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Isn't this the way things SHOULD work, but don't always?

If the X-axis was "power", you could have also worked in a Spiderman reference...

Nicely put, as always. :)

you just changed my perspective on something personal. too personal to explain, but I appreciate it! Loved your book as well!

This reminds me of my dad who has always says, "The more you know, the more you have to do."

This only really works one way, I think.

You could've also used the word "power" instead of ability.

I was thrown, until I saw the title. That brings it all together.

Hot damn.

I've never really liked the idea, because it thrusts unwanted chores upon those with the ability to do them.

Turns out you have to be worthless to live a laid-back life, or you're doing something morally wrong.

I love your graphics.

Living in a co-op gives this added poignancy.

Sometimes pointing out the ideals we should be living by is important, anonymous one

You could have also said increased freedom instead of ability. Great site!!

I know that the point being made is more poignant as we move up and to the right.

Sadly, I think this logic is used too often to limit the responsibility of those with supposedly lower ability and the justification for radical income redistribution.

We write off crime, incompetence, and the welfare state as stemming from lack of ability. We give our government the power to enforce "responsibility" (read: tax) but require little ability in return from them.

The government is as much part of the welfare state as the people who we are supposedly helping who are not government bureaucrats.

Nonsense. I am responsible for others only to the extent that I assume it.

Too bad the paycheck amount doesn't follow the same curve. Funny tho. :-)

It is interesting how differently this one is interpreted. Some interpret it as "you should take as much responsibility as your ability allows", while others see it as "you gain more ability when you take more responsibility."

when i got my engineering degree i had the phrase "quod possemos facere debemos" inscribed on my class ring (i think thats how it was spelled) it's latin for "we who can do must" or quite literally "those of us who have the ability to do things must do the things we are able to do"...it's very similar to helping those who are unable to help themselves, not everyone can design and build a bridge or a skyscraper or a car engine that doesnt explode...

From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

- Karl Marx

For those that disagree, would it help at all to think about the word 'responsibility' as 'response-ability'?

j-ster,

That's not what responsibility means. It's more akin to "duty" than to "ability" and I deny that anyone may impose a positive duty upon me.

Regardless of one's ability, we have in common being human. "All men are created equal," etc.

This does not mean I should be responsible for others, this means individuals should be responsible for themselves.

Please, can we stop using my ability to cover for [others] lack of responsibility? I'm at least as nice as the next person, but I'm sick of babysitting those who ought to be adults.

Most of the comments here say that "power" should have been on the X-axis instead of ability, but I think it should have read "connections". Possibly two sides of the same coin.

This is what I call "the curse of the competent."