As captain of my high school soccer team, my coach gave me the responsibility to come up with a team-building exercise that would be short and easy, but have a long-lasting impact on the team. The next practice I handed everyone an index card and told them to write one big word to describe their role to the team. It could be anything from “role-model”, “striker” or something more meaningful like “service” as in serving the team. We hung these cards anonymously in the locker room for everyone to see. Everyone knew what was meant by their own card, but not so much for others. To me, the most impactful, thought-provoking card read “Accountability”. Every single person has to hold themselves and others accountable for what they do and say. As a living community, as big as the US, or as small as my soccer team, we are all in this together and we all hold a share of responsibility. 

Today, “it feels like democracy isn't working”, the government no longer feels like it is for the people. Political antics and power-crazy officials have taken what used to be a government that listened and responded to its citizens and turned it into a business that fails to account for all its employees. This problem is caused though by a lack of citizen accountability. First, citizens must be responsible and active if we want our government to follow suit. Accountability is a two-way street, it is hard to expect someone else to act in a manner if you yourself do not. This also relates to power. In America people typically view power as a resource that is taken, stripped of others, and hoarded by the wealthy. This is false. Everyone has power. The trick is to know how to use that power. Protests, journals, blogs, marches, and social media are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mediums to express your messages and feelings. If you want power, then do something about it. Do not be the majority that dreams for things to change, but won’t put the work in to make it happen. Be accountable for your own life by holding the government and its politicians accountable as well. Living Democracy by Lappe & DuBois explores the idea of accountability and how productive it can be when society wields it correctly.