It is for us to do things for ourselves unless we are given some implicit permission.

A very simple test was done by Yale  psychologist Stanley Milgram. He took ten students and sent them on the New York City subway system. They went on subways and walked up to all sorts of people who were sitting down: young, old, black, white, female, male, pregnant, etc. To each seated passenger they said, “Can I have your seat?” Seventy percent of the people gave up their seats.  
Two interesting things: one, that the percentage of people who got up was so high. They were simply being asked to get up and they did as they were told. 

Interesting thing is how reluctant the students were to even do the experiment. To ask people for their seats went against everything they had ever been taught. This is obviously an extreme. But it points out how hard it is for us to do things for ourselves unless we are given some implicit permission.

Choose Yourself! by James Altucher