I WONDER when the moment was when we officially stopped taking responsibility for our own actions?

Many people today do seem to be unprepared to take ownership of what they do. If you rack up debts on several credit cards, well, you’ve had a rough deal in life/your parents didn’t understand you/you’re entitled to enjoy some treats.

Never mind that whoever lent you the money is entitled to it back. That was the deal, and if you were going to argue about re-paying it, just try saying that at the start of the arrangement and see how much cash it ultimately gets you.

The same applies to parents who pull children out of school for family term-time holidays The latest is a Brighton man who took his two sons to Poland to support their cousin taking part in an international weightlifting competition. After being fined for this, he’s going to court as he says the rule breaches his human rights. What about breaching his children’s education?

If you want to break the rules, that’s your choice – but there’s a price to pay. It’s the same for any law-breaker. Some may have genuine mitigating circumstances, but the majority simply want to break the law because they want something someone else has or just for the money.

Unfortunately, social media encourages this distance between us and our actions. There are many, many instances of people being absolutely vile to others – often when the victims are at their most vulnerable – but they hide behind a pseudonym.

No accountability, no responsibility so I can do and say what I like. Use that as a defence in court if you fancy testing the gullibility of magistrates, and good luck.

People wriggle out of speeding cases by claiming all kinds of daft excuses only some of which are even relevant. Others argue that they committed an offence because they were under the influence of drink or drugs. Did someone force the drink down them or violently ensure they took drugs? No. That was their choice.

Breaching human rights, entitlement, “because I’m worth it.” Take your pick of excuses as they all amount to the same thing. What they are saying is “Yes, I did it but I don’t want to take responsibility for it.”

You used free-will to decide to do it, but what you don’t like is being caught. And that’s a different matter altogether.