Every once in a while,a situation presents itself to you, and in so doing, however unwittingly, that situation tests your resolve, challenges your moral fiber and forces you to examine (or re-examine) your values.
When things like these happen, one of two things may be the result: you will try to ignore the situation until it absolutely HAS to command your attention, or you will rush to a decision so that you don't have to think about it for too long. I have a theory about why these two possible reactions are so prevalent. And here it is:
There are simply not enough moments in a teenager's day to give the appropriate attention to the notion of what he or she values. Not to mention the word itself, values, is such an abstract term that who really has to time to ponder its meaning AND the implications AND live the life of a carefree kid?
So, as a result of my theory, this blog question was born. I would like you to really let the questions I am presenting here have some time to marinate so that you can reach a deeper level of understanding. So, as I am posting this late AND asking you to take your time with it--your due date for this post has been moved to FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11th.
What DO you value? Please don't say things such as "friends, family, cell phone or iPod." Those things are just that--things (yes, even the people). While they have surface value, they are not what I am talking about. Why? Because, in order to get to the deeper understanding of yourself and your actual values, you have to ask yourself WHY you consider those things valuable. And then, you have to ask yourself a two-part, very fundamental question:
1)What makes you so mad you could scream? What fills you with unabashed joy?
and
2)Why do you have those reactions to what you listed?
The sum total of those answers is the amorphous notion of your values.
These are hard questions, and like all hard questions, the answers may take a while to come and you may have to write it as you're thinking about it. Please do so, because I would be willing to bet that all of us could benefit from your thought process as well as your answers.
Buena Suerte.
This post was hard to say the least. It took me a good 36 hours to come up with a suitable answer, and yet I still feel as if I’m lacking something...or maybe that’s just my confidence talking, who knows. Other than that, this post really got my mind running. When asked our values, we immediately say, “Oh, I value my friends and family.” but when those are taken away from you, now what? Anyways, I hoped this was the answer you were all looking for:
ReplyDeleteIf there’s one thing you should all know about me, it’s that I absolutely hate liars. I’m being a hypocrite for saying so, because I too have given my fair share of lies, but I do try my best to be 100% honest with people. If there’s one thing I look for in a person, it is honesty. I value honesty more than any other trait a person can have. I value honesty in that, it’s something only we can control. We either choose to tell the truth or we chose to bend it, but in the end, it’s our personal selves the make the decision. Being truthful gets harder as a teenager. We lie to our parents when they’ve caught us doing something wrong, we lie to our teachers about forgetting an assignment when it’s due, and we lie to our friends to make ourselves seem “cooler” than we really are. Being honest, which should be one of the easiest things to do in life, has now become one of the hardest traits to acquire. I think one of the reasons I value honesty so much is because it takes a lot of determination and guts. You’ll hurt people’s feelings along the way, but it’s better to tell a friend that their hair looks like a bird slept in it, rather than let them roam the halls to be ridiculed by the public. Personally, I’d rather someone tell me I looked like Lindsay Lohan and save myself the public humiliation. As they say, “Honesty is the best policy.”
As for something that makes me want to bash my head into the wall, it’s probably my lack of confidence. My confidence, described in one word, sucks. I’m always second guessing everything I do, and even when someone tells me I’ve done a good job on something, I always find a way to put myself down. Why I do that? I don’t know. That’s what I’m still trying to figure out. I admire confident people who can do whatever they want and don’t succumb to the effects of peer pressure. Oh, how I long to have that ability, but frankly, like most people, I stick to the status quo and do what is done. It’s a shame really. I’ve always wanted that, I-do-what-I-want-no-matter-what-anyone-else-thinks attitude, but I’m constantly thinking of what other’s would think of me for doing so. And as for something that fills me with unabashed joy, it’d have to be chivalry. Nothing, NOTHING, makes me happier than someone’s willingness to help someone else without the need of getting something back in return. The people who help others because they WANT to, are people on my “You’re a Fabulous Person” list (no… but really). Too many people in society are “helping” others for the idea that, if they help someone, they’ll either get a.) something in return or b.) recognition. When I’ve done a good deed, I don’t look for any of those two, rather, I look for the feeling of satisfaction. Knowing that I’ve helped someone one way or another, no matter how significant or insignificant, gives me comfort. We should help others not because we feel the need to, but because we, ourselves, want to. It’s so satisfying. You’ve not only helped someone in need, but you’ve also helped yourself. I feel good about myself when I’ve helped others, and you should too when you've done the same.
I totally agree with you. I myself said that when asked my values, I find it hard to say something other than "my friends and family." I really like the way you were really honest put to light or own problems with your values.
DeleteFirst off, i love you Cuerquis. Second, i love how honest you were! I know you hate your lack of confidence but that all takes time. I am always here to keep you motivated!
DeleteI like how you define honesty as something that acquires determination and guts. Honesty is an extremely hard asset to obtain and I never have thought of it from the perspective that people have to be daring to be honest. I think you are absolutely right in saying this and it is the first step people need to take in order to get back to an honest lifestyle in which trust is then able to be accomplished.
DeletePaula, I like how you value honesty. I know (in a good way) whenever I need someone to tell me the straight-out truth you are the one I can go to. Honesty is the best policy. I see it the more you lie the more trouble it brings you. Being honest is a good thing to have, so yes value that.
DeleteI agree with you Paula, I think honesty is something everyone should value because it is very important. It is so because honesty affects relationships with everyone and it is important in any type of relationship to be able to trust.
DeleteI agree with you, the first thing that I thought of when asked what we value was my friends and family. I like how you value honesty, but also admitted that it was hypocritical to say so. I admire that fact that you’re not afraid to tell the truth, even if it might hurt someone else’s feelings, but sometimes it is for their own good and will benefit them. Just like you, I seem to also lack confidence in certain things. I wish that we both could find a way to just gain confidence in what we do and never second-guess ourselves.
DeleteI agree with you're value on honesty because it affects everything our relationships and even how we view ourselves. I think honesty is important in relationships because a relationship based on lies isn't a relationship at all. I also think it's important in how we view ourselves like you were about your lack of confidence because if we're not honest to ourselves who are we honest with.
DeleteI understand the whole confidence issue thing. I've always had a hard time with my self confidence. It's really weird because the only times when I am not nervous at all are when I'm being watched by upwards of 100 people, but I digress. I have never been a real conversationalist, and I have flubbed a lot of friendships because I looked too deep into what they thought of me. But yeah, I agree, lacking confidence is really awful. I really liked reading this post, your posts are always very well done!
DeleteHonesty is a great trait to have, but I feel like there has to be a limit. It is really good that you speak your mind because it often helps people, but sometimes it can be intimidating. I'll admit it. Sometimes I'm kind of scared of you for that reason. I think you're a really nice person, but I am always afraid of you because I'm afraid of how you'll respond to what I say. I'm a bit afraid of hearing that I suck at something or my opinion is stupid or I look terrible at the moment. It takes some getting used to being criticized especially if you are used to people sugar coating everything for you because they think you are fragile. So even though I don't enjoy hearing your honesty sometimes, it helps.
DeleteBefore I actually read all of the directions of this blog, I was going to say that I value my friends and my family right off the bat. To me, I see them as not just people, but as a support system that has guided me through my entire life. However, I guess you're right, Bunje. Though they are souls themselves, they are just “things” to our own understanding. However, my friends and family are playing factors in my actual values as a human conscience. One of my greatest values is loved one’s opinions of me. Their opinions and standards have made me both scream in frustration, and be filled with utter delight. I don't know if valuing someone's opinion of me is a curse or a blessing. To me, it's like an addiction. I am always trying to meet their needs and satisfy them. This helps me by making me a better person and striving to meet my full potential. However, sometimes making others happy can totally steer me into a different direction that I want to be going and I am totally ignoring what makes me feel good.
ReplyDeleteSo while I am still struggling with this factor of my life, another thing I value is my true happiness. Like I had stated before, sometimes this is hard because I care so much about what others want. However, I really do try to do things for me. For instance, I love to sing. Though I prefer the comfort of the realms of my church than the judgmental spotlight of a stage, I enjoy performing because I am strangely put at peace, and if I do a good job, it is the greatest thrill I can ever experience. This type of thrill gives me the happiness that I strive to uphold throughout my life. I guess the reason why I consider my own happiness so valuable is because of all the pressure I put on myself to do well. I need to do well to have a good future and eventually a stable career, but it the long run, no matter what condition my life will end up in, it will not be all worthwhile if I don't feel a sense of contentment.
