The tasks that face our new president are daunting and the solutions to our problems are not simple. But the dawn of a new Era of Responsibility means the burden is a collective one, and does not fall on the government alone.

Offering few tangible examples of what his tenure as president will bring, Obama struck a somber tone that starkly contrasted with the optimistic underpinnings of his victory speech we saw 77 days ago. The president strayed from his trademark message of change that steered his trek to the White House, instead treading down a path emphasizing one of the most rudimentary and fundamental American values: truth.

In his address, Obama expounded on the pivotal role of traditional values for the success of the nation. By reverting back to the ideals that laid the groundwork for America — “hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism” — Obama provoked us. The responsibility for a sustainable future must be seen as a collective effort between the government and its citizens. We are expected to join in and do our part.

We have been quick to criticize the Bush administration for its shortcomings and its failures, but the American people need to seize the opportunity, ensuring that scrutiny and accountability will play a more active role in a new era of American politics. The nation is in a state of peril and in the next four years it will be difficult to see much rise from the rubble. It is therefore the people’s duty to keep Obama on track and remain critical of his administration’s decisions.

An Era of Responsibility means ensuring that all citizens live under a common law. It means holding government officials accountable for abiding by the decree of the land they govern. It means preserving constitutional rights of individuals being detained. It means putting an end to war fought by privatized contractors that, for the last eight years, have evaded accountability for their actions. It means abolishing the greed and corruption that has driven the economy into the ground.

Obama has a lot on his plate, and although he’s hungry, he’s ready and willing to share. The spirit of service, he told us, will be what defines our generation. The president was pragmatic in his message, pushing citizens towards the first step in an era that values the power of the people. It is up to the future leaders of America to help remake American politics by demanding more transparency and liability. So as Obama begins to shape his own legacy, let’s begin to craft our own.