All people have the innate desire to prolong their own or family survival. At the same time, a person will hesitate when aiding others he or she does not know.

No individual deserves blame because humans are self-interested; individuals want to reap the full benefits of their own actions. In contrast, when motivations behind personal actions align with those of society, both benefit. After giving time to various service organizations, I realized this was already the case. Originally, my motivations for serving others lied with the personal fulfillment I attained after reflection on the process. I later realized I had gained valuable experience and a more accepting view of those with differences. Each person knows of a cause that demands assistance and an informed person will realize that the cause does not drain resources from the community, rather adds to the wealth.

Most important is feeling firsthand how much an individual can impact others. Those who truly live out the mission statement will take on the personal responsibility of recognizing this concept not through a lecture or an essay, but experience. A responsible citizen will eventually appreciate this concept and create those experiences not solely for personal gain, but for the benefit of the greater community.

“How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature, which interest him in the fortunes of others, and render their happiness necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it, except the pleasure of seeing it.” – Adam Smith

Next essay: Molly Johnson ’13 – Everyone has a story 
TEDx at TCU – “What does responsible citizenship look like?”