Given our seemingly ever spiralling discontent/disregard for laws and that every house is progressively turning into an insular fortress rather than part of the community.
Houses are becoming bigger ( I was raised in an 11 square home to day the average is 20+) crammed with stuff.
Blocks are becoming smaller partly because the house size is more important than backyard.
We now demand the public purse to compensate for our selfishness with more parks and facilities etc. Yet we whinge about our rates.

They appear to becoming less safe "Brisbane's recent bikeway rapists" and the spate of rapes in the past in Melb parks.

Activities are more internal than external i.e. sedentary electronic rather than active external. (backyard cricket). Space for children to play whereby we can control access.

Consequently we have become more insular/isolated (many don’t know their neighbours). This has lead to a reduction of community and community responsibility.

THE CONUNDRUM

If you see someone breaking the law do you report them as a matter of public responsibility ? Does it depend on:
• Who they are?
• If it directly affect you?
• How seriously you view the breach?
Or “do you mind your own business?”
Comment.

Geez, Examinator,

I think that this is rather a complex question.

First, I think we need to examine ourselves honestly and see whether we actually feel that we have moral responsibilities?

From comments made here over time it appears that many of us do not. We humans are very good at self-deception and run the danger, if we are not careful, of confusing moral responsibility with priggishness, superiority or smugness.

I think that I personally, feel a moral responsibility towards my students and children whose sense of morality is still being formed.

However, the morality of adults, strangers, I consider to have been shaped and formed by forces I cannot know and have had no part in; therefore take no responsibility for.

I do, however, feel a strong sense of responsibility to all who share the world with me. While it appears that this feeling is considered limp-wristed and is continualy mocked, it forms part of my deeply-held beliefs and is the basis of my spiritual life.

Therefore, for me personally, each act would definitely stand alone and be reacted to according to the circumstances.

I think I prefer to try to deter or diffuse a situation whenever feasible: thinking in terms of Crime/Punishment is not my first reaction.

But, like any code of being, this is not a stark black or white issue either for me or for most people, I suspect.

I agree with the proposition that we are leading more introverted and sedentary lives today. When I was a kid in the 70s we did all the outdoorsy things like running around playing army and cricket every summer, riding our bikes etc. But that petered out as friends got older, drifted apart and did different things and found new friends that were more like them.

So, after a while, people tend to aggregate in like-minded groups and consequently mind their own business. The idea of a homogeneous community, if it ever really existed, suffers.

When it comes to reporting crime, it probably depends on where you live. The rule of thumb seems to be to only do so if someone hurts or threatens your interests. Otherwise ignore it as you don't know whose nose you might put out of joint and what retribution they might be after.

That, of course, is not particularly community-minded, but often how it is

A few interesting issues here, house size should be a thread on its own.
Mine is too big, yet it was relocated from Sydney and refurbished, built first around 1970.
I bought it because it was like new after that rebuild 5 bed rooms 2 bath rooms 4 others.
Still small compared to many Mac Mansions being built now.
Is size having an affect on how we are?
Other way around , we build our caves to keep us isolated.
My family always used my home as a refuge I provided for them.
Too big but not the reason I am what I am.
People once knew every one in a street.
Locked away from the world works while the one you love shares your life but fails in time.
I think many, not a majority but a lot do get involved in others problems.
Those who do not want to get involved would be the first to expect help, its human nature sadly.

spiralling discontent/disregard for laws.
Could it be put in another way perhaps?
discontent/disregard for spiralling laws.
Considering in the 21st century there are more rights and more laws to defend rights than in the time kids were told "get outside and play" is long gone. We're more aware of falling under a sets of laws that are moral and not in themselves, criminal.
I tried to help a stabbing victim, who died waiting for an ambulance. I ended up sitting in a court room, which was not a pleasant eperience. The person who died was a stranger and changed my way of thinking of ever helping anyone again. I still think I would though in same circumstance.

Seems to me that you're bringing up quite a number of issues there.

In relation to reporting crimes: for me, it does indeed depend on the severity. From my view, there are three different crimes I could witness.

1) Those I disapprove of, but don't consider serious enough to go to the trouble of reporting.

For example, littering. What good would it do at the end of the day? I might seriously dislike those people who carelessly litter, but I'm hardly going to run to the nearest police officer.

2) Laws I simply don't respect.

Note here, that seeing as I'm a citizen of Australia, I feel I'm bound to follow its laws. That being said, sometimes there are laws which I fervently disagree with - for example, the internet censorship restrictions that are in the works. I'd have no qualms about downloading softward to bypass such efforts at censorship, even if there wasn't any restricted material I want to see. I disapprove on principle. So of course, I wouldn't report others doing it.

3) Serious laws.

These I'd report. Instantly. I see a robbery taking place, or someone being mugged or attacked, or something of a serious nature, I'd hit the phones straight away.

In relation to the issues of polarisation:

Yes, I agree it's a problem.
I detest the increasing trend toward 'gated' communities. Something about them really bothers me, it seems like people retreating into castle-like societies.
When you give your imagination a little leeway, it's not hard to imagine an atomised society where the rich have retreated completely into such enclaves.

