15:34 Gulf News: People are simply too busy to worry about their civic responsibilities.
15:35 Shajitha Shifa: People today are so driven towards their personal goals and aims that civic sense has become a low priority, people almost consider it a nuisance.
15:38 Shereen Mir: People are so involved in their own issues that they do not pay attention to what they are doing. They ignore others while they are busy in their work.
15:40 Shivshankar K.T.: We are the first to complain about public facilities but, at the same time, we neglect our responsibility to maintain it. This is a wrong attitude. If we come across such negligence, we should point out the mistake then and there. As a resident, it is our primary duty to show basic civic sense.
15:40 Richa Thomas: Civic sense is nothing but ethics that need to be followed by people in public. People are too busy to be polite. Nowadays people, particularly the youth, are forgetting how to behave properly.
15:43 Leah Thomas: With the exception of a few lessons in school, not a lot of attention is given to civic behaviour. Schools and homes do not teach their children about the importance of civic sense and how it could make a difference to the country as well as the quality of their lives.
15:47 Gulf News: Fines are proving to be an ineffective way to stop people from misusing public amenities.
15:48 Ramachandran Nair: Imposing penalties is a forced attempt to change the mindset. This does not change an individual’s social commitment; therefore I doubt such moves can bring a serious shift in people’s perception. Instead we need to improve awareness on such matters, which will have a better reach in society.
15:49 Sophy Aqeel: We all work very hard and fines do pinch us, but if we do something like littering or spitting on the road, people should be fined. They must act more responsibly.
15:50 Sumanta Kumar Banerjee: I agree with the imposition of fines, as this is required to create a sense of fear – in case a person flouts a guideline, one will be punished. That works as a deterrent. I strongly support this.
15:51 Kritika Narayan: For example, in a park if they see children littering, people should correct them. They should not back out with the fear of parents defending their children.
15:52 Anureet Kaur: The solution is simple and easy. Impose fines wherever it is mandatory but encourage a sense of community. Honestly, compared to so many other places, UAE is a very clean country. Lawmakers should do their job but the public should do theirs too.
15:54 Akshaya Parthasarathy: Instead of thinking of measures for the long run, why not think about measures on how to spread awareness? The consequences are due to people’s actions. Yes, measures like fines will help reduce these actions but why not first make everyone aware of good behaviour?
15:55 Gulf News: Schools are failing to develop civic sense in children as most lessons are confined to the notebooks.
15:55 Nazia Jalal Irfan: Often, I come across school campaigns on collecting empty cans for recycling, where the child who brings in the highest number gets a certificate. But by doing that, the child is only interested in getting the certificate and appreciation and not concerned about the message behind it.
15:57 Nithinsha Najeeb: If the teachers and parents play their roles effectively, it would be more than enough.
15:58 Apoorva Arya: We say that moral education is included in school curriculum. But we also need to understand that moral education is very different from civic sense. Schools might consider including civic sense as a community lecture once a week for the better understanding of the pupils.
16:00 Gulf News: Most people are more concerned about being liked to correct others.
16:01 Taqleed Reyaz: I think we as individuals should take the initiative of politely correcting it then and there. It costs nothing to correct when you are right.
16:01 Gautham Manoj: People look away not only due to fear of rejection, but also due to the ‘who cares?’ attitude.
16:03 Lakshmi Ajay: I agree with the statement. In society, it’s all about popularity. No one likes to go against the flow. “If they don’t mind why should we?” is the typical mindset.
16:07 Disha Bobby: No one behaves perfectly at all times. There is no harm in accepting what others say as long as the words chosen are right and put across in the right manner.
