The increasing cost of values.

For those who have followed me in the past, thank you for being continually supportive and sharing your personal experience and opinions. To those that are new followers, I also thank you for taking your precious time to hear what I have to say and hopefully I help bring value to your life. Previously I have expressed some views about business, politics and general life from my own experiences and this blog is focused on unifying the lessons that I have been taught for the common good. I hope you enjoy.

If you are fortunate enough, values are something imposed on you at a very young age. For example, many learn that by saying please and thank you, you are demonstrating gratitude. The result of your sign of appreciation is positively impacting another persons life and may consequently result in reciprocated actions. Although as youth we may not truly understand the foundation that is being built, we following unknowingly if only to get an extra cookie.

Like modelling clay we are shaped into citizens with shared values for the common good of society. However, as I travel to new places and meet new people I witness the inner conflict an individual would have with conflicting values from different cultures and generations. A prime example are attitudes towards wealth development within the household. Previous generations with limited access to opportunities have placed a greater value on the long-term economic development often sacrificing current wants for future needs. On the other hand, current youth place higher emphasis on their current desires than their future needs. I do not have all the answers, naturally I have far from it, but clearly there is a cost associated with values. In the previous example it is what is to be gained for sacrificing (or not sacrificing) in the future.

What we see on television undoubtedly reflects our values as a society. The personalities consistently in the spotlight highlight our core motivations. This is because whether it is a positive or negative image, the media most popular represents the demand of the audience. Of course there is some bias, some more than others, but ultimately the people drive the content that is viewed. I previously used the analogy of sacrificing for future needs but here the cost associated is misrepresentation, conflict and injustice.

Technology has made us aware of ourselves and those we have to share the planet with. With this compactness comes the increasing price of values. Both by standing true to your values and deterring from them will have a greater effect than it would have 20 years ago because of your larger reach.

We have to remind ourselves that there is a price to pay for our values. We wasn’t taught that by saying please when we asked for a cookie that you may not be given a cookie. The lesson our parents were teaching us was not to say please because you wanted something but because it was the right thing to do even if you don’t get what you want.

- Dominic