I also agree about the social habits reducing. I've spent a fair amount of time in Chinese cities, and seen that the culture has more social aspects to them. Many city squares will play free movies at night where crowds congregate, some people dance (it's a more coordinated line-dancing style of dance) and young children can run about freely.
I can't help but feel if such things happened in Australia, it would only be a matter of time before some drunk yahoos crashed the event.

We some times find it hard to stay on subject this thread will be such a case.
Full of interest it has many heads many directions.
Do we truly care about one another?
Some of us, far too many do not.
TRL has hit on a reason, look at any poorer community and wonder as I do why the social and community ties are stronger.
This year, in trying to tell how I found youth so very different in their attitudes than the rest of us, I found myself being jumped on and miss represented.
Todays 40, 50 and 60 year olds had a far different upbringing than 30 or 20 year olds.
Education, some in the home, was far different, one outcome has been youth, mostly because they never knew different have abandoned our ways.
I often wonder truly, if social experiments deliberatly fractured our community bonds?
Look at any one walking past some one in trouble, ask your self is there any doubt that person would expect help if it was them?
Self interest drives most always.

TRTL/Belly,

I think it's true that poorer people have stronger social bonds. In this country, the more affluent and elite do tend to retreat back to their castles and stay separate from the rest of the community. This is particularly so in Western countries where being an intellectual is often seen as the be-all-and-end-all. As not everyone can be one, polarisation is guaranteed. So, I would say polarisation is a direct function of Western development and breadth of opportunity generally.

It's easy to criticise the youth of today and say they don't have the same values of the older generations. But they at least don't have the apathy and sense of being doomed to a certain fate as people in my generation (Gen X) did when I was growing up. On the other hand, they tend to lack strategic thinking or seeing the big picture and seem to live purely in the moment (eg their being wedded to electronic gizmos etc). So there's good and bad aspects in all generations.

Dear examinator,

I just popped in to wish you,
"A Merry Mistress and a Happy All Year!"
Ho, Ho, Ho!

But, the seriousness of your thread has
caused me to pause and contemplate ...

You're asking some 'big' questions.
Anyway, here goes...

It doesn't matter where we live - in a big
house or an apartment. We can't continue to
ignore the problems that exist around us.

We as a nation have to become involved in each
other's 'problems.'

People do have the unhappy ability to stare at
the obvious, and then deliberately retreat into
escapist delusions. They often do this in the
case of unpleasant truths, only because it's
more comforting in the short run than
facing up to the arduous tasks at hand.

But short-run delusions have a habit of turning
into long-run regrets.

The regrets stemming for example, from the rich
peoples' delusions over the poor peoples' problems
which are lengthening into the long-run stage
now...I am increasingly hopeful that at some point
soon, and I say soon only because delay becomes more
disastrous year after violent year, there will be a
significant change of attitude.

The wealthy and secure of our society will begin
to realize that they can't possibly remain either
wealthy or secure if they continue to close their
eyes to the pestilence of poverty that is engulfing
our society, and the globe.

People have to begin to realise that collective
assistance is the only sensible strategy in a
problematic society. That for any of us to feel
secure, we have to assist those in trouble.
Collective security and collective assistance are
but two faces of the same coin.

Would I report a crime? Of course.
Would I help anyone in trouble?
How could I not?

The day may come when I would need help,
and hopefully someone would help me.

Dear examinator,

I don't know if I've answered your questions
satisfactorily ...

Before I leave I just want to wish everyone,
all the Joys of this Festive Season.

All The Best To Everyone,
See You in 2009!

Dear Foxy and all
I endorse her wishes to all for this time and for the coming earth cycle around the sun.
All the comments are apreciated as all show effort to consider the topic. and very interesteing.
Everyone made interesting points.
I guess there is a link between the observations and the attitude towards crimei, a breakdown of Community responsibility.
As for spiralling laws one has to wonder as we become more selfish/insular the less concerned we are for others and more willing to ignore others in our quest for self satisfaction.
eg I've spent 5 years officially doing council bush care in my local special wildlife reserve.
On the weeked a neighbour too lazy/busy/cheap to dispose of his garden waste properly dumped it over native plant regen. There will be repocussions if I do he is an aggressive too many laws etc guy...if I don't he'll continue to dump. He sees the law as unnecessary as he knows best...clearly he doesn't. Question do I do nothing clean up his mess or take the higher ground and take the view that he is destroying public property.
After all I would report a vandal/Tagger. Am I being selfish or socially responsible.

Examinator, this morning I went to my local police station and made four complaints of dangerous/risky/aggressive driving, including one incident in which I was almost wiped out on the Bruce Highway yesterday. I made four last week as well.

Years ago I made a few complaints. But I stopped because the reception from police was highly mixed and certainly not always positive…and I felt that it was futile.

I also came to feel that it would be a good idea just to stay right away from the police and have nothing to do with them if you could possibly help it.

