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moral philosophy, today's insights
Sep. 24th, 2004 04:38 pmA key ingredient in friendships and relationships is shared, common values.
Anyone whose core values overlap my own by any reasonable amount must, at this point, really despise GWB and so not want him in power. I mean, I just can't see how one can hold this set of values and not be hoppin' mad about GWB. People who actually like GWB are (generally) animated by this set of entirely different values that I don't hold and which I have trouble even understanding. People who are indifferent to GWB either way... well, I don't know if I can make any valid generalizations for that set. But they certainly aren't driven by the same set of values that drive me.
How you choose to spend your time and energy (when you do have a choice) is a reflection of your core values.
I had been wondering, over the course of the last nearly four years, whether it's loony of me to have no use for people who don't froth at the mouth on the subject of GWB. Whether it means that I am lacking actual empathy for other people, and viewing them only as voters and potential volunteers and donors. I've decided that this isn't the case-- I'm not a complete loon, I do like people for their own sake and not just as votes. It's just that one has to look for some clue to sort out who has values that are compatible with one's own from those whose values are incompatible. Because it's those who share your values who will be the most valuable to your own life-- interested in the same topics and activities, supportive of the projects you undertake and the decisions you make, etc. Now that we've all had ample chance to see the man in action, "attitude towards GWB" has emerged as a really good quick test of where someone stands on the values map.
Anyone whose core values overlap my own by any reasonable amount must, at this point, really despise GWB and so not want him in power. I mean, I just can't see how one can hold this set of values and not be hoppin' mad about GWB. People who actually like GWB are (generally) animated by this set of entirely different values that I don't hold and which I have trouble even understanding. People who are indifferent to GWB either way... well, I don't know if I can make any valid generalizations for that set. But they certainly aren't driven by the same set of values that drive me.
How you choose to spend your time and energy (when you do have a choice) is a reflection of your core values.
I had been wondering, over the course of the last nearly four years, whether it's loony of me to have no use for people who don't froth at the mouth on the subject of GWB. Whether it means that I am lacking actual empathy for other people, and viewing them only as voters and potential volunteers and donors. I've decided that this isn't the case-- I'm not a complete loon, I do like people for their own sake and not just as votes. It's just that one has to look for some clue to sort out who has values that are compatible with one's own from those whose values are incompatible. Because it's those who share your values who will be the most valuable to your own life-- interested in the same topics and activities, supportive of the projects you undertake and the decisions you make, etc. Now that we've all had ample chance to see the man in action, "attitude towards GWB" has emerged as a really good quick test of where someone stands on the values map.
