When I learned about the importance of values when I was about 26 years old, (at the time of this writing, 1-24-25 I am 70) my life was changed forever. My friend Melanie Lococo had lent me a tape cassette course taught by Charles Hobbs called “The Insight System for Planning Your Time and Your Life”. I was able to study this course thoroughly during my time at the Hippocrates Health Institute where I was doing a 3 week raw food, cleansing retreat. When I learned the importance of basing my goals and how I used my time on my values, I was so inspired. I knew immediately that defining my values was essential, and I have been defining and refining my values ever since then.
An adult taught me at a young age–perhaps as early as 8 years old–that when I chose to do something, I needed to ask the question, “What would happen if everyone in the world did this?” If my action was such that if everyone did it, good would result, I could go ahead and do it. If the answer was that if everyone did this, harm would occur, then I would choose not to do it. This advice has stayed with me all these years. I did not realize at the time that I was beginning to define my values.
The most important value is that we strive to live by our values. And if people agree to all the values in this list, then I would hope that we would be able to demonstrate values that are universally good for all. Of course this doesn’t mean we would force them on anyone, but rather that people would be inspired by the community and want to emulate what we are doing.
I’m sure that these values will continue to be refined, and some values will be added. Maybe some will be combined, and possibly some may be eliminated if the community decides that the value is not proving to be universally beneficial. I will be the one in the beginning to establish the values because I want to live with people who align with these values. If someone persuades me with good arguments that a value is not beneficial, I might change my mind.
Once there is a core group of decision makers who have proven themselves worthy of being full members of the community who can then participate in the shared governance system, then we all have the ability to continue to shape the values together using the sociocracy 3.0 decision making system of consent. This is something we will be learning together from the start. I will be making final decisions on everything until that time when people become full members.
When I first started learning about values, the topic was not widely discussed. Now, discussions about values are common place. I am so glad about that.
Striving to live in alignment with our values will be a value that we must adopt because valuing our values is essential if we are to establish a community that is worth emulating.
AI has written some information about values which I would like to share now:
“Remember this Kenyan runner Abel Mutai who was just a few feet from the finish line, but became confused with the signage and stopped, thinking he had completed the race. A Spanish runner, Ivan Fernandez, was right behind him and, realizing what was happening, started shouting at the Kenyan to continue running. Mutai didn’t know Spanish and didn’t understand. Realizing what was taking place, Fernandez pushed Mutai to victory.
A journalist asked Ivan, “Why did you do that?” Ivan replied, “My dream is that someday we can have a kind of community life where we push and help each other to win.”
The journalist insisted, “But why did you let the Kenyan win?” Ivan replied, “I didn’t let him win, he was going to win. The race was his.” The journalist insisted again, “But you could have won!” Ivan looked at him and replied, “But what would be the merit of my victory? What would be the honor in that medal? What would my mother think of that?”
Values are passed on from generation to generation. What values are we teaching our children? Let us not teach our kids the wrong ways and means to win. Instead, let us pass on the beauty and humanity of a helping hand. Because honesty and ethics are winning!”
Like all creatures great and small, Humans are value-seeking, value-conserving organisms. And then you die.Over the years I have sought to identify and clarify my values. This has always been a struggle, a frustration. There are the values I think I “should” have, or was told to have; the values that I wish I had, but don’t really value; the values that look good on paper and might bring admiration from others (virtue signaling).Now that I am older it seems one of my last worthy values is self-honesty. When I consider the values I have aspired to, my life has been mostly a vast failure and a waste. I have to be honest. If one’s real life (not merely their words) proves their actual values then mine have been self-preservation, self-interest, self-protection, emotional self-comforting. Even outwardly admirable, “spiritual” or socially valued behaviors always have “self” underneath.This self-centeredness is probably damnable. Or at best, in the opinion of the apostle Paul, wood, hay, and stubble to be incinerated.As I anticipate my death often I think Oblivion would be best, safer. After a life of biblical immersion and religious indoctrination I no longer have a clue. Is Jesus the one who truly “gets me” or is he the one who will utterly expose me for what I am, and have failed to be? Or yes to both?I give up on values.