I found Butler’s writing extremely interesting. Although at the start it was difficult to read, I felt like the middle part was a bit easier to understand. A key idea that I was able to grasp was Butler’s framing of responsibility after she used the term ‘responsibilization’, for which she used France as an example. Where poor immigrants are given less social benefits, the government is reframing the responsibility of basic survival by placing it on the individual. As Butler goes on to say, this raises many questions. “Am I responsible only to myself? Are there others for whom I am responsible? And how do I, in general, determine the scope of my responsibility?” (pg. 34).

These questions resonate with me. From my perspective I believe there isn’t a specific ‘right’ answer. Answers likely vary from person to person, and may even change throughout the course of one’s life. For example two people in the same group may feel differently. For example a 22-year-old living by themself away from family may feel responsible only to themself, but someone else in the same position may feel more compassionate and see themselves responsible for younger siblings or family members, or even close friends. In my eyes neither person is particularly wrong or right, they just have different perspectives. That same 22-year-old who originally felt responsible just for themself could potentially have a different answer ten years down the line when they have a wife and kids they find themselves feeling responsible for. As for the question of how to dtermine the scope of one’s responsibility, I have no response. At least not one I could articulate properly. Maybe in ten years’ time I’ll have an answer.