Jules--What is dependability?

Dependability can be considered as many things when it comes to personal interpretation. It can mean being present during a time of struggle for a certain someone, doing favors or errands out of pure wholeheartedness, etc. But when it comes to appreciating what you have done, people tend to overlook how much effort you have truly exerted to help, and most of the time even accuse you of being a nuisance. However, I am aware that I’m coming from a slightly biased perspective, considering that those who I have helped immensely still had the nerve to tell me I was being unfair in the midst of a minor issue. Coming back to the true meaning of the term, I myself attribute no definitive description to the word. I have been raised to identify dependability as something intangible, an effort that requires a sense of selflessness to achieve. Many times I have found myself to be on the foul end of the bargain when being “dependable”. Just recently, I came across an article that depicted its importance within the workplace, stating that “ it is more essential to be the most dependable instead of anything else”. With this quote in mind, it’s easy to make the connection within the real world as well. Day to day, we’re faced with different objectives to complete; a good majority of them require working or depending with/on another person. So why is it that even when we constantly give our best efforts, it seems that someone still has something to complain about? That’s the downfall of dependability; we sacrifice our reputations, emotions, and even relationships for the sake of upholding our responsibility to the other individual. Though it is important to be dependable, many people often times miss the detriments it brings to themselves. I personally believe that being dependable will always require these sacrifices, ones that can even outweigh the benefits that result from it. From this perspective, dependability can now be interpreted as a wholly different term. This form of dependability is usually found within those who expect to provide nothing in return for their reliance on another person. Individuals that do hold the virtuous definition of the word are often those that would subject themselves to the same sacrifices you have. Coming from this explanation, one can now differentiate between which forms of dependability they align themselves with. I personally prefer the equality of dependability, where the person you’re aiding willingly offers their services in return. That is the truest form of the word, not to be confused with the act of using your resources to get ahead in your everyday life. Ultimately, being dependable is not only limited to a person’s ability in helping another person. It comes down to the moral merit one holds the action with, because viewing it through a strictly superficial manner will only become a detriment to its worth. Now the important question is: what do you consider to be the definition of dependability? Quote found in mashable.com