Responsibility and Guilt

I believe I have a very sensitive conscience. If I have done something wrong or haven't completed my work I cant sleep, and often get very fatigued. AS stated on page 147 of Responsibility and Judgement, "Guilt singles out; its strictly personal." I feel this all the time. With my service learning I often feel guilty about the dogs we don't save. I feel this guilt because I have singled them out for a reason, either they weren't cute enough or too big. I feel the guilt for the ones who die who I didnt choose. Its a very hard thing to live with.

In contrast, "The question is never whether an individual is good but whether his conduct is good for the world he lives in." (151) This is the other side of what I feel. I feel good for the ones i save. I am not doing this for myself I am doing this for the community of the animals who have no voice. "Powerlessness which always presupposes isolation is a valid excuse for doing nothing."(156) this quote grabbed me! I feel powerless most of the time. I feel that there is not enough in this world i can do to help all the animals. But I am not powerless nor can i think i am. Like the author stated it is a valid excuse for doing nothing. With my service learning I am doing something. I am making changes. I am picking up after the irresponsibility of another human. Being in the rescue world someone had to breed that dog that now sits in a kill shelter watching his/her time pass by. It's frustrating as hell that people cant take responsibility and kick their strong willed dignity of breeding out the window.

On page 160 it talks about evil doing, and whether it is just sin based. I don't think it is. Breeding a dog is not a sin but it can be considered an evil doing in the world that my service learning pertains too. Responsibility can be so problematic for some people. They just cant grasp the idea of owning up to their evil doing or what problems they have created in this world. In the world of animal rescue the same people who are helping the animals are only picking up what the irresponsible people have left behind. Thousands of homeless animals with not enough people to love them.