Like you, I value what my friends and family think of me. They are the only people in the world who's opinions, positive or negative, would have a massive effect on me. I care too much what they think, and as you said, that is both a curse and a blessing. We should have someone who's opinions matter to us, because they make you rethink your actions: past, present, and future. And as for your singing... you're a fantastic singer! You have nothing to worry about when you're on that stage because the only thing people are thinking about when that melodic voice of yours is heard is, "Dang, I wish I had that voice."
DeleteMaggie this is great, happiness is seriously something everyone should value. I love the quote "live each day without regrets", going by that I try to live each day with happiness, because I mean really, if you aren't happy, then what is the fun in that? -Sorry if that was confusing just have a strong view on this value, for sure a good choice.
DeleteI completely agree with you Maggie, I really value my family and friends opinion of me and they push me to do well. I also agree with you when you say that happiness is important and you try to do things for yourself.
DeleteJust like you, what my loved ones think of me means a lot. They’re the ones that push me to be the best I could be, but sometimes I wish they would back off and let me live. However, I care too much about what they think and will never have the nerve to talk back to them. I’m glad that you have something that makes you happy and that you value your own happiness.
DeleteHappiness is a definite value to have. Your personal joy is what keeps you going with a good life. It’s great to want to help others feel happy, but it is a true challenge maintaining your own happiness. Also I do agree that I value the opinions of my family and friends a lot too.
DeleteI understand that we sometime get the urge to make others happy, but you have to remember to take time out for yourself. Plan a "Maggie Day" if you have to. Your sanity matters! Get your nails done, go to the spa, give someone a piece of your mind, etc. You have to do what makes you happy. At the end of the day when you have given your all to everyone and you are left feeling "dry", that's not such a great feeling. Remember that you come first because this is your life, not anyone else's.
DeleteI think everything is equal and I think that there is no specific thing that has more value than anything else. I’m pretty sure there are people who think I’m nuts for saying that everything has the same value, but that’s the way I look at it anyway. I don’t put specific value to things, I believe that everything is equally valued and nothing is more valuable than the other. I haven’t lived a long life on Earth to come up with things I value the most—I’m still a teenager trying to discover who I am. I think my education, my relationships with others and my health are important but I don’t think they are more valuable because they have the same value to me as if those things were a chair, a pencil, or a person. Some people think that humans are more valuable than animals, but I really don’t see how animals are inferior to humans. Animals have the same senses, feelings, and abilities that humans have, and just because animals can’t speak the same way humans speak, why are they seen as inferior beasts? How do people put value into humans who have corrupted the world that we know today? Why is it that there are Congressmen who put more value into their paychecks than the wellbeing of their constituents? Why is it that people put more value to opulent people than stricken people? I think that people feed upon their greediness and because people are never satisfied with what they have, they put value to things that are the same value as anything else or no have no value at all.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that the thing that aggravates me the most is when people constantly nag about their problems. Whenever people seem to have a problem, they first start to complain about their problem and never find a solution. I have to be honest, I also complain about my problems, but I try to make myself bigger than my problems. I don’t understand why people seem to complain about everything they think is wrong. I think due the advancement of technology, people find complaining about their problems a time and place of relief. The thing that makes me smile with joy is probably when my hard work proved something to me. Hard work isn’t achieved just by sitting around and doing nothing, the time spent doing something to improve performance and enhance accuracy is the most time consuming. Having spent hours working hard isn’t time well spent if your hard work proves you something that isn’t satisfying.
I think the reason why I choose the reactions that make me either happy or frustrated is because I probably place a lot of value in those things. I know that contradicts what I said before of me not placing value on things and believing that everything is valued the same, but I guess the reason why those things make me either happy or frustrated is because, like everyone else, I think some things are seen as annoying or satisfying. Like the blog question mentioned before, teenagers really don’t know what they want, let alone know what things have more value than others or things are valuable. I think that if someone were to ask a person who has twice my age, their view on value will be quite different. Someone who is 32 might say that the things the value the most is their house, their kids, and their marriage, but what about someone who is 48? People who have had more experience than others will think differently when it comes to the stand on values. As of right now, I think everything is valued the same and nothing is superior to the other.
I completly agree with you when you talk about people who nag about their promblems! I say they get a straw and suck it up!
DeleteYour argument that all values are equal is definitely intriguing. I don’t necessarily agree with you, but it does present a unique perspectives. It also helps simplify the meaning of values from something that is ambiguous to something that is quite straight forward. I can imagine that writing the rest of your post had to be difficult because you could not specifically substantiate what made you happy and angry with a background of your values. However, I did notice that your dissatisfactions came largely with the notion of inequality which leads me to believe that one strong value you have yourself is actually equality (even though you may not hold that value above any other as far as importance). You also do a good job bridging the ambiguity of equality with the simple human desire to critique and that the latter does not necessarily imply a lack of the former.
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ReplyDeleteOne of the most important things in my life is success. Now by that I don't mean that I'm about to straight up murder like 44 people to get the valedictorian spot (maybe only like, 25, the top 20 looks pretty good...). Feeling like I did a good job at something has to be one of the most fulfilling things that I can think of. When I get done doing a show, or a concert, or really anything, and someone tells me that what I did was exceptional, that is truly the best I feel, because I love being recognized for something that I do.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that fills me with anger and sadness is the feeling of helplessness. Feeling like there is nothing to do in a situation that could make it better is awful. Whether no matter how hard I study there is no way I'm going to do well on a test, whether I feel like a show isn't going to come together, or if I feel like I'm drifting apart from someone I care about, it makes me feel at my worst when these situations happen. I work rather well under pressure, being an avid procrastinator, with symptoms of senior-itis being shown since mid sophomore year, but sometimes I don't realize until too late that I have spread myself way too thin.
I think I feel the way I do about both of these things because, despite a lot of things, I am rather ambitious. Whenever I decide to do something, I make sure to invest as much effort as I can into it, so whenever I am recognized for that it makes me feel like I'm walking on air, but when I feel like I'm behind the 8 ball, it gets me incredibly
upset.
But while success is always a very good thing, and I love being recognized for a job well done, but there is something that makes me more fulfilled than literally anything I can imagine, by a long shot. Something much deeper, but still in the same vein a bit to success. That would be the feeling that I have made someone happy. Happiness is the foundation of all of the good things in life, an it is something that everyone deserves to be. But even though this is true, there are still many many people that seem to not be happy at all, which is a horrible thing. Which is why I find it incredibly fulfilling when I can do anything to make someone happy, whether that would be to talk with someone about their problems for hours on end, or if it means that I make a complete fool of myself just to see if I can crack a smile out of them, the only times that I feel happy, without a shred out a doubt, is when I feel like I have made someone's life, or day a little bit better, even if only by a little bit. That would actually have to be the thing I value the most.
i agree with you on the success part! Success should be a core value! I also feel that same joy when i make somebody's day!
DeleteI think it is truly admirable that you find satisfaction in bringing out the brightest side of people. It is a rare form of selflessness that people tend to lack and it’s refreshing to see that it is something you adamantly accomplish. The best part of your efforts is that in making someone else’s day you are lightening your own heart and bettering your own character. Good job Tom!
DeleteI 10000000% agree with you when you say you absolutely hate the feeling of being helpless. I'm kind of jealous I didn't come up with that myself because feeling helpless really "grinds my gears." This year, specifically, I feel like I'm trying so hard to get good grades yet after every test,and every quiz, I'm getting nothing but F's. I study, I do my homework, and I participate in class, but nothing's working and I don't know what to do. I think I'm more upset not because I'm getting these bad grades, but because I honestly don't know what else to do. I feel helpless, and I hate this feeling. Procrastination is something I'm really good at not doing, but it does appear here and there. I think the reason why I don't procrastinate as much as others is because, like you, I don't like being behind the 8 ball. I like to get my work done and out of the way so I can relax and enjoy everything afterwards. Anyways, this is probably one of my favorite blog posts so far. I can totally relate to everything in this blog post, except for the singing and acting part because I can't sing or act to save my life, but besides that, well done on yet another blog post!
DeleteI totally agree with you about success and being congratulated because nothing sucks more than knowing you did a good job and no one acknowledging it. I also agree with you about feeling helpless because it is especially irritating to me when I try my best and still the best I pull out for a grade is an 80. I also admire that your affinity for making other people happy because that is truly selfless.
