Community Virtues – Expectations

On the one hand people tend to conserve energy while on the other hand people want to belong.  The first impulse allows someone else to expend the energy necessary to get something done, while the second impulse leads one to expend their own energy in responsible contributions to feel like they belong.  We also tend to live up or down to expectations.  In a vibrant community expectations of responsibility are needed to bring out that second impulse in everyone.  Even in a community program designed to address need, their should be some expectations of the needy to contribute to the program in at least some small way.