Our emotions are the foundation of our beliefs, motives, and behaviors. Being aware of our emotions, and honest about them, at least with ourselves, will alter our beliefs, motives, and behaviors for the better. Making the effort to be aware and honest about our emotions, especially when they are not favorable, is Emotional Responsibility.

Emotional Responsibility is a burden that limits a person’s strength and influence within a community. So much of a burden, it is common for people who wish for power to actively resist and deny it. Thus, an aspect of politics is to play a game of hot potato with Emotional Responsibility. There are two elements in this game; projection and resistance. Projecting our emotions onto others, and resisting any responsibility of our own or from others. It is a dynamic game; some are better at projecting than resisting, and vice versa.

Generally, within a family, it is age that dictates effectiveness. Parents will always have an emotional advantage over their children. From there, older children will always have an easier time projecting responsibility onto the siblings below them. With the youngest pursuing creative or destructive ways to alleviate the pressure. Overall, throughout society, wealth and education are the greatest factors. Greater wealth and education increases the ability to project and resist.

It is this game of hot potato that is at the root of the ever widening division between classes.

Emotional Responsibility always flows downstream.