DeleteI share in your love of being recognized for what you do well. To me, recognition creates the same effect as feeling like you belong. You feel complete and worth something, like you are inching closer to your ultimate purpose. I find your hatred of helplessness really eye-opening. I never thought about how feeling like I am doomed to fail something infuriates me. Maybe it’s because once I do end up failing I try to forget that I failed so I am not distracted from my next task. Helplessness is a scary thing, especially when it occurs in an area you think that you’re good at. In a way, helplessness has a humbling power greater than being completely overworked. Overall, I can really relate to almost everything you have to say and found your blog very inspirational.
DeleteI admire the way you wish to bring someone happiness. There isn’t really an army of people these days that are willing to say they find it fulfilling to make someone happy. And you’re right when you say that everyone deserves it too. Your statement “Happiness is the foundation of all of the good things in life” is all but so true
DeleteI really like your blog. We all want success in life but is only in the dictionary success comes before work. You are a great thinker, Good job.
DeletePlease don't kill me Tom hahaha. But I agree with happiness that comes from the feeling of accomplishment, as I feel it too. After some rigorous introspection, however, I'm starting to believe that the sense of accomplishment as hedonistic as physical pleasures. Please read my blog for more, I think you'd benefit from my analysis of it. I think we can all agree on how horrible helplessness feels, and I think it speaks to how much you, and we, value control of our situations.
DeleteHopelessness is a terrible feeling. I hate not being able to help someone I care about or anyone in general. In a book I read once (my favorite book for that matter), it talked about how a humanitarian was helping in a refuge camp and when looters with assault rifles came, he couldn't do anything. He just let them walk into the camp and do what they want. There were 200 of them and 50 armed guards, the odds were awful. He felt hopeless and like he wasn't even helping these people. He went on to join the navy seals and help others that way. What I'm saying is, while helplessness is a terrible feeling, sometimes we can find ways to change the circumstances so we can do something to help. Don't ever give up. Everything has a different way to do it. Good post Tom.
DeleteValues to most people are things such as their possessions or their material things. I on the other hand am the complete opposite. Sure, have an iPhone is great, having a laptop to do homework on is great but my values go above and beyond those. I may value some aspects that aren’t in depth such as relationships, trust and other things but I most of all value time. Why? I value you time because I have been put in several situations where my time was cut short. For an example when my brother left for the Marines in the summer I was heartbroken. Time was an issue for me. There was never going to be a time that was enough for me to be able to say goodbye not just my big brother but my role model, my hero and my pain in the butt that always kept me in line. Time is precious to me. Time is something you can’t get back and is easy to waste. Though time is so precious to me I also value one other thing, my abilities. Even though I may not be the sharpest crayon in the crayon box I am thankful for the abilities I have to better my education. I also value the abilities I have for athletics. I am blessed to be able to share these abilities with others. I feel that I value time and abilities so much because I am lucky to have these things attainable in my life. There are some that would die to have more time whether it is with an illness or saying their final goodbyes to a loved one. There are also people in the world that would kill just for a soccer ball to kick around. I think most people are very selfish when it comes to their values. Sure, we all love our phones, iPods, clothes, money, etc. but what are those things when they are all gone? Nothing.
ReplyDeleteThere is one thing in this entire world that I can’t stand, and that is being frustrated. I can be frustrated in a game, studying, my grades, work anywhere and it will be the one thing that breaks me down to tears. I can get frustrated to the point that I can’t physically do anything but cry. I know you’re all thing, “Dom Cries?!” Yes, I do. I try to be happy all the time but there are those days when a girl like me can only take so much. Now when I am not frustrated I am happy all the time! What makes me this perky, happy and hyper all the time? A lot of simple things, for one, I am thankful everyday that I get to spend another day with the people I love. I wake up everyday and greet my friends, family, my Asian boyfriend and even some strangers. I go out everyday just trying to make at least one person smile and make one persons day. One other thing that fills me with unabashed joy is not to be corny or cheesy is my boyfriend. As you all know his name is Henry Tran, A.K.A Baldy now. I know what you’re thinking, “Every girl is obviously going to say her boyfriend makes her happy, blah, blah, blah.” This is different. This isn’t just my boyfriend, it’s my best friend. He’s the one person I can honestly say I trust 100%. Through all the tough times from freshman year to now he has been there by my side through it all. He has motivated me to never give up, pushed me harder in physical therapy and can make me smile just by telling me a joke. I could want to kill somebody and he will calm me down and somehow make me laugh. Yeah it’s corny I know but that’s why I am happy all the time…well that and that just me. I value those moments as well as time and the abilities I am thankful for and I feel that others should ask themselves what truly your values?
I agree with you completely that people take advantage of the time that we have and neglect the relationships with the people that matter the most to us. It seems that those two things are always linked somehow and expire at a rapid pace. I think that the problem is people are becoming so distracted by such frivolous possessions. You’re right that they are nothing in the long run. Possessions come and go but time is something that is always fleeing and always priceless. We need to remember that.
DeleteI agree with you Dom one thing I really can’t stand is being frustrated because it stresses me out and makes me feel worse all around, and between sports, home life, and school work it happens a lot.
DeleteI always say there aren't enough hours in the day, and how time flies so quick. I agree with valuing time. Days go by too quickly and before we know it we are in middle school, then graduating 8th grade, already two years ago we started high school and in two years we will be graduating high school. Don't waste any time, live each day to its fullest is what I like to say, because time is valuable.
DeleteI wanna start off by saying that I was debating on talking about time as well, but refrained from doing so because I didn't think I'd explain it as well as I would hope, but you did a great job in doing so! I agree with you. Time is something we take for granted all the time. But the older we get, the more people that leave us, and as we near the end of our high school career, we're finally getting the feeling of time slip away from us. I really liked how you used your brother as an example of how there just wasn't enough time for you to say goodbye. I went to the Philippines over the summer to spend a month with my cousins. Although I was with my cousins every single day of every single hour, there just wasn't enough time. Leaving them was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I value the time I got to spend with them, but I wish I could just go back in time and pause. I wish I could just click a button and stop time, just so I could be with them for a moment longer. But like I said, time isn't something we can control. Time moves on, whether or not we do, and there's nothing we can do but enjoy everything now. We can't buy ourselves time. Time is priceless.
DeleteI agree with you time goes by way too quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was in middle school wondering what college would be like and all too soon I'll be graduating college and reminiscing about my high school years. Time just flies by and before you know it you're losing things, people, and places you love and finding new ones. Which is why I think we should appreciate the things we have and the time we have with them because before we know it that time is up.
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DeleteI totally agree with you about valuing time. Having been close to death before, I learned to cherish every minute I had, but I didn’t contemplate that a loved one’s time might also be running out. After finding out a few weeks ago that someone that meant a lot to me has cancer, I realized that I really should take advantage of the time that I have with anyone. Time is precious and is something we could never get back.
DeleteI completely agree with you in that time is a precious thing. If we don't stop and appreciate the time that we have life will simply just pass us by. We absolutely take time for granted, especially in high school. These are said to be the best four years of our lives, and I don't think I am alone in saying that those first two years flew by faster than we could have ever imagined. Your response has really made me think about how much I value time, and made me realize that I may need to invest more value in it than I have in the past.
DeleteI totally agree with you. We almost have the same values and it was nice to why you value it. Good job. I really enjoyed the similarity.
DeleteI agree with how you feel with time, although our stand on values are different, I understand how it feels to lose time. I regret every minute I spend doing something incredibly pointless. It's amazing how you value your athletic abilities so much and how you point that materialistic things get no one anywhere. You're one of the toughest athletes that I know and I admire your athletic ability. It seems that you are very passionate about your relationship with people which something that not everyone has.
Delete“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only dream but also plan, not only plan but also believe.“ believe.“Anatole France (1844-1924);
ReplyDeleteMost people believe life is based on principles and values. Principles?...Values? sometimes people dont realize how bad their lines are when drawing untill half way or even the end. Is it always that we can turn from our mistakes? Values are contagious, is yours worth catching? Before, we talk of values I think we have to sometimes think or leave outside our comfort zone. Different people, like different things but "almost" every human values friendship, family, luxury and many others all these make reference to belonging to a group in our previous blog but One of the most important things I value is TIME.
