Dalai Lama Quotes

Somewhere along the line, the actions of this government are the actions of me.

We cannot abdicate our conscience to an organization, nor to a government. 'Am I my brother's keeper?' Most certainly I am! I cannot escape my responsibility by saying the State will do all that is necessary. It is a tragedy that nowadays so many think and feel otherwise.

Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.

What we try to say is that it doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat or conservative or independent. You are equally responsible for your place in the culture, and you must make a contribution, and you must accept responsibility for what goes down on your watch.

To give up the task of reforming society is to give up one's responsibility as a free man.

Is it government's job to make up for someone's mistakes?

It is time to break the bad habit of expecting something for nothing from our Government or from each other. Let us all take more responsibility not only for ourselves and our families but our communities and our country.

The administration of the law can never go lax where every individual sees to it that it grows not lax in his own case, or in cases which fall under his eyes.

I think it's the responsibility of every human being, not just those who wear the identity of poet, activist, voter, religious person... it's the responsibility of every person. Our responsibility is to use our intelligence as clearly and coherently as we possibly can.

No one is responsible under liberalism.

It is the church's responsibility, the government's responsibility, and the personal responsibility of every one of us to love.

Responsibility is a unique concept. It can only reside and inhere in a single individual. You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you. You may disclaim it, but you cannot divest yourself of it. If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else. Unless you can point your finger at the man who is responsible when something goes wrong, then you have never had anyone really responsible.

We have many responsibilities, and one cannot expect the full blessings of a kind Providence if he neglects any major duty. A man has duties to his church, his home, his country, and his profession or job.

There's a responsibility in being a person. It's more than just taking up space where air would be.

Does a human being know the responsibility he has to himself and to all of mankind

The time has come to accept in our hearts and minds that with freedom comes responsibility.

I think this society suffers so much from too much freedom, too many rights that allow people to be irresponsible.

I suppose that is my central obsession. What we owe to society, what we owe to ourselves.

But there is a corollary to freedom and that's personal responsibility, and the real challenge is how you generate that personal responsibility without imposing it.

The European model is in danger if we obliterate the principle of personal responsibility.

It is time in the West to defend not so much human rights as human obligations.

I don't think any one person, whether artist or not, has been given permission by anyone to put the responsibility of the way things are on anyone else.

If we don't bear witness as citizens, as people, as individuals, the right that we have had to life is sacrificed. There is a silence, instead of a speaking presence.

Let us all take more responsibility, not only for ourselves and our families but for our communities and our country.