This may not be inspiring, but I have nevertheless found it to be absolutely essential in moving foward. Americans hate to do this to. We have to own responsability to the consequence of our choices. In other words, recognize that it was no one elses choice. No one else is to blame. Wear this knowledge like a badge. Stand up and say, "Yes I did screw that up". Not until this is done can anyone hope to move forward.
Accepting responsibility for one's own choices is fundamental and
should be inspiring in this sense: Responsibility for one's actions isn't just about accepting blame. It's also about who ultimately has the power. Taking responsibility is about saying, "I'm in control here," and that can be empowering.
But, I should add that
sometimes others
can be blamed for our choices, specifically when we are controlled or coerced. Look at
Brokeback Mountain for example. A big part of the reason why Ennis didn't want to settle down and live with Jack was fear-- and not just some vague unspecified fear. His fear was instilled in him by his father at a young age:
Faggots deserve to be killed. It's similar to the fear and intimidation tactics used against blacks in the past:
Rise up against the order and expect to be lynched. And while we're inspired by blacks who fought against such oppression, few people would blame those who didn't fight for their choice to do so. In the same way, gays who make choices based on coercion and fear (such as staying in the closet) aren't
entirely responsible for that choice. As an example, would you blame a young gay person living in Laramie, Wyoming (where Matthew Sheppard was killed) for not making the decision to come out of the closet?
So I guess what I'm saying is that taking responsibility for one's actions is important and should be inspiring because it's empowering. It's also important to recognize when external fear and coercion can
sometimes be blamed for our choices. And by learning to identify how others try to manipulate us, we can overcome that.