Why time? think of a soccer game where the two teams; Team A and Team B are given 90 minutes each to showcase their talent and teamwork with an extra time of not more than 5 minutes. If Team A spends the whole time kicking the ball away from goal and Team B seizes the chances and put the ball behind the net for a win, they valued the time because they realized they will soon run out of time. Consider this tv show "a minute to win it" where every stage is worth money but is not the stages that is worth the money it is the time of completing each stage without runing out of time.
In an Exams, students aside studying for the test have to understand the value of time since you can not utilize your time on a "hard" question.
In the movie "the A Team" Liam Neeson said," a second I'm good, a minute i'm great, an hour i'm unbeatable." what I really love about this quote is not only his tone but his valye of time.Humans I always say are living on a time bomb. Why? This is because we age in time, less time to play around literally.
Is not always that the going gets tough but sometimes is the tough that gets going. I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don't intend to waste any of mine.”Neil Armstrong (born 1930);Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today, and you make your today, and you make your tomorrow.” L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986); The value of time is so significant God uses it in the bible that Man should follow the ways of an ant so that on the day of struggles he can still eat.
Disappointment and when people try to use my weakness against me makes me feel like I want to blind myself But when I see the Sunset or birds fly it makes me laugh really loud, I think its amazing to see things that is hard to explain like how does the sea know its boundries because the earth is made of 70 percent water and the land is not flooded and people could still walk on earth.“In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back. -Peanuts character Charlie Brown” Chakrles Shultz (1922-2000);
I completely agree with how important time is. It is not to be wasted. I feel that you expressed this really well with the analogies and quotes you used. Some people find it funny that for the first 60 years of your life you risk happiness and health to get money, only to live the remainder spending all that money on the health and happiness you gave up beforehand. The solution to that is live life to the fullest, take chances, and opportunities, and live out of your comfort zone. Because in the end, your time here is really all you have.
DeleteReading everyone else's entries makes me realize all the other things I definitely value and place importance on, but just forgot to mention. And it's not like you would want me to list everything I value because then we would be here until the end of days. But you brought up time and I absolutely agree with you- time is a valuable commodity, especially for AP kids! I often find myself wishing humans could function without sleep because the amount of things I could do in those seven extra hours I waste in bed recharging is absolutely mind boggling. If only there were more hours in the day, maybe the workload wouldn't seem as intense because there would be time afterwards to enjoy yourself. Of course, teachers might just assign more work proportionally to the number of hours in day. We always want the things we don't have and well.... we certainly don't have time to just relax this year.
DeleteI liked your examples and your quotes; very inspirational! I realize how important time is to you, i could tell because youre doing work whenever you cam. However i have to disagree with you a little. I don't think that you should value how much you can do in the time you are given, but value more of the quality of your time and how those fleeting moments can be important in your future.
DeleteThe most substantial value that I deem an essential to anyone’s life is truth. Living in a tinted perspective where one is constantly forced into second guessing themselves because of absent constants, intended to always be present and connect us, is heartbreaking. The ideal reality of truth transcends perceived experience because the truth I value is not one intended to smooth and pacify, rather it challenges and confronts. I believe first and foremost the truth of God’s word and value how it applies to me. I trust in what this precious word says for every aspect of my life as it teaches us that when we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit immerses us in him, identifying and sealing us in him forever. Through such truth we are free to seek and know God through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Truth in Christ sets us free to become everything that God created us to be to His honor and glory. (John 10:10, Ephesians 2:10) In seeking this absolute truth, I am able to acknowledge that my transgressions are no longer my identity because I have been made a new creation. (Romans 8:1) In knowing the truth of God’s majesty, holiness, power and grace I begin to comprehend his love for my life as I am enriched, enabled and energized. As stated by Jesus, “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
ReplyDeleteIn regards to what angers me, my entire life I have made an effort to allow frivolous things, whether derogatory comments of others or minor distastes, to roll off of my back because I don’t see the point in being unnecessarily hindered. However that being said no one is immune to the accumulation of despicable qualities in our world due to its fallen and broken state. That being said, I am absolutely outraged when people are lacking in sincerity. I am willing to give people the benefit of the doubt because I believe in second chances. However, when people present themselves as truthful and sincere in their implications and then take advantage of others in order to elevate themselves, it brings me to such a distraught place. There is no truth found in insincerity and that scares me. The other irritating factor I have found that rubs me the wrong way is peoples’ willingness to place the standards of others above their regard for their own beliefs. Life is a vapor, not something to be trifled with or postponed. If we attempt to put life on hold it will not wait for us to catch our breath and the opportunities that we so carefully waited for and preserved may vanish never to be seen again. People are not willing enough to stand up for what they believe is right because they are so concerned with the all important opinions of others. I react in such an aggravated state because I see the effects bad decisions bring and the lost state of individuals so willing to follow the morals and values deemed most acceptable by society yet so willing to abandon their own. I am aggravated because they do not see the truths, the confidence or the security that could be theirs if they only would stand up for morals and not fall cripple to a misconstrued world. However, these disagreements I have with the ways of humankind do not consume me or decide my identity because there remains a pure hope that transforms all agony, regret, or pain into a pure hope that cannot be taken from my hand. That hope is found in my relationship with Jesus. His death on the cross was what spared me from all judgment and has given me a new life. How could I be filled with anything less than unabashed joy knowing that I have been forgiven and am loved by the almighty merciful God who created love?
Good job Chess, I agree with you because of the Bible passages you used to explain your point. I stand to be corrected, I think anytime truth is mentioned faith also should be included. I think One can't work without the help of the other. I also like your conclusion. Nice job.
DeleteFirst of all, I admire how eloquently your response was written, and I loved that you backed up your beliefs with scripture. I absolutely agree with you about being angered by insincerity. There is nothing more frustrating than knowing that someone is not being truthful with you. I had never considered my irritation with peoples willingness to value other people's opinions over their own beliefs. That was a great point, and is definitely something that angers me also.
DeleteI really agree that insincerity is a horrible thing. When only seems to be a kind genuine person, only to look deeper and realize just how cold and two faced they are is just an incredibly deflating feeling. It is a combination of anger at them, general confusion, and annoyance at yourself for falling for it, and it really does suck. Also, I am very happy at how confident you are in your faith. I know personally I feel incredibly awkward talking about faith due to the problems it can put into a conversation, but you always seem to have very good quotes, and you express your faith in God very eloquently and intelligently, which is something I find very admirable.
DeleteValue, it is the relative worth, merit, or importance. To me value is anything that a certain person loves because it means something to them. My values are mostly feelings, I value my close family and friends because of the way the make me feel. The make me feel better when I'm down, make me laugh, and I know that they will support me in everything and anything I do. I value the way these people make me feel because I know that not everyone has a support system that will push me to not settle for average but go above and beyond and to not fail or quit, and that is what my family and friends give to me. Another thing I value very much is personal happiness, in my opinion this is the key to living a healthy life. Happiness means so much to me because there are few times that a person is truly happy considering the daily stressors that everyone has to deal with. Being happy is a critical health benefactor, this is because it can alter a person's well being if they are never happy. When a person is truly happy they feel light, carefree, relaxed, like nothing can bring you down although something usually does unless you are miss Mary sunshine. On the other hand if you are not happy because of stress then health begins to decline usually being tired, and snappy because hormones get all out of whack. When I am truly happy I am surrounded by the people who actually understand me, and we can just be hanging out or doing whatever but as long as we are together it doesn't matter. The time I spend with these people make me feel on top of the world because there is nothing that I love more than being understood and accepted. On the other hand there is only one thing that makes me truly angry, well not so much angry as frustrated and that is being misunderstood. Everyone has those days when they feel like they don't belong or feel misunderstood, these are the the days I feel not so much like screaming but crying because that is what I do when I get really upset and can’t take it anymore. I think I react to the way people make me feel because I value their perception of me. I react the way I do when I feel like I don't belong because I think humans as a whole want to feel like they belong to something and when I feel like this it's very lonely and no one wants to feel this way, this is the amorphous notion of my values.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting how you value the way your family and friends make you feel. Family and friends have an almost constant influence in our everyday lives, so I can see why you value this so much. And your value of happiness I agree with very much. Without such a value you wouldn’t have a very healthy and balanced life.
