10 ways responsibility can be used to manipulate you

In the Milgram Experiment, respondents were coached to "act responsibly" by inflicting pain on another person.

The experiment demonstrates how people absolve themselves of responsibility when they are told to do so by an authority. Some of history's worst atrocities can be tied to, "just following orders."

Moral Hazard - how taxpayers took indirect responsibility for the risky behaviour of bankers during the financial crisis of 2008.

The Tragedy of the Commons occurs when individuals, acting in their self-interest, ultimately deplete a shared resource, even though it is clear that the depletion is not in anyone's long-term best interest, such as overgrazing of land.

The Free Rider problem is when people take advantage of free services or goods without contributing to the cost. Effectively shifting responsibility to responsible people who are contributing.

The Bystander Effect is the idea that people are less likely to help someone in need if there are other people around.

This happens in organizations where a problem is detected in a system where multiple teams take care of the system but no one takes ownership of a novel problem because it has not been defined in their scope of responsibilities.

Narcissists tend to shift personal responsibility to others. Essentially, you become responsible for their issues. Anything you do is never enough, "because you are not taking responsibility..."

Intellectuals or policymakers that don't have skin in the game that make public policy that has no direct impact on them. Essentially, it's shifting responsibilities without having discourse with those affected.

These schemes tend to place the responsibility on the customer's ability to follow and execute the "system" as prescribed. Any failure is not because the system is poor. It's because the person is not taking responsibility for their own actions.

Cults often use a similar technique of placing responsibility for success or failure on the follower. They also severely limit outside information and contact to solidify their control.