When I think about what my protected values are, I can not help but think about the movie Miss Congeniality (Petrie, 2000). When Stan Fields asked "What is the most important thing society needs?" Each contestant was expected to say "World Peace". This concept in my mind is always laughable due to the unlikely circumstance of its occurrence much less undesirability for those who believe in the Bible's Book of Revelation where world peace ultimately means end times are upon us. As the seekers of protecting our values, we often neglect to see the true price with which that comes and are typically willing to make concessions despite the belief that our values are to be protected at all costs.
The first of my protected values are that I will protect and preserve my natural resources. My supporting belief for this value is that if we fail to protect and preserve our natural resources, that humanity will struggle to survive in the future. I realize that a complete adherence of not using any natural resources without restoring the same quantity is impossible while still maintaining my current lifestyle. However, I do hold to the notion that we should reduce or eliminate the complete waste of materials and use sustainable resources whenever possible. By being as conservative as possible, we can extend the complete depletion of this planets resources for as long as possible. Am I willing to walk to work barefoot so I do not use petroleum products for my daily commute? No. Am I willing to purchase a vehicle which would have the best fuel consumption for my situation and drive it as long as it is ecologically sensible to continue to do so? Yes. I realize that each vehicle made uses vast amounts of resources in its manufacture that will likely never be overcome by a simple fuel savings from one model to the next, therefore I drive a relatively old car, which at the time of purchase had the best fuel economy on the market. Did I assure the manufacturer followed sound sourcing techniques for the products which went into the make of my car? No, but I have not heard significant public outcry against this company over any other. While I hold this value near and dear to my heart, I do realize that each person and corporation has an effect on the environment we live in. A best effort can be made, and that is what this value, to me, exists to sustain.
A second value that I consider a protected value is that we should always be considerate of others. While this is a protected value of mine, I also expect others to be considerate of my needs too. While many people in this world seem to consider only themselves or what is best for their company or family. I believe if everyone was considerate of others and the well-being of others, rather than just for themselves and those immediately connected to them, the world would be a better place. This value also comes with its flaws as most of the time, everyone is self-serving to some degree. Therefore this value becomes more of a "How can I do the most good for society without affecting my own well being too substantially?" than an entirely altruistic effort. I will stand and hold the door on a cold rainy day for another person despite my own coldness, but I would not give them the building because they did not have one of their own.
Finally, my third protected value, which is perhaps the value I am least willing to sacrifice is my value for the protection of child welfare. I believe that those who can have a duty to protect from harm those who can not. The primary thought that enters my mind when I think about this value is the abusive situations that many children around the world find themselves in. While I realize that I can not possibly protect every child in the world, I do firmly believe that if each adult who could protect a child would, there would not be any children without such protection. I am supportive of efforts to prevent child abuse, child labor, and other societal groups who do not have a voice as well. I investigate the sources of many things I buy to make a conscientious decision regarding labor, civil and worker rights. Several years ago, I heard that FoxConn, the world's largest manufacturer, had horrible working conditions which caused a large suicide rate among their workers. Appalled, I set out to investigate the situation. Initially, I uncovered that the company had seen several of their workers commit suicide that past year and the number seemed extremely unreasonable until I discovered the size of their labor force and realized they employ more people than my home State of Mississippi has citizens. The number, while still upsetting, seemed rather low in comparison to my home State's suicide death rate that same year. While the awareness brought to light the seriousness that I value human life, it did not preclude me from purchasing any of the products that FoxConn manufactures, but rather take into consideration that I do have the ability to join prevention groups in my area to aid those in my community.
Each of my protected values has its limits, and I have never viewed any of my protected values as sacrosanct. While I feel strongly about my values, I also realize that each can not be fully enforced without loss of concern for another of my own values. Each decision we make should reflect our values, and the values of our company, but the ability to protect every value all the time is impossible. So why try? Primarily, I feel that we should do our best as the Boy Scouts of America state in their Boy Scout Oath.
References:
Baron, J., Leshner, S. (2000). How Serious Are Expressions of Protected Values? Journal of Experimental Psychology: 2000. Vol 6. No 3. 183-194.
Hoch, S., Kuneuther, H. (2001) Wharton on Making Decisions. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ.
Boy Scouts of America. (2018). Scout Oath. Retrieved from: https://www.scouting.org/discover/faq/question10/
Petrie, D. Director, Bullock, S. Producer (2000) Miss Congeniality. Warner Brothers Pictures.
No comments:
Post a Comment