DeleteYour stand on value seems to be around your emotions. It appears that you like the way you feel and the people who bring you joyous feeling. I really admire how you honestly mention that you like the way you feel around people and you value the people who bring you happiness. In the world we live in today, it is extremely hard to find people who bring you happiness. People may back stab someone or not be a really good friend,
DeleteI value of course most of all my family and friends. They are the ones who have helped me through everything, and are always there for me. They are the ones who have helped me become stronger and always know how to put a smile on my face. Now aside from these very important factors, asking what I value most isn’t very hard to give an answer to. Often I am praised on my being very optimistic, even in the most negative times. I try my best to turn any bad situation into a good one, and always look for the bright side of things. With that being said, I value my positivity. In the same sense though, that doesn’t mean I am always happy, and always have amazing days. I value my positivity because that is what helps me get through very stressful, frustrating, or even just upsetting days. And believe me, I have those days often. My mind, it works very oddly, it wants to be positive and somehow I hold that in there, but at the same time, it also works with being the main control factor in my life. It holds me back sometimes in doing what I love to do best. Now I know that sounds confusing but just put it this way, I’d rather listen to my heart than the mental blocks and stress my mind puts me through. Lately in gymnastics for instance, my mind has been telling me no! It’s controlling what I want to do in the gym and is setting me back to not perform some skills. It is yelling at me telling me I can’t do certain skills even though I have performed and landed them many times before. Yes, again confusing but my mind works in a very confusing way that really sometimes I can’t even explain it. Through all of this though I somehow bring fourth the positivity and try my best to fight through it, though it gets really rough sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWith all this being said, the thing that gets me so mad to the point that I could scream would be during the moments that I don’t follow my heart. I get very stressful over school work, not having a good practice, getting a bad grade, or just listening to my mind control me in general. This all adds up, and lately with in the past few months I just want to burst. I have cracked at times, and just cry out the tears of frustration. I get myself all worked up and really I know there is no need to get so. In contrast the thing that fills me with unabashed joy would be achieving my goals. After working hard, either in school or at the gym, I get overly thrilled when I accomplish something. After stressing out, and getting myself all worked up, it’s a great feeling to have accomplished something when you know you worked really hard to get it.
First off, I have to say that even though you think your mental process is confusing, in reality, all our minds are confusing when trying to express them to other people. Since all our minds are confusing, they are simultaneously all understandable. Beyond that, I am glad that you wrote about your positivity. As I told you in calculus class today, your positivity is truly remarkable. I agree that it is one of your greatest attributes because wether you realize it or not, your happiness is infectious. I find positivity to be a rare thing so you should be proud of your optimism. I also empathize with you when it comes to getting mad when you don’t follow your heart. Not following your heart is not following who you are or what will make you happy. It makes you miss opportunities that you will sorely regret later. In summation, I share a similar mind with you when it comes to values, and I really liked the way your blog was written.
DeleteYour undying optimism has helped me in so many situations, so in a way I would like to say thank you for being you. You always know how to put a smile on my face, even on the worst of days. I can relate to your frustration over not following your heart or being disappointed in yourself. I think that many people are far too hard on themselves and beat themselves up when they really have no reason to. Always keep your head up!
DeleteIt's very impressive how people can see the light in the storm, I think your hoenstly completes your response because not everyone can see the positiveness in something so wicked. I know how you feel when you look at your grades and you start to freak out and eventually cry. Hard work is something that everyone lauds because success is achieved from hard work. I also understand how you might feel misunderstood because the way you think; I have the same problem. I get ideas stuck in my mind and the ideas just swirl or gambol the whole time and I feel confused. The reason why anyone feels satisfied or annoyed is because people have emotions and feelings and that they are probably the reason why we believe different things.
DeleteYou're not alone when you say that your mind works in a confusing way. Mentally, I am mess, especially when it came to gymnastics. It's frustrating to have so many mental blocks over skills that you know you could easily have with just a dash of confidence. That is my biggest struggle. I envy and admire your general optimism because that is something I feel is crucial to success and it is also something that I tend to lack, especially in myself. Your positivity is definitely something worth flaunting because so many people lack it, especially teenagers.
DeleteI seriously love that you are so positive Michaela! I love how you value your positivity because many people are not positive you have such a unique gift of turning anything into a positive situation. Even if we are about to take a really hard calc test and everyone is freaking out, you’re always the one to make sure everyone stays positive. This is such a great virtue to have and I would definitely value this if I was positive too.
DeleteI value hard work, doing the most you can and trying your best no matter what the circumstance. It is this belief that leads me to taking all of the classes I take because it’s not my parents. My parents would be happy if I just got A’s and tried my best. I am my greatest pusher I push myself in band, crew and anything else I do because I really hate to let people down and I feel in everything I do there are people counting on me. My hatred of letting people down goes just as well for other people which is why I hate when people have every opportunity in the world afforded to them and let it slip away. This view has nothing to do with college because really it’s not for everyone there are some people who should just finish school and go straight to working for a living or doing whatever suits them to make them successful. I truly believe everyone has a chance to do something great so when people give up and don’t do anything I get unbelievably upset because they could at least try. As much as I appreciate hard work I also like to be appreciated for it and this mainly applies to my parents which is why when I’ve had three tests, two projects, and a ton of homework all in one week and am still told I don’t do anything I am beyond irritated.
ReplyDeleteFeeling unappreciated triggers another emotion, frustration because when I’m frustrated I can’t speak, or yell, or do anything basically my first reaction is to cry and I get frustrated a lot. Which is why I’ve been pegged in my family as sensitive when really it’s because I don’t have the strength to argue when I have a disagreement with someone because at that point I have a million things going through my mind and not one thing is getting through and that’s what truly frustrates me. To me not having what you truly want to say getting across is the most frustrating thing in the world. Mainly because I don’t talk much so when I speak I expect to be heard and when I don’t get to say what I really want to say it feels like I’ll never truly be able to voice my mind. But, I deal with all the things I put myself through for one thing success. Because in my mind by putting up with the frustration and the hard work that’s what I’ll obtain and it’s also the feelings success invokes that I truly value. That feeling when you get first place at a marching band competition, or you’re first medal at a crew race, or an A on a test that was especially difficult is paramount. Nothing can replace that feeling so in order feel that I put up with the frustration and the hard work because in the end when you get something you’ve worked hard for your truly happy and so are those around you.
I certainly admire your can-do attitude. Working hard is essential to reaching our full potential in life. And you are absolutely right that in the very least, even if a person doesn’t think they will get anywhere, they can at least try. I haven’t thought about it that much, but I guess I also get upset when I see people just give up. I know how you feel in respect to not receiving the appreciation you deserve. I stay up until well into the night while my parents go to bed right after sunset it seems and all I get in the morning is a pat on the back. It can indeed become very frustrating. As for your hard journey toward success, I am right there with you. I guess all we can do is just keep our chins up and continue our hard work.
DeleteI agree with your stance on the value of hard work. Effort always outweighs the outcome and it's a shame that our educational system only judges students based on the result of their work. Maybe this is the reason why so many people give up which is quite upsetting. I know how you feel about being unappreciated and it's definitely frustrating. The mass amounts of effort and energy you put into your work deserves to be praised and despite the poor outcomes you've come across, I admire the way you are still able to keep your head up in order to strive towards success.
DeleteI know exactly what you mean when you say that your hard work has put you in the classes you are in. My parents also don’t care if I take ap classes or not, the only person who can make this decision is yourself, because you decide how hard you want to work. Hard work is a huge value that many people do not have. I think it’s great that you value hard work so much, and if you keep it up you can accomplish anything. I hate feeling unappreciated too; I think it’s one of the worst feelings ever. When you try so hard for something and no one realizes, it makes me go crazy. But it’s good that this makes you work harder so can achieve success.
DeleteA few hours ago I was actually just thinking about what a try-hard I am, so you must love me. :) But I agree with everything you said. It drives me crazy when I'm told I don't do anything when I work my butt off day after day. Hard work is a good thing to appreciate, and in my own way I sort of wrote the same. And also I relate on the crying. Ridiculous frustration is the number one cause of my tears, and it's hard for people to understand that sometimes. But anyway I'm cheering for you! Obviously. And maybe I will do crew with you this year. Hm.
