Last weekend, I just wanted to relax, but ended up watching several documentaries about ancient Rome. Seeing those people in togas going to the forum to assemble, vote, serve on juries, and even volunteer to build roads and clean public spaces… they genuinely treated these things as “necessary duties,” not just “something to do on the side.”
I was stunned: How could they be so serious?
And us today? Many can’t be bothered to vote, neighborhood meetings are empty, trash piles up on streets with no one caring. Everyone says “too busy,” “no time,” “it won’t make a difference anyway.”
I started wondering: What if I tried taking “civic duties” seriously for a week, like the Romans did?So I set myself a challenge: Become a modern Roman citizen and see if I can stick with it.
What exactly were these “civic duties” for Romans?
To avoid winging it, I looked it up online first. Turns out ordinary citizens in ancient Rome didn’t just worry about feeding and clothing themselves. They had responsibilities, mainly including:
- Voting: Whether electing officials or deciding public matters, you had to participate.
- Serving as a juror: If there was a court case, you might be summoned to hear the trial and render a verdict.
- Engaging in public discourse: Discussing city issues like taxes, roads, and security with others in the forum.
- Performing community service: Tasks like repairing roads, cleaning aqueducts, or helping build public structures.
They believed: If you live in the city, enjoying its protection and resources, you must contribute to it.
This isn’t like the modern attitude of “That’s the government’s job,” but rather “That’s my job too.”
Sounds ideal, but putting it into practice… is really hard.
My “Modern Roman” Weekly Plan
I picked four of the easiest projects to integrate into my life:
- Thoroughly research a local election and then vote
—We’re about to elect school board members, something I never pay attention to. - Experience the “jury duty feeling”
—I wasn’t actually called for jury duty (thank goodness), but I decided to watch a real courtroom trial live from start to finish. - Attend a community meeting
— Just like Romans debating issues in the forum, I went to hear what everyone was arguing about. - Participate in a park cleanup event
— Think of it as a modern version of “paving roads,” contributing to the public environment.
Doesn’t sound like much, right? But guess what—just scheduling the time nearly made me give up.
Day One: Researching Candidates – Way More Exhausting Than Scrolling Through Short Videos
Monday night, instead of scrolling through Douyin or watching funny videos like usual, I opened my laptop and looked up the candidates for this school board election.
Five people in total, each with a page-long bio. After 20 minutes of reading, I found one explicitly stating: “Art classes aren’t a priority. We should invest more in math and science.”
I felt a bit angry. School isn’t just about test scores—music and art make kids happy and creative. Yet I’d never even noticed this before.
That night before bed, I felt I’d done the “right thing.” Though no one praised me, I felt for the first time that I truly cared about community matters.
Wednesday: Watched a court livestream and nearly fell asleep
I found a public court video—a civil case about two people suing over a dented car fender.
The whole thing lasted 30 minutes: the two parties took turns speaking, lawyers asked questions, and the judge listened. Honestly, it was incredibly boring. I almost fell asleep and even poured myself a cup of coffee midway to stay awake.
But then I thought: Romans probably found trials tedious too, yet they still attended. Because they knew that without oversight, courts could become unfair.
So I stuck it out. While I didn’t learn any grand truths, I at least realized: Being a responsible citizen sometimes means doing boring things.
Thursday: Attended a community meeting, only to be given the cold shoulder
Our neighborhood was debating whether to change garbage collection times. I thought, “Isn’t this just a modern version of a town square debate?” So I went.
Only six people showed up. We argued for an hour, mostly because some found morning garbage collection too noisy, while others feared bears might rummage through bins if it happened at night.
I said, “Maybe there aren’t any bears downtown?”
Everyone stared at me as if I’d said something bizarre. No one responded, and after the meeting, nobody added me on WeChat.
In that moment, I realized: Getting involved in public affairs doesn’t always make you popular.
Sometimes people don’t care what you say. But at least you showed up, you listened, and you voiced your thoughts.
Saturday: Park Cleanup, My “Temple Repair” Day
I signed up for the Saturday morning park cleanup. It started at 8 a.m.—a time I’m usually still asleep.
When I arrived, it was raining. We were given gloves and trash bags and started picking up litter. Cigarette butts, plastic bottles, even a soaked mattress.
A middle-aged man nearby kept shouting, “Dog owners must control their dogs! There’s dog poop everywhere!”
I nodded along, thinking to myself: This must be what the Romans called the “public service spirit”… though right now, I just wanted to go home and shower.
After two hours, my back ached. But seeing the slightly cleaner lawn gave me a sense of accomplishment.
What did I learn this week?
Honestly, I didn’t become a “super citizen” this week.
- I won’t watch court livestreams daily.
- I probably won’t attend community meetings unless something major comes up.
- Park cleanup? Once a year is enough.
But there’s one thing I’ve decided to stick with: Taking voting seriously, especially local elections.
I used to think “it doesn’t matter who you vote for,” but now I know: These people’s decisions affect school curricula, park maintenance, and when the trash gets picked up.
If you don’t care, the ones making the decisions might just be the only ones who show up.
Summary: How to be a good citizen today?
I don’t think we need to wear togas and hold meetings all day like the Romans. But we can at least do these things:
- Care about local affairs: Don’t just watch international news—pay attention to what’s happening in your neighborhood, school, and streets.
- Vote, especially in local elections: Don’t dismiss it as “unimportant.” The smaller the decision, the more directly it impacts your life.
- Attend a public event occasionally: Whether it’s cleaning a park or attending a meeting, going once will show you what others are thinking.
- Embrace the “boring” parts: Being a citizen isn’t always exciting. Often, it means listening to arguments, reading documents, or picking up trash.
Final thought:
We don’t need to be heroes every day, nor sacrifice ourselves by hanging from trees for nine days and nights (that’s Odin’s job).
But if you can spend 20 minutes learning about candidates or casting a vote amidst work and phone scrolling—you’re already more of a “true citizen” than many.
As the Romans said: The city belongs to everyone, not just one person.
If you don’t care, it gets worse; if you get involved just a little, it might get a little better.
