Who is Responsible?

Responsibility is a confusing subject for many people - from children learning to put away their toys, to politicians managing tax payer dollars. For many people, the word "responsibility" is accompanied by feelings of heaviness, dread, annoyance, boredom or frustration. For others, responsibility is an honor that leads to greater opportunities and growth. In much of the world, being viewed as a responsible person is desirable and makes us feel good, while being irresponsible is considered shameful.

But what does it actually mean to be responsible, and why does this one word often have so much confusion and emotion attached to it? What are we responsible for, and how is responsibility determined? How does responsibility - or lack of responsibility - impact the structure and function of our relationships, our work, our society?