DeleteIt’s nice to hear that a teacher understands perhaps the most prevalent issue to high school students, that problem being that we have no time to think about anything but school. Therefore, it is only natural that our values aren’t entirely developed. As a result, we grab at the bits and pieces of other people’s morals so that at the very least we can stand for something. But as a consequence, when an event comes up that truly tests these values, we find that “our” values are entirely inadequate to address how we truly feel. Now we can’t live the lives of “carefree kids” because not only do we have too much work from school but we also are confronted with so many instances that readjust our values, everyday becomes stressful.
ReplyDeleteBeing fortunate to have this slight moment to breathe free air, I realize that pinning my values down onto paper (or Pages) is difficult. After much deliberation, I have decided that my values are rather simple. To start, I value feeling like I belong somewhere and that I have a significant, even necessary, part in that place or group. I have a very acute sense of loneliness. When I feel isolated is when I feel the most self-conscious and ascetic toward myself. Basically, I like to feel loved. On the same note, I value rationality. Nothing bothers me more than when people say things or make decision solely based off of their own experience or what they think they know. I like it when people think clearly, without bias and with regard to others’ circumstances and values. Needless to say, this leads me to have little respect for our current government (although I should say lack of government). Another value I hold is that of respect. Whether it is respecting others, those above you, or the environment, I feel everything has a purpose and by default deserves some form of consideration. A tree hugger myself, I tend to place respecting the environment above the majority. I probably have many other more specific values that I just can’t think of now, but these three are heavily cemented in my moral compass.
What makes me livid is when people refuse to adjust their values for the sake of compromise or the betterment of the situation as a whole. For example, when party polarization is at its finest in government, I am at my all time low. I just don’t understand how people can just stand in place with their heels so deeply entrenched in the mud when they know that doing so hurts everyone. Everyday I turn on the news and see a politician placing blame on the opposite party, I have the urge to throw a pillow at them. I’d like to throw the couch but it’s too heavy to lift. I feel this way because, as I stated earlier, I value rationality and compromise. On the flip side, nothing makes me happier than when I feel like a have made an important contribution to something. Nothing beats feeling accomplished. That accomplishment can come in the form of just being a productive member in my group of friends or classmates to applying myself to a cause and seeing the benefit of it like when I get a good grade on a test after extensive studying. This blog alone has given me a sense of accomplishment because I have clarified what I value to both my fellow students and myself.
I find the inclusion of your sense of belonging interesting because it is not so much a principle as it is something that exists in nature. I believe this is a good change up from the definite principles that are being asserted in other posts. I also share in your rage when it comes to people abandoning their values. Well, as long as they are sane. But they often are, and many ideas are definitely worth fighting for. I also relate muchly to the thrill of accomplishment. Vindication is necessary so that we can maintain our values. However, I think it is important to note that if you need to vindicate yourself frequently, (as if recharging a battery) then your values probably have no standing power. This might lead to the polarization you also mentioned. It’s interesting how the two radical sides of conveying values is the facilitator of our dysfunctional government.
DeletePart One:
ReplyDeleteWhen asked what we value most, our answers are most commonly friends and family, or other tangible possessions. We are not wrong in saying so, because friends and family are some of the most important things to us. But as Bunje stated, they are really just things. I found that I had to search deep inside of myself to uncover what my true values are. Before this blog assignment, I had never really invested any profound contemplation into discovering what it is that I truly value. But after much deliberation, I think that I have come to a suitable conclusion.
I had a difficult time narrowing down just one value of mine, so I am going to offer the two that I was unable to decide between. I value moments and happiness more than anything else in life. I realize that at face value these two words are very general and lacking sustenance. But once I delve into detail as to why I value these two things, I’m sure that they will make much more sense.
Moments are precious, I am sure that everyone has heard that at one point in their life. And many people may not see the meaning behind that saying, but to me it holds great significance. My family has been through many rough times this past year, and often it seemed that the darkness shed over us would never allow a light to shine through. But there were always moments, glimpses, of something promising to come. And in the hardest times, we always clung to those moments when it seemed that things would look up, and those moments would bring us the little bit of joy that we needed in order to keep persevering. Moments are little things that we all need to learn to appreciate. This is why I value moments so greatly, because even when you’re feeling down, or you’re having a bad day, those simple moments can uplift you and turn everything around.
I hesitated to include happiness in what I value most, because it has the potential to seem cliché and common. But I really do value happiness, because I think that we are each in complete control of our own happiness. Happiness has a much deeper meaning than people realize, we throw around the word ‘happy’ on a regular basis because we think that it is an ordinary and run of the mill emotion. But happiness is not just an in-the-moment feeling; it is something that we can allow ourselves to be constantly. And it shows immense strength when a person is able to defy the odds and permit themselves to be happy regardless of their circumstances. Happiness can be very specific to every aspect of life, we need to be happy with who we are, the choices we make, the people we are becoming, and the way that we treat others. At the end of the day, happiness is a choice. And if you ask me, it takes a lot more energy to be unhappy than it does to be happy. Happiness gives our lives meaning, it gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning and prepare to face a new day. If you decide to release all of the baggage weighing you down and allow yourself to be truly happy, you will be able to enjoy life so much more.
Part Two:
ReplyDeleteWith that being said, something that angers me to no extent is my own self doubt. For as long as I can remember I have lacked confidence in everything that I do, and it has held me back in so many ways. I has inhibited me from being the player that I know I could be on the soccer field, the student that I could be in the classroom, the daughter I could be to my parents, the sibling I could be to my sister, and the friend I could be to those who mean the most. I don’t think that my self-doubt stems from pressure from anyone else or fear of what other people think of me. It originated in me, and no matter how hard I try to fight it and suppress my negative feelings, they always come creeping back.
On the other hand, something that can always bring me unabashed joy is when I succeed in something that I put a lot of effort into, often times because I doubt myself the entire time and convince myself that success is not a possibility. But when success is the outcome, I cannot help but be filled with joy. In spite of my awful confidence level, I do have a strong work ethic and a determination for triumph.
I didn't even thinking of listening down 'happiness' as one of my values, but now that you've stated it it seems obvious! I think that with all the stress school brings, with how hard simply being a teenager is (especially a teenage girl) it's really hard to get swallowed up in the misery and wind up depressed and uninterested with life. So yeah, it's important to cherish the good moments and I think it's really important to make your happiness one of the most important things in your life. Even if the things that make you happy seem trivial and stupid, that should never stop you from doing them. When you decide that you're going to try and be happy and focus on the good things I think it just improves your life so much- at least, it has helped me through really rough patches of my life. Maybe I'm ignoring my responsibilities more than I should, but honestly I can't bring myself to care too much.
DeleteI don’t believe it is a complete platitude to say that happiness is a value, especially from the angle you approach it. You stated that happiness is pretty much necessary for people to keep nudging along in life. And to call something that keeps us alive cliché is a little bit odd. I also can very much empathize with your frustrations with self doubt. To me, self doubt is one of those things that tests the integrity of your values because they must hold true through the doubt. The existence of doubt itself does not negate these values, but it does put them to the test. You bringing up doubt made me realize that doubt is the stress test for our values.
DeleteI really love how you describe happiness as a deeper emotion than most people see it as. I don't agree that it is easy but i really like the idea that there is more to happiness than just everyone's initial idea of the word. Also I don't think happiness gives life meaning, i think it gives energy to the meaning of our lives but the meaning i think is found somewhere else happiness is just the fuel...i hope that makes sense.
DeleteAh self doubt. I never even thought about how that affects me. You're right though, low confidence is a killer. My confidence has never been very high, hence the reason I try to stay quiet in most of my classes. It gets to me as well, especially how I never seem to shake it. I just try to realize that I'm in these classes for a reason, that I belong here. I would never take you for someone who has low confidence though, you don't show it very much. Although I can tell that you value happiness, you are always a bright and happy person and it's enjoyable to have a conversation with you.
