It's Mine

Someone

“Someone needs to do something.” 

I think my head may explode if I hear the phrase above one more time.  Someone is close cousins to They and The Man. All three are the collective entity where people like to redirect blame and ownership.  We have a saying at the office: “You see it, you own it.”  The saying translates with one word: Responsibility.  Let’s chat about a few of my favorite things where I am responsible. 

When I ride my motorcycle, I am responsible for me. I assume people do not see me and are not paying attention.  I see way too many people texting or on the phone and driving with their knee.  All too often I read about bike riders going down and immediately the media or family is looking for someone or something to blame.  Oh wait, a person with zero riding experience just walked in the dealership and bought a motorcycle capable of speeds in excess of 180 mph and ran into a retaining wall as they did not have the skill to ride at that level yet it is someone else’s fault? 

Assume it is loaded.  That is the number one rule when handling a gun.  When I go to the gun range, I check the gun at home before I leave, before I get out of the truck and again before enter the lane to start shooting.  My guns are my responsibility.  If I shoot myself in the foot on accident, it is not the gun maker’s fault or the fault of the ammunition manufacturer’s fault. It is mine.  I am responsible for clearing the gun to ensure it is not loaded. There is no someone, they, or the man.

If I see a piece of trash on the ground, it is my responsibility to pick it up as I saw it and now own it.  If I see a burnt out light at the office, it is my responsibility to call the property management company to report it.  If I see a fire, it is my responsibility to report it to the fire department.  Can you imagine how much different the world would be if people took some responsibility?  What would daytime talk shows do if there were no victims of someone, they or the man?  There are too many people out there more interested in taking a video of an event rather than getting involved. 

“Someone needs to do something.”  Who is someone?  Someone is you, a neighbor, or the stranger on the street.  Get involved.  Get others involved.  Remember, “You see it, you own it.”

Rodney - I Am Someone