jagged Orbit (1969), Chapter 34 (p. 100; chapter title)

Elio Sgreccia photo

“I think that to safeguard the earth and maintain its great heritage it is important to exalt human responsibility, because the only being responsible for the other beings is man. Nothing less can come about from his humanity and his responsibility.”

Elio Sgreccia (1928–2019) Catholic cardinal

Christian Personalism's Place in Bioethics https://zenit.org/2004/07/06/christian-personalism-s-place-in-bioethics/ (6 July 2004)

Joe Biden photo

“We must work together to create an America where everyone feels safe in their community, where children feel safe in their schools. And, of course, that responsibility that we collectively have to ensure that all people feel safe in their community is what brings us together today.”

Joe Biden (1942) 47th Vice President of the United States (in office from 2009 to 2017)

2022, May 2022
Source: Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at Signing of Executive Order to Advance Effective, Accountable Policing and Strengthen Public Safety (May 25, 2022) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/05/25/remarks-by-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-at-signing-of-executive-order-to-advance-effective-accountable-policing-and-strengthen-public-safety/

Jordan Peterson photo
Max Stirner photo

“Whoever will be free must make himself free. Freedom is no fairy gift to fall into a man's lap. What is freedom? To have the will to be responsible for one's self.”

Max Stirner (1806–1856) German philosopher

Attributed in Forbes Vol 38 Iss. 2 (1936) p. 18, and in Lifetime Speaker's Encyclopedia (1962) by Jacob Morton Braude, p. 275

Vladimir Zhirinovsky photo

“Are you getting bored doing interviews? That's work. It's the most responsible, representative and solemn work there is — like sport. Anyone who does not aim for the Olympic Games or championships should not be in the sports industry.”

Vladimir Zhirinovsky (1946–2022) Russian politician and political activist

"Zhirinovsky: 'Europe, you shall tremble!'" in DW News https://www.dw.com/en/zhirinovsky-europe-you-shall-tremble/a-42923191 (11 March 2018)

Viktor Yanukovych photo

“Our sacred duty is to overcome the shadows of the past, make new tragedies possible. Any encroachments on the peaceful future of Ukraine will meet with instant and resolute response...”

Viktor Yanukovych (1950) Ukrainian politician who was the President of Ukraine

Source: [2011-06-22, Янукович обмовився, пообіцявши "уможливити нові трагедії", https://tsn.ua/video/video-novini/yanukovich-obmovivsya-poobicyavshi-umozhliviti-novi-tragediyi.html, 2022-06-12, ТСН.ua, uk]

Viktor Yanukovych photo

“I am against the idea when we, so to say, throw someone behing the bars, which is the place where they would hide and flee from responsibility. We will surely find them, but they first have to return public money.”

Viktor Yanukovych (1950) Ukrainian politician who was the President of Ukraine

Source: [Янукович про корупціонерів: ховатись не будуть, - одна розмова, будуть – інша, https://www.unian.ua/politics/482166-yanukovich-pro-koruptsioneriv-hovatis-ne-budut-odna-rozmova-budut-insha.html, 2022-06-12, www.unian.ua, uk, 2011-04-11]

Cherríe Moraga photo
Cherríe Moraga photo

“Time and time again, I have observed that the usual response among white women's groups when the "racism issue" comes up is to deny the difference. I have heard comments like, "Well, we're open to all women; why don't they (women of color) come? You can only do so much..."”

Cherríe Moraga (1952) American writer

But there is seldom any analysis of how the very nature and structure of the group itself may be founded on racist or classist assumptions. More important, so often the women seem to feel no loss, no lack, no absence when women of color are not involved; therefore, there is little desire to change the situation. This has hurt me deeply. I have come to believe that the only reason women of a privileged class will dare to look at how it is that they oppress, is when they've come to know the meaning of their own oppression. And understand that the oppression of others hurts them personally.
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, Fourth Edition (2015)

Leonid Kuchma photo

“Time requires of all of us to act in unity with resolve and to assume the responsibility for the future of the United Nations.”

Leonid Kuchma (1938) Second president of Ukraine

Speech at the 55th session of the United Nations General Assembly (excerpts) (2000)

Jane Austen photo

“The pride of any mother is to give birth to a responsible and successful child.”

Quoted in: Kabir, Hajara Muhammad (2010). Northern women development. [Nigeria]. ISBN 978-978-906-469-4. OCLC 890820657
Works, Pride and Prejudice

Robert A. Heinlein photo
Pedro López Quintana photo

“You know we are all responsible for building peace in the world. Respond to blind violence and inhuman hatred with the extraordinary power of love. Forgive those who offend you. Do not let yourselves be dragged into manifestations of nationalism, racism and intolerance.”

Pedro López Quintana (1953) Catholic archbishop and diplomat of the Holy See

Dialogue and the extraordinary power of love, antidote to violence and hatred: Papal Nuncio visiting conflict torn states in north east India reminds Christians to be builders of peace (7 November 2005) Fides News Agency http://fides.org/en/news/6082-ASIA_INDIA_Dialogue_and_the_extraordinary_power_of_love_antidote_to_violence_and_hatred_Papal_Nuncio_visiting_conflict_torn_states_in_north_east_India_reminds_Christians_to_be_builders_of_peace

Zafar Mirzo photo
Zafar Mirzo photo
Alexis Karpouzos photo

“I know that our efforts all come to nothing. Analyze life, tear its trappings off, lay it bare with thought, with logic, with philosophy, and its emptiness is revealed as a bottomless pit; its nothingness frankly confesses to nothingness, and Despair comes to perch in the soulI know the end of us all is nothing, I know that at the end of Time, the reward of our toil will be nothing — and again nothing. I know that all our handiwork and all our ideas will be destroyed. I know that not even ash will be left from the fires that consume us. I know that our ideals, even those we achieve, will vanish in the eternal darkness of oblivion and final non-being. There is no hope, none, in my heart. I know, No promise, none, can I make to myself and to others. No recompense can I expect for my labors. No fruit will be born of my thoughts. I know the time — eternal seducer of all men, eternal cause of all effects — offers me nothing but the blank prospect of annihilation. So, my dignity is broken and weak, in recognition of my impending defeat.

The man who is alone, who stands on his own feet, who is stripped bare, who asks for nothing and wants nothing, who has reached the apex of disinterested­ness not through blind renunciation but through ex­cess of clear vision, turns to the world which stretches out before him as a burned prairie, as a devastated city — a world in which no churches, asylums, refuges, ideals, are left — and says: «Though you promise me nothing I am still with you, I am still an atom of your energies, my work is part of your work; I am your companion and your mirror as you march on your merciless way. But I owe nothing to any one. I would be responsible to freedom alone.”

Source: https://alexiskarpouzos.medium.com/at-the-end-of-time-alexis-karpouzos-0b5a34cfbbe9

Prevale photo

“Time is an excellent ally in learning to build self-confidence: having the ability to make decisions, manage emotions, and take responsibility for one's actions.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Il tempo è un ottimo alleato per imparare a costruire fiducia in sé stessi: avere la capacità di prendere decisioni, gestire le emozioni ed assumersi la responsabilità delle proprie azioni.
Source: prevale.net