DeleteYou know, despite imposing those restrictions on what we can list off as our values I honestly did not have to think too hard about this question. Probably because I have thought about my values before, quite a lot, and I think at this point in my life I've already developed my beliefs and my values and my identity significantly. And I don't think this is because I'm a special snowflake or anything; in fact, I think most people in my generation have been forced to question ourselves and how we stand in relation to the world far more often than any previous generation. And the reason is this: the internet. Because we've grown up in this sort of globally connected world we have been exposed to many different people and ideas; we've been exposed to more of these things than any of our parents or grandparents had been at the same age. So yes, I've met a lot of people and read a lot of things that made me reevaluate myself and I will probably continue to examine my views as I experience more. So, if I have thought about it so much, what are my values? Well first off I think I place a lot of importance on respect. And I don't exactly mean the respect like 'respect for your elders and betters' or any of that nonsense. I'm talking about respect for other people's differences and choices. Nothing makes me more furious than people belittling others because they don't conform to the exact image they want everyone to fit into. Of course there are some things I think shouldn't be respected- when someone holds a harmful opinion (say, if they're actively discriminatory against queer people) than I have absolutely no reason to respect you. In fact, there's probably nothing you could do that would make me hate you faster than spewing derogatory remarks about someone- so if you're going to be a bigot, maybe you should keep that to yourself. And maybe go reevaluate your own values, huh? And if you want to know something else that makes me want to scream, it's when people shame others for how they chose to present themselves or the choices they make. Do you know how many times I've wanted to turn around and say to someone, 'Can't you leave that girl alone? It doesn't matter how she dresses or what she does with her body- you shouldn't be the one to dictate that!'. And I was recently talking with one of my friends, who is non-binary, and they told me how people kept trying to make them dress like a girl and act like a girl and be a girl when they didn't want to because they obviously weren't a girl and just hearing things like that makes me so frustrated. Why does anyone think they have a right to control what others do with their body or their life- I don't even care if you gave birth to them, they shouldn't be obligated to give you anything! So yes, in my book 'respect' is a pretty broad topic but I think it is at the core of my values and is really what it all comes down to. If you don't respect others than I probably won't respect you. Some of the other things I value are a bit harder to pin down but I can come up with a few. I definitely value confidence, particularly self-confidence, despite the fact I'm rather lacking in it myself. Of course, I value it because I don't have it- it's something I'm trying to work towards and achieve one day. As much as I try to ignore what other people might of me, I find it very hard and I can only hope that one day I will be confident in myself that I won't care what anyone else thinks. Although 'confidence' might not seem very important, especially compared to that big huge spiel I just went on about 'respect' I can assure you that it's one of the things I desire the most and I value it highly.
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(part 2)
ReplyDeleteThe last 'value' I should talk about is probably just thought. I think it's so important to sit down and think about things, even if it means questioning beliefs you have long held true. A person does not grow and mature without changing their views and opinions; if you honestly held the same set of morals and beliefs and mannerisms as you did when you were seven, then you probably aren't a very pleasant person to be around. Don't always blindly accept what others say, because that other person could be wrong! And if you think things through, and you realize maybe it was you who was wrong don't be hesitant to change. People are always changing- I'm certainly not the person I was last year, or when I started high school, or when I started middle school and I honestly believe that the person I am now is far better! Everyone could benefit from a little introspection; if you don't stop and think about things how are you ever expected to learn from past mistakes or new information?
But after writing that whole huge mess I think I've actually realized that while I am pretty firm in my beliefs right now, I hate stating all this in a sort of absolute way because I know I could very well change my mind as soon as next week- although probably not too drastically. I am still pretty young and I haven't been exposed to half the world offers so of course I'm going to change as I discover more. It's also really hard to state what exactly I feel, because while it's clear in my head explaining it to people who might not have my shared experiences is a lot harder. In any case, I hope you all enjoyed learning more about me than you ever wished to know... once again.
Paige I could hug you right now! I support your idea of people who lack respect or try to force others to act a certain way fully! Also i couldn't agree with you more on your opinions of people who shame others. You cannot judge someone on one aspect of who they are (the way they dress, look, use their body, etc) because that is just one aspect of their whole being. People are far more complex then that so why should anyone be allowed to just pick one part of a person and judge them for that one part! I am so happy to know that someone else sees that the way i do! *HIGH FIVE*
DeleteWhen something has value it’s because it has special meaning to you personally and even to others around you. I mostly value my life and my personal happiness. My life is something so precious and sacred that can be taken at any moment. It was given to me to care for and give meaning to. My life is unique and will never be identical to someone else’s. I’ve created and shaped my life with the help from my family and friends. And I know not everyone always has a chance to fully explore and mold their own lives as I’ve been doing so far. It’s a privilege that I’m able to be living to the fullest each day. Also I value personal happiness, being happy and content with something is overwhelmingly important. In order to have a fulfilling life your happiness meter should be glowing bright. But sometimes it’s difficult finding personal happiness especially in this stressful world everyone lives in. However, the love and care from my family, friends, and mentors contribute to my personal happiness. They help me and I help them to ultimately achieve a balance of happiness and life. Now what really makes my nerves unsettled is when I’m misunderstood or misinterpreted. While speaking my mind and sharing my beliefs I’m sometimes too expectant that everyone will understand. And when no one can relate or even comprehend I’m pretty much turned into a pile of frustration and tears. I’m not a fan of saying things twice to get my point across. I see that one time around is the only time around. On the other hand, what makes me feel the most joy is basking in my success of even the smallest of things. From giving up my time to volunteer, academics, and cleaning my room I feel I succeed something. Since I put forth so much effort I finally get to release all the pent up anxiety that comes out in the form of utter bliss. After collecting my thoughts and more fully uncovering my personal values I feel a good sense of success that I was able to discover and share my findings.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your being misunderstood/ misinterpreted. Sharing thoughts and ideas can be like pulling teeth if you are speaking to the wrong audience. I am glad to hear that you like to volunteer, it is such a wonderful thing to! It's even better to see what you value. Some people don't know what they might value other than their possessions. Life and personal happiness are the best things that someone could value.
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ReplyDeleteUpon reading this prompt, the first thing that came up to my mind were, “That’s easy, I value my friends and family,” but those choices were taken away, so it really made me think. What did I really value?
ReplyDeleteAfter all the time I had to think, I realized that I valued hard work and perseverance. A lot of people complain about getting low grades in their classes and such, but if you work hard and do your work, you will do better. My own drive gets me to where I am today; I also do value what my parents say about how I should work harder, but it’s always up to me to act on it. There’s nothing more I hate than letting people down, so I always work as hard as I could. The feeling of discontent when you know you could have worked harder is not one you would ever want to have. I value when people try as hard as they could no matter what the circumstances are. However, I do also value time. We never know when a loved one would suddenly be gone. Just a few weeks ago, I found out that a loved one has cancer and I realized that I should have cherished every moment I had with them and tried to contact them as much as possible. We shouldn’t take advantage of the time we have because we never know when something like that could happen.
When it comes to something that makes me so mad, it’s probably my lack of control over my temper or my frustrations. I’ve always had a temper, but this tennis season showed how bad it really is. I always lose my cool and end up affecting our game because I get frustrated over poor shots that make, even if we’re up. I still go through the motions, hustling as much as I good and trying my best, but my mind always ends up eating me up. I admire those people that could hold in their frustrations, such as my partner Ada. I hate the fact that I always lose my cool during games and bring her down, but something that truly brings me joy is succeeding after all the hard work despite all the frustrations that I went through. There’s no better reward than triumph after all the hard work.
I'm very sorry to hear of your loved one <3 i hope all is well. Also, do you think that your value of perseverance is tied to your culture. Everyone says that asians are naturally smart, which isnt exactly true. I noticed that the culture just works very hard and is competitive. Culture being something I value, i really enjoyed your post.
DeleteI agree with you completely that the value of hard work is very important. I feel horrible too when I know I could have worked harder and did better than I actually did on something, this is the worst feeling ever. But when you work as hard as you possibly can you feel so much better about yourself. Also I'm so sorry to hear about your family member with cancer, I also know what it feels like to have a family member with cancer because my grandpa died of cancer a few years ago. Like you said I think you should really value your time with your family because sometimes horrible things like this happen. It will get better though, just stay positive. :)
DeleteIt’s pretty difficult for me to outright state what I value. I believe that the term “value” is supposed to suggest that your altruistic qualities. But to me, too many people have a rather selfish set of values that are very insistent on having others conform to that set of values. I often feel like I don’t have many values. Well at least values in respect to the blog’s definition of values. I realize that this is to avoid platitudes, but as I read through other posts, I feel it just forces other platitudes to be made. Therefore, I apologize if I come off a redundant. But even when it comes down to how I treat other people, I’m lacking in values. I’m rude and intrusive, but I feel that has more to do with morality than values. And to me, differentiating the two is difficult.