But now I’ve changed tack. And it is working for me, at the moment. I’ve received a reasonable reception and been assured that my complaints will be taken forward.

One thing that has caused me a great deal of angst over many years is the feeling of powerlessness on our roads when confronted with dangerous/risky/aggressive driving. But now I feel quite considerably empowered. It is fantastic to know that at least at my local cop shop, making this sort of complaint and upholding this level of basic community responsibility for us all to do our bit, is actually facilitated.

So, for me, making complaints about unlawful activities has got everything to do with the attitude of those to whom you make the complaint, and the feeling that you are seen to be doing the right thing, rather than a strong sense from cops that I have got in the past, along the lines of; ‘We’re really not interested. We’ll take your complaint because it is supposed to be part of our job, but it will be written roughshod on a scrap of paper in a highly informal and unprofessional manner, which will go straight in the bin as soon as you leave the police station.’

It has got everything to do with the right sort of encouragement and facilitation (or lack thereof) from the police…and the right attitude from politicians to make sure that this happens.

Examinator

If this guy is the vindictive type I would opt for notifying local council/police of the location - they may be able to catch him in the act.

I always give my name, this gives some credibility to your claim - but I make it very clear that my details are to be kept confidential.

I'm with TRTL, I base my decision on whether anyone or thing is harmed, in which case I would take some form of action or whether I agree with the law in question (like I wouldn't be dobbing anyone in for smoking some weed).

This is far too big a topic - may be start another similar in the new year?

Best wishes everyone.

I caught a couple of kids red handed a few weeks ago who had broken into a school and caused damage. I gave a description to the police and told them I thought I knew where they lived. I had another witness to the break in and vandalism. When I made an enquiry at the school a week later as to what happened to the kids (everyone knew them), I was told there was not enough evidence to convict these young girls. This is what the Police told the Principal of the school. I doubt whether I would bother ringing the Police again. The paper work must have been to hard for them despite the damage (albeit a mess and broken window). The other line of thinking from the Police could of been that the courts would let these kids off anyway as they were from a 'disadvantaged' background.

Runners post highlighted what I meant when I said I prefer intervention or involvement.

In a similar situation I myself, I guess, broke the law by "blackmailing" the offenders i.e. telling them (and meaning it) that I would publish an article in the local paper about their extra-mural activities unless they got involved in a community project I had going.

They became the most enthusiastic "volunteers" I had but, more importantly, learnt respect for property as a result. One girl, indeed, turned her life right around and I found her on FaceBook recently as an Undergraduate/volunteer worker.

Similarly, I've mentioned before the elderly neighbours from hell who harrassed us and made our lives hell because of the numbers of young boys always at our apartment.

After making sure the rental agency had a copy of our rebuttals etc, signed by a JP on file, we held a party at which the two old people were guests of honour. They met all the kids, heard their stories and became the staunchest neighbours one could have - in tears when we eventually did leave. They even kept up their friendships with a lot of the boys.

I think the nanny-state, 'spiralling laws" dob-a-neighbour society some of us live in definately does polarise us, yes. But I remain positive that most people are not bad - more often we are fearfull, misguided or confused - and that there is lots of scope for us to resist the tendency to retreat behind the barricades.

A very long time ago my dad tried to bring us from the bush to the city.
From age 6 to 9 I lived in a Sydney suburb, 40 housing commission homes all battlers.
We knew, every one knew every one in that street, we knew the teenage girls two doors up had a party planed and every one visited every one this time of the year.
I went back, to this street in Granville over 40 years latter, each home looks the same.
We still meet some from those days, still the links are firm.
Those houses mostly are privately owned fibro cottages side by side,
People of middle eastern origin live there now, every home, and its still a tight nit community
In my country town its far from it.
Calling police? not worth the effort, at work a contractor threatened to kill my workmate.
Police said we can not do anything about threats, he must do some thing?
Kids who stole my first crop of apples? every one of them?
no anger I explained they had been my first, I wanted just one , would gladly have given them the rest, sometimes that is best way, anger never is.

examinator,

Given that the most frequent breaker of the law in Australia is government (at various levels), your question has a certain piquancy.

The workload of the various ombudsmen and administrative appeals tribunals around Australia is really stretching officers to breaking point. I reckon we all ought to adopt a policy, when we learn of such a breach of the law, to go to our local member of Parliament and demand that they raise the matter in Parliament or resign.

Now that's social responsibility.

Ah Boazy! it is Christmas time, although you celebrate the birth of Christ its a time of pagan celebrations long before that.
Long before man took bits and pieces of past Gods and pagan festivals and manufactured your God.
The thread has great interest, but we have been diverted once again, given its party time, your Christmas my beer and Barby on the veranda may I ask just a few questions?
Did Gods, all of them make some humans so you could condemn them?
That self confidence some from any religion have, you are right other wrong.
Did not your God say judge not less you be judged?
Many things divide men just maybe you are on subject.
See some men have continued to question others rights from the beginning of time.