Values Take Center Stage.

摘要

Values exert a powerful influence on our behavior, whether or not we deliberately choose which are most important. I think this is primarily what Socrates meant. Consider how you start your day. Let's say you are someone, like me, who sometimes has trouble getting going in the morning. As you hustle through your morning routine, you might feel pressed for time, a little pressured and hassled. What are your concerns when you feel this way. Are you in control. Where are your values. Do you regularly start your day in a positive or negative frame of mind. Think about the many other circumstances where your mood, outlook, and effectiveness are influenced by values that may be unconscious and out of control. In my experience, values are universally recognized as important, but also often weakly understood and acted upon. As a starting point, it helps to define the term clearly. Values can be defined as deeply held beliefs and needs that guide our decisions and behavior, the principles and standards that give meaning to life. Core values are those we will not violate, even when the stakes are high. The concept of values also extends to our personal likes, dislikes, and preferences. For instance, although a desire to exercise every day may seem unrelated to deeply held moral beliefs, it cannot be rejected as a value. If being fit contributes to your quality of life, and you deeply enjoy the activity, exercise also has a place among your values. Values, then, both constrain our behavior and compel us to take action.