Responsibility and costume for LRP

[sobrique]

Have you ever spoken the words "It's not my problem", "It's not my responsibility"?
I'm sure I have on occasion.

The thought occurs though, that this is what's actually wrong with the world today. It's not so much that there's a shortage of good people in the world, it's just there's an aversion to 'interfereing'.

"It's not my problem/responsibility" is a poisonous phrase. Whilst it may be true, it's used to disclaim an action that appears to be needed. I mean, have you ever walked past a small patch of wasteland that's covered in litter and thought that? Surely no one likes seeing rubbish scattered across the street. But we walk on by, telling outselves that it's not our problem.

I'm still trying to figure out why. I mean, if something's unpleasant, or otherwise bad, then why not just do something about it? If you see something that you don't believe is right, but you feel it's "not your place to interfere" well, surely that's no good thing?

It may be as simple as the washing up in your sink in a shared house. Look at it, and even though none of it may be yours, what harm does it do, but a little time, to sort it? And if it does, then surely it's just improved your living environment.

Is it lazyness? No, I don't think it is. I think it's an inbuild feeling of resentment that someone would choose to abuse your good will.
Here's the key though. Instead of getting angry and upset about it every day, why not just spend a little time sorting it out. And then you won't any more. It's easy to say that "It's not my stuff. It's not my fault. It's not my responsiblity". But you can't say "It's not my problem" because it is. In a broader sense, if you're prepared to walk on by something that's not your problem, then chances are it'll never get fixed.

If it's something you use, see or otherwise are influenced by on a day to day basis, then surely it's your social responsibility to help sort the problem. Let's try and teach the world that it's ok to make things better shall we?




Found a couple of places that do pre-made LRP stuff, in the colonial flavour.
I'm thinking that black cotton trousers, white lace up shirt and green frock coat would be good. Maybe a waistcoat too, but probably not.
Anything I've obviously missed?
Sources are LRPStore and Adventurer's mart (or is that Adventure Smart?)

From the latter, I have a quote for
> Drawstring waist cotton trousers in the colour of your choice - £23.00
>
> Laced cotton shirt in the colour of your choice - £24.00
>
> Frock coat in green velvet? - £79.00
>
> Tricorn hat - Wool felt, factory finished with sweatband and trim.
> Available in -
> Black with narrow white trim
> Brown with wide beige trim. (special price) -£20.00
>
> P&p for all - £3.00

And a 5% discount if I order the lot :)
It's tempting ;p. Anyone else got any orders along those lines?

Comments

[malal.livejournal.com]

I don't often feel "It's not my Problem". I'm *far* more likely to feel "It's X's problem". Subtley different. Your point probably still stands, but it introduces the possibility of a counter arguement. Namely, you can't constantly fix other peoples problems for them, which you can encourage if you do this.

As an example, at home, with Mum, she'll quite often ask me to do something, which has no urgency to it. I'll generally reply "Yeah, in a minute" meaning to do it as soon as I've finished the chapter, or whatever I'm doing at the time. She'll then go and do it herself anyway... Not only do I find this immensely annoying, I genuinely belive it's a key factor in me growing up to be this lazy. After all, why do something when someone else will if you don't leap straight at it?

Now I'm living away from home, I've slowly been getting past that. I may have been slow at getting to do some things, and not have a clue when it comes to others, but I've strived (and on the whole succeded) to keeping this to only affecting myself. Which is why I get a bit annoyed when other people's mess starts to interfere with my dayly life.

Also, quite often by doing such things, you can cause more trouble than you fix.

As for Costume, had that fixed for months mate... ;-D It's going to involve the Big Black Robe again. I tried to advoid it, but it's just soooo coooool....

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

I'll agree on the lazy part. But for the rest, no.

Telling oneself that "you can cause more trouble than you fix" is another excuse for inaction. Sometimes the best choice _is_ just to let someone else sort it. Most of the time, you're just surrendering all your options to someone who's assumed to know better.

Rubbish on the street, cracked paving stones, the kind of thing that's passed off as 'belonging to the council, so their problem'. The homeless people that are 'not my fault'.

No, maybe not. But what harm does it do to try and fix the world?

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

Its not my problem.. this i do at work cos well.. its reached the point where the stuff that IS my problem is just taking up my time that i have to do it.. :)..

as for Costume.. I'm gonna put a list of alternatives on the Board.. for people who could do it cheaper..

