Living Responsibly in the 21st Century: Balancing Rights and Privileges

Living in the 21st century provides unprecedented benefits and privileges, including access to electricity, clean water, safer neighborhoods, and abundant food. However, amidst these advancements, there is a risk of complacency, selfishness, and entitlement. Here are four principles to guide responsible living in this privileged world.

Principle 1: Pay for Your Privileges through Virtue-Centered Living

Living a principle-centered life involves being responsible by adhering to your highest virtues, rather than merely asserting rights and privileges. Jordan Peterson emphasizes that paying for privileges involves cultivating virtue. Acknowledge the privileged world we live in without succumbing to entitlement. Paying forward privileges involves excelling in areas like education and social intelligence.

Principle 2: Lift Others Along the Way

Embrace the concept of "Askida Ekmek" or "bread on the hook," contributing to others in need. Recognize the responsibility we have for everyone and everything, leaving a positive impact for future generations. Be a change agent, improving not only your life but also the lives of those who follow. Create routines of giving and serving, intentionally helping and lifting others every day.

Principle 3: Slay the Dragons Blocking Your Way

Dragons represent challenges and issues that are difficult to handle or accept. Confront and overcome your dragons rather than empowering them through avoidance. Challenges make people more responsible; success breeds success. Build a plan, a team, and confidence to tackle your dragons, seeking help when needed.

Principle 4: Purposefully Seek and Nourish Awe

Actively seek awe-inspiring experiences that inspire humility and a sense of smallness. Awe is a feeling of reverential respect mixed with wonder, inspiring truth, beauty, love, hope, peace, and excellence. Calibrate your responsibilities and reset from the trivial to the existential through awe.

In summary, these principles encourage responsible living, acknowledging privileges, and actively contributing to a better world. Embracing responsibility in a world full of rights and privileges fosters personal growth, positive impact on others, and a deeper connection to the awe-inspiring aspects of life.