In a new book, America’s Blame Culture: Pointing Fingers and Shunning Restitution, Terence J. Centner, a professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, advocates that Americans should stop pointing fingers at others and take action to make people more responsible for their conduct and welfare.
The book alleges that Americans live in a culture in which people decline to accept responsibility for their actions and instead threaten to sue and place liability on someone else.
“Where is our rugged individualism?” Centner writes. “Persons who cause injuries should accept the responsibilities that accompany their actions.”
The book addresses the U.S. tort system and what Centner calls its overreliance on litigation to address accidents.
It also advocates changes that would reduce litigation and compensate wrongfully injured victims.
It concludes with seven strategies for improving the quality of life for all Americans.
The idea for this book surfaced when Centner was a Fulbright Senior Scholar living in Germany and was concerned about the safety of his two elementary school-aged children. He and his wife witnessed a culture where people took care of themselves rather than relying on litigation or their government.