Building A Good Citizen Essay Example

Say you are challenged with building the perfect citizen. If you could somehow decide what traits to implant in someone’s personality, which would you choose? Even if someone knew all the facts in the world about their country it wouldn’t make them a good citizen. Good citizens know more than just information about their country, they have empathy, they respect others’ opinions, they commit to their country, they are involved and informed, and most importantly, they care about making their community a better place.

Citizens should be concerned about the well-being of their neighbors. In some political circles, "empathy" is a problematic term since it's connected with advocating for huge government solutions to social problems, yet caring may take numerous forms. Private acts of kindness, collaborative work through religious organizations, civic groups, or labor unions, private company actions, or government action could all be examples. Good citizens, regardless of the system, look out for one another. Caring for someone is essentially putting their needs above your own. It’s important to being a good citizen because it helps you be more aware of the suffering around you and can motivate you to find solutions. 

Furthermore, respecting others’ opinions is also a key characteristic of good citizens. When you don’t agree with someone, it doesn’t always justify an argument. Respecting others' opinions does not mean abandoning our own. It just asks us to acknowledge that others have the right to see the world in different ways than we do and that when they express their perspectives with us, they can expect a fair hearing. We are who we are because of what we believe. Everyone in the nation has different perspectives, and if a citizen wasn’t able to put their pride aside to talk peacefully with other citizens, what kind of citizen are they? It is important as a citizen to learn how to disagree in a respectful and constructive manner. Citizens should also be humble enough to admit when they're wrong.

Soldiers that have gone to war are phenomenal examples of citizens that have displayed incredible commitment. They risked their lives for their country and that takes not only commitment but bravery and kindness as well. However, showing commitment to your country isn’t always going to be at that extreme level. Commitment is simply a sacrifice, and we do that every day for people and places we care about. Every law-abiding adult goes through the frustrating and seemingly worthless process of doing taxes every year. No one enjoys paying taxes but it makes it more bearable when you think about where this money is going. It is going to build libraries, roads, fire and police stations, and schools. Some of it goes to research and produce medicine that might even save your life one day. Ultimately, giving back in the form of taxes is important to help your community, and that is what being a good citizen is all about. If your taxes are going to causes you don’t agree with, pay them anyway, and become involved with changing where your money goes.

Being involved is one of the principal qualities a citizen should have. A basic part of being involved as a citizen is participating in elections, whether local or national. This is very important as it decides the leader who is going to be making decisions for your community. Voting is critical to ensure that we as citizens of the United States aren’t just standing on the sidelines and complaining about the way our government functions because that makes no difference whatsoever. We must remember that a democracy is a country governed by We the People if it is to function. While voting is a staple part of being involved as a citizen, it is not the only way. You can also be involved in making your community a better place by standing up for injustices, donating to charities, and volunteering your time. 

A responsible citizen should be aware of current events and how they influence her or his fellow citizens. This is not easy. In our age of the internet and social media, there is a profuse amount of misinformation and biased information floating around. Therefore, it is important to fact-check and run background on where you are getting information from. In addition, talking with people that have different opinions than you do is beneficial to being informed because it allows you to acquire different perspectives on the issues you are learning about. This aspect of citizenship is difficult, but it is necessary. Being educated is also another important quality a citizen should have. It is not quite the same thing as being informed. You can know all the information in the world and not know how to use it. Using the information you learn to make decisions that will help those in need is something all citizens should learn how to do.

There are plenty of American citizens who weren’t born American citizens, and their culture contributes to the diversity and cultural mosaic of the U.S. No one should feel like they need to leave behind their heritage to become a worthy citizen of a new country. Naturalized citizens have just as much to offer America as those born citizens.

Being proud of your country and the opportunities it offers in your life is a very beneficial state of mind, but by only acknowledging the positive features of America, you are ignoring the faults in our country and the suffering they cause. Of course, we should be grateful to live in a place with so many opportunities but we, as American citizens, should also take responsibility and work to fix any injustice or wrong we encounter.