There are ongoing hearings on “fake news,” with vloggers being forced to admit that what they said had no basis. One vlogger defended her posts, saying that she had used the word “daw (allegedly)” repeatedly to protect herself from liability, and as such does not “feel any responsibility” since she did not claim it as news. She claims that she was only writing about “what I see as the pulse of the masses.” Is “daw” enough to escape accountability for one’s words?
During a class discussion on existential therapy, we talked about the importance of personal responsibility. With great freedom comes great responsibility. The inextricable link between the two makes freedom something not to be taken lightly. As we are free to make choices for ourselves, we are also responsible for the consequences of our choices. As much as we claim our freedom of speech, we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for the consequences of our actions.
Freedom of speech is not absolute. For example, you cannot disingenuously call in a bomb threat, fire, or other emergencies. You cannot incite to sedition or rebellion. In psychology, the things we say are considered behaviors or actions. If we believe that we must generally be responsible for our actions, we must also be responsible for our words.
In therapy, we often encounter people who struggle to control or regulate their words and actions. It could be a matter of neurobiology, with some conditions making it much harder for us to inhibit our impulses. It could also be a matter of prior experience, such as trauma, making it difficult for us to stay calm in the moment and instead express intense emotions fueled by memories. Even with such challenges, personal responsibility still exists. If we blow up at someone who did not warrant such a response, it is our responsibility to apologize and make repairs. If our impulsive actions cause harm or disruption to others, it is our responsibility to get appropriate treatment or learn coping skills so that we are less likely to harm others in the future. In this context, personal responsibility is not about invalidating the factors that make us more vulnerable to these hurtful words and actions, as if saying and doing the right thing is always easy. Personal responsibility as it relates to therapeutic growth is about accepting and recognizing our vulnerabilities and challenges and committing to finding ways to work with ourselves, flaws and all, in a manner that maintains our self-respect and our relationships with others. This kind of responsibility is not just for the convenience of others. It benefits us, too. Personal responsibility ensures that we can look at ourselves in the mirror and like the person we see. At the end of the day, we can stand by our words and actions even in the face of pressure.
If we realize we have said the wrong thing or written something that is not true, we owe it to our integrity to come clean and make repairs. For example, I have had to issue an erratum when I misattributed a policy to another committee. It is our responsibility to admit when we are wrong. Being part of mass media is fraught with responsibility because the consequences of our words can be far-reaching compared to a private citizen simply talking amongst friends. Operating a public social media account with a significant following, writing in newspapers, making commentary on radio and TV, making speeches in public spaces—these can influence public opinion and thus, alter collective behavior. As such, we need to be responsible for the influence we wield.
Going back to “daw,” is the utterance of the word enough for our viewers and followers to think critically of the statement it is attached to? More than just saying the word, have we ensured to not mislead our audience and clarify what is verified fact and what are opinions? “Daw” implies that you heard it from somewhere. Were you able to identify where you heard it from and is it a reliable source? Or did we use “daw” as a legal cover, but the general effect is that the audience is duped into thinking that we are reporting facts and not opining? It is not like we have no way of knowing how our audience interprets what we say—it is right there in the comments section. When we see that they misunderstood what we say, do we correct them or give clarification? Or do we let them spread misinformation and just think: “Well, that’s not my responsibility?”
Personal responsibility is a responsibility to ourselves, to our dignity, and our character. We can be genuine and spontaneous, but not careless. We cannot always use our words perfectly or aim to be “nice,” as sometimes we need to use harsh words to advocate for justice. But we must be responsible and stand by what we say and do if we are to insist on our freedom.
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aatuazon@up.edu.ph