Protective Responsibility

An internal locus of control is described as focusing on what one can control in the present. The article presents a model that classifies people as sheep, wolves, or sheepdogs based on capacity for violence and empathy. A sheepdog is defined as someone with both capacity for violence and love for fellow citizens who can protect others. The sheepdog model is presented as shaped by nature, nurture, choices, discipline, and free will rather than genetics or environment alone. The article advises strengthening desired traits by feeding the sheep, wolf, or sheepdog aspects of the self. The article recommends controlling practical variables such as discipline, parenting, media boundaries, sleep, training, and service.