This post is part of a weekly post series, introduced by the Buddy Up community. A post is made with the Tag, dropintheocean. This post is normally posted on a Sunday evening or early Monday morning. The word is then discussed later in the Buddy Up server on Discord. https://discord.gg/3d5H3K8

The chat is relaxed with varying opinions coming together in open discussion. This conversation is an open invitation for anyone to join in with. The word to write on this week is Obligation. Every interpretation of what obligation means is valid and no opinion is held higher than another.

Obligation, I really don't have a clue what to write about this. How to write about this even what opinion I have on obligation before I start. It appears like one of those words that has a meaning and the meaning can't really change very much. Before I start I am going to dictionary the word and get what the meaning is from there.

an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.

After a search, the definition I came across was pretty much along the lines I was thinking of. If you have children, along with them you gain an obligation to look out for their best interests and general well being. I think that is self-evident by the new born's inability to fend for itself. This will take many years. Looking at society, many failures too. is there more to obligation than this. Other than family obligations and how far does family obligation extend. It seems I ask more questions than give answers in this post.

Family seems a moral obligation, an inherited obligation seems to fit. The definition also mentions about a legal obligation. This can be seen in the duties we may perform while we are in employment. There is an obligation on behalf of the employee to perform the tasks assigned to a standard, in a time efficient manner.

In legal terms, obligation can carry a penalty. If the details of a contractual agreement are broken. The party who broke the terms can incur costs. Both parties or more are obliged to abide by the terms of the agreement.

That seems to be pretty much it for obligation. There is a moral obligation and a legal obligation. At times these two are often entwined.

We also hold a moral obligation and a legal obligation to our environment. To everything around us. By extension of family and the workplace. We have a neglected obligation to our community. Our communities an obligation to other communities around and interlinked within them. Each owe the others a presently neglected obligation of support. Each bordered area owes an obligation to their neighbours. One of peace is the first that comes to mind. One of exchange is another which comes to mind. The willingness to trade without extortion.

How do we live up to those obligations in a society like the one we live today.

We are obliged morally to do these things for the future generations that will come after us, and legally by the promises of our parents and us to make these changes. Yet these obligations are so hard to fulfil. Not for everyone and probably in most part by location. The obligation we hold fall apart on a moral or legal ground. More often it is a technicality and a method used to avoid expense or an excuse to do ones own will above that of a moral obligation.

I will say I am obligated here to write this post. I will be told.
"No," "There is no obligation on anyone to write a post for the Buddy Up shows or promotions."
I agree there is no obligation or hint of placed on anyone at the Buddy Up server. (You can put the gun down now Penderis)
The obligation I hold to write this post is from The Hive community. I have an obligation to write a post daily when ever I can. This is to grow the value of The Hive community in both its ability to function on the Steemit platform and for the growth of our members. A secondary obligation is extended to the Buddy Up community in the support they show to The Hive. We have similar views on many things with the general membership of the Buddy Up group.

Obligations are a conscious decision

to ignore or fulfil.