I firmly believe that I obtained numerous life lessons from Disney Movies. It is a fact, I am a child of the 1990s and I embrace it.

When we first met Wall-E in 2008, Pixar introduces us to a robot left on earth to clean up waste left by mankind. Wall-E is not a responsible citizen because he picks up trash; instead he exhibits self-less behavior, pursuing the overall benefit of humanity. A responsible citizen contributes self-less acts hoping society improves collectively.

“It means no worries, for the rest of your days.” While Timon and Pumbaa celebrate Hakuna Matata, some worry the idea is fairly irresponsible. As a culture we associate worries with responsibilities, obscuring our definition of responsible citizenship. Alternately, Hakuna Matata is a lesson in optimism. New viewpoints transform worries into opportunities. A responsible citizen continuously seeks new opportunities to elicit change.

I know the ultimate act of loyalty? I’m confident it’s writing another’s name on the bottom of your shoe. Since 1995, Woody has stayed dedicated to Andy. Woody understands as time progresses, the environment around us changes. Adapting to these changes required Woody to trust Andy. As the social landscape changes, a responsible citizen stays loyal to their neighbors, family, and their inner code of ethics.

Movies, just like responsible citizens, inspire us. They make us think about how to make the world a better place. “Dig a little deeper. Think of something we’ve never though of before.” – Winnie the Pooh

Next essay: Barrington Hwang – The greater good
TEDx at TCU – “What does responsible citizenship look like?”