The Word: Responsibility

Yes, The Word today is very similar to my accountability post from the beginning of April, but believe me, it is with purpose. So let's dig in.

responsibility: \ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\

Function: noun
Date: 1737

1: the quality or state of being responsible: as a: moral, legal, or mental accountability b: reliability, trustworthiness

2: something for which one is responsible : burden <has neglected his responsibilities>

Earlier, I stated that I was absolutely certain "accountability" was on the verge of seeing it's day in the sun. The reason, I stated, was in its definition of responsibility. Well guess what? Responsible, accountable, and their related variations are popping up everywhere in advertising, politics, and every-day life.

Case in point, when I went to good old Merriam-Webster's to get the definition of responsibility, their sponsored link was one of the advertisers I've been watching: Liberty Mutual. Now, Liberty Mutual is actually ahead of the curve. They've had an ad campaign for at least two years that has highlighted everyday personal responsibility. They're responsible for producing one of my all-time favorite commercials (pun intended):

Their Responsibility Project is really ramping up now that there is a spotlight shining on corporate and financial sector accountability. The commercial above, from 2007, was light-hearted, a little whimsical even, but its point came across. Their new ad campaign, which started about a month ago, reflects the present darker times by exploring heavier themes that are playing out in households all across the United States:

As predicted, these are the new buzzwords and organizations are beginning to latch on to them. CNN AC360's new tag line is simply "Accountability" (I can't provide a source, apparently CNN's commercials aren't YouTube-worthy). Counter Insecticide's is simply "Responsible." Even Doritos is getting in on the action with its Eat Responsibly commercial.

Additionally, I've probably heard our politicians, Republicans and Democrats, use the word "accountability" and "responsibility" in relation to taxes, spending, regulations, the environment, and any other major issues you can think of (and right now, the all seem to be major) over a hundred times in the last month or so. The mayor of Warren, Michigan, even made it a point to take responsibility when he got caught speeding, even though he'd been let off with a warning. He said that he "had to set an example." It's good to see that what is expected of regular folk is now beginning to be expected of our elected higher officials.

Bottom line? Responsibility: It's not just for beer commercials anymore.

It's also for beer flavored chips.

-----

Responsibility was also the Word of the Day today for the #wordaday Tweets I post on Twitter. Click here to see previous installments of #wordaday with #quote accompaniment.