£23 for drawstring trousers..:o.. use Joggin trousers or soemthing like.. theyre about £5 a pair.. more comfy and fairly hard waring:)

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Yeah, true enough. I figure I'm not going to take them up on the offer until after monday (car service day) at the earliers.
The reason they caught my eye, was the frock coats and tricorns :)

[malal.livejournal.com]

"Telling oneself that "you can cause more trouble than you fix" is another excuse for inaction."

Sometimes it's true though. Clear up my stuff, and I'll have more work on my hands sorting it out, putting it the right place, etc, than I would have had clearing it up myself.

This does expand somewhat to other things as well. Fix a cracked paving stone, and the council is very likely to turn around, say "thank you", and *expect* someone like you to fix it next time. There are enough areas of government that work like that...

A much better solution would be to point out to the council that this bit of paving stone is broken, possibly dangerous, could they fix it please? They really don't have many people out looking for broken paving stones to fix, so how are they going to find out it needs doing unless they're told? Plus, injure yourself fixing it, or do a bad job which causes someone to get hurt, and you're on your own mate...

Fixing the world is a good goal, but it's ultimately best achieved by either those in government, or by doing your best to ensure that those who will get elected, and hold them to it.

I don't see it as "not my problem", but "it's their responsibility". It's not passing it off to "someone who's assumed to know better", it's getting someone who's got the power to make a *real* difference, to do something.

Go on Ed, run for MP, you know you want to... ;-)

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Ah, but if I clear up stuff that's in the way, an eyesore, or otherwise a nuisance, then it's not any more. Now ok, it'll cause you problems, but if I've (for example) been tripping over something on the way in the door for the last month, then is it unreasonable to assume that someone is not going to move it themselves?

You argument that by doing something means people will expect you to do it in future is quite true. And this is not the way it should be.

You're pointing out that it's the "council's responsibility" is one thing. But if I have to step on that paving slab every day, and so do others, surely by simply taking a _little_ time to just sort it, I'm making things better?
And if _everyone_ were to take that little moment to make things better for the community, rather than saying 'oh, that's not my problem' then we'd not have half the problems with crime, vandalism, litter, environment damage, and a whole host of others that we do today.

[zaitan.livejournal.com]

I say "It's not my responsibility" at work a fair bit, namely when people ring me up with a helpdesk request. I quit that job last year, I did it for 3 years, I left for a reason. IT SUCKS!!!

I used to do the washing up in my house, I did that for about 3 years as well. I just do my own now.

[malal.livejournal.com]

"I've (for example) been tripping over something on the way in the door for the last month, then is it unreasonable to assume that someone is not going to move it themselves?"

Then a) ask them to move it before that month's gone by, and if it's still not moved, put it just inside their room, as a not-so-subtle reminder...

"You argument that by doing something means people will expect you to do it in future is quite true. And this is not the way it should be."

No, it's not. It's the way things are. I feel it's *much* more important to deal with the way things are, even if it's in a "how can we get from the way things are, to the way we want them to be?".

"You're pointing out that it's the "council's responsibility" is one thing. But if I have to step on that paving slab every day, and so do others, surely by simply taking a _little_ time to just sort it, I'm making things better?"

It's not a little time is it? Replacing a paving slab does take a fair bit of time & effort.

"And if _everyone_ were to take that little moment to make things better for the community, rather than saying 'oh, that's not my problem' then we'd not have half the problems with crime, vandalism, litter, environment damage, and a whole host of others that we do today."

And if everyone did care of their responsibilities, we'd also Not Have The Problem. But niether of those things are going to happen, are they? Doing little fixes is an easy short term solution to one problem, getting others to deal with the problems they are responsible for isn't easy or quick, and if it works should produce a long term solution for quite a lot of problems.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

So you'd ask them to move it, _then_ do it yourself? Exactly my point.

Dealing with the way things are is a fact of day to day. But if we just keep doing so, then nothing ever changes, except for the worst. Things get fobbed off as 'not my responsibility' and 'not my problem' but they are. It's an insidious shadow that just leads to everyone denying all responsibity for everything.

And so I believe that showing people an example of the way things could be is important.

And yes, replacing a paving slab is a fair amount of effort. Does that make it less worthwhile? What about picking up the rubbish that's in the gutter near your door?
Or next time you're sweeping your garden pathway, just doing a little bit of the pavement at the time?

As you say, if everyone took care of their responsibilites, we'd not have this problem. I quite agree. But I think the problem is that it's a community responsibility, a shared responsibility for the future.

Everyone has their burden to carry. Does this mean we shouldn't help them when they are struggling?