ReplyDeleteI value my principals more than I do any particular item and more so than most people. This is not to say that my principals are superior or that all of humanity should have to adhere to my principles.I value introspection, integrity, and truth. I value these ideas because I base my identity on my ability to hold myself accountable for living up to these ideas, and I also feel great pleasure when others exhibit these qualities as well. I believe that these principles promote critical thought and healthy discourse that allows people to improve themselves and their projects. Nothing ticks me off much more than a complete lack of forethought when speaking of something of great magnitude. I recognize that there are times when people are carried by passion and they just have to say whatever is on their mind; I have been guilty of this myself at some points. However, there are certain groups of people who consistently show flagrant disregard for evidence and facts as long as it supports their ideology. What bothers me the most is how this nurtures insane ideas, and eventually these insane ideas spread. When two separate sets of fact appear, nothing can be achieved and emotions could run unnecessarily high. Very few who do this go through any introspection whatsoever. They also chose to ignore real life which basically comes down to not living up to the standard of truth or integrity. What fills me with unabashed joy is self actualization. More specifically, people who come off as self actualized but not to an obnoxious extent.I believe integrity is necessary for self actualization to be achieved. This may come off as creepy, but this excites me. These people are definitely to be admired because they have so much to offer and they are fully aware that they are. They represent the best of the human potential, and they inspire others to live out their potential as well. I value what basically gives value to the human race. We all have enormous potential, yet we also all have the ability to take away another person’s sense of potential.
When you get down to it, you could say that the number one thing I value is effective communication. Introspection, integrity, and truth are the keys to successful articulation of ideas. Communication builds partnerships, friendships, and civilizations. It’s a wonderful thing! But communication is so beautifully ambiguous. Yes, I realize it is illegal to post that I value my friends or family which is what I seem to be suggesting. However, simple communication in itself is a wonderful art form, but it ought to be done right in the appropriate context. The aforementioned values I mentioned reaffirm the notion of communication done right. Our values are no more than a few simple guidelines intended to help navigate through life. Without communication, life would be vastly different for everyone. And consistency is the number one catalyst against a sound set of values.
I feel as though we all put forward our best, most altruistic values on this blog post, because we are all wary of being judged, as you said. If everyone had the same values our class purports it has, than it would a great world indeed. But it is just possible our class is just awesome. But I think it more likely just because we are reluctant to share our bad qualities. Or maybe a product of awesomeness and embellishment,
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ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the question, “what do you value?” I didn’t think of friends or family like most people thought of. When I think of values I think of positive attributes that I’d like to possess. I’ve realized that this isn’t exactly what values are, so I really didn’t know what to put down. So I looked up the definition of values and I looked at Bunje’s questions and I came up with the conclusion that I value accomplishment. I am a very competitive person therefore I strive greatly for accomplishment every day. When I don’t accomplish what I need to I beat myself up and I feel so defeated inside. When I do accomplish something like when I get back that really hard test that I studied hours for and it has a huge 100 on the top I get so extremely happy inside and I just want to jump for joy. With my extremely busy schedule I keep track of everything I need to get done each day and exactly what time I will do these things at. These are essentially my goals for the day and if I don’t achieve these goals I get really stressed out. Also when I accomplish something I didn’t think I could do I get very excited and feel good about myself. This is not only with school but I also value accomplishments at dance. When I nail my triple pirouettes in ballet class and I hear my teacher say “Good job Kassidy,” I feel the greatest happiness in the world, I feel so accomplished. But when I have a horrible day at dance and I can’t get anything right I feel so horrible inside, like I can’t do anything and I should just give up on dance. Sometimes the fact that I can’t accomplish something makes me want to work ten times harder to accomplish it. Therefore I appreciate and value the accomplishments in my life because good or bad, they make me work harder.
ReplyDeleteI also value happiness, and I realize that this is so cliché like of course everyone values happiness, but I value happiness because I feel like I’m not ever happy. When I am happy I feel so great and I never want it to end. Usually when I am happy it’s because I accomplished something I didn’t think I could ever accomplish, but the happiness is also short because then something else occurs that puts me back into a bad mood. So that’s what I value most, accomplishment and happiness.
Your stance on happiness is very similar to mine. Just like you, I find this feeling hard to come by. Happiness is one of the best feelings in the world and I wish it wasn't so foreign to me. I also like the way you linked accomplishments to happiness. Making even the tiniest achievements is one of the biggest causes of happiness because it gives you such a great feeling of self pride.
DeleteI totally agree with you. Sports, just like dance to you are a big part of my life. I feel like a big chunk of my success comes from what my coach says to motivate me to be the best.
DeleteI guess this has always been in the back of my mind, but I haven’t really paid it too much attention. I value my feelings more than anything. My emotions are very near and dear to me because if I don’t look out for them, who will? I feel as though the people that are supposed to love me like to take advantage of the fact that I am younger than them and they decide to hurt my feelings. And they don’t even care. Their apologies are the most diaphanous things on this earth and I cannot stand it. Any time I try to voice my opinion about something, my mom and my grandmother are there to tell me that my opinion is invalid and what I say doesn’t matter. It makes me feel like the lowest creature in all the land.
ReplyDeleteLast night I stated that I was glad that the Washington Redskins were changing their name on the grounds that someone may find their name to be offensive. The moment I said that, my mother tells me that I’m, of course, wrong. Then my grandmother told me that “they say worse things than that in my country. You should just get over it”. I then decided to flip the script and asked her “what if their name was something offensive about Black people”? She then had the audacity to tell me that there was a difference. Tell me, oh “wise” grandmother, what is this difference you speak of?
Today, my mother called me on my way home from school and told me that I need to be more respectful and accused me of turning into an “argumentative b****”. I didn’t raise my voice at her mother-in-law. Every time I say something, my grandmother goes out of her way to prove me wrong. Naturally, my self-esteem takes a hit, but naturally, no one cares. Ultimately, I did the only thing that I could do: cry. No one wants to be told that no matter what they say or do they are constantly wrong or be called an “argumentative b****” the moment they try to stick up for their beliefs.
On the other hand, I find it to be quite amusing when the people go out of their way to hurt me get a taste of their own medicine. People may not expect this from me, I’m human. Why am I supposed to be merciful toward someone who is constantly putting me down? Maybe your own emotional distress will cause you to realize what you are doing to me. By seeing how it affects me, perhaps you will stop. Then again, I’m just some walking, talking meat-creature with no feelings so, it won’t stop. When people go out of their way to prove someone wrong and make them feel terrible about themselves, it says something about them, not the person with the bruised feelings. It tells me that you have to crush people in order to make yourself believe that you are better than someone. In reality, this makes you a loathsome creature that no one wants to be around. No matter how enraged I become, I won’t go out of my way to make someone feel like less of a human being. I know that if I do go out of my way to do this, it makes me look like I have my priorities in the wrong place (which would be true. Why is it your number one concern to make someone else feel even worse about them-self?). I know what it feels like to have someone going out of their way just to prove that you are constantly wrong. I don’t want to be that person. I see how it affects my feelings and I couldn’t possibly do that to someone else.
Oh man.... I completely understand what you mean about older people trying to invalidate our feelings because we are younger. I think that being a teenager is one of the roughest parts of one life and people shouldn't trivialize our problems just because we aren't old enough to understand real problems, or something. What we are feeling in the moment is very real to us, even if it is just hormones causing moodswings, even if some puppy love of ours ended bad and broke our hearts, it all still matters. And to say that our opinions and knowledge hold no weight because we aren't old enough or something? It's ridiculous. Honestly, the worst insult you can get is when someone says your feelings don't matter because that's saying you don't matter. So I can really empathize with you there!
DeleteI want to start off by saying that I tend to over think things so in order to keep myself sane I am going to try to keep this response as short and sweet as possible. That being said, here goes nothing!
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else I Value many things, but the two things I value the most are every day and the people I encounter each of those days, I know how cliché that sounds but bare with me on this. Life is short, on average a person lives about 675,000 hours, that is not a big number I would tell you how many days that equates to but that is even more disheartening. For awhile I let this idea of how little time we have really get to me, the fear of misusing my time led to me not using my time at all. But last year that started to change, slowly I started to realize that the little amount of time we have should be a motivator not a deterrent. Along with this little amount of time we can only meet so many people in our lifetime but that isn’t a bad thing, because even though we will never meet everyone on the planet, everyone we do meet is different. Every person you meet is a unique, beautiful, improbable creature capable of unimaginably incredible things and the fact that we get to live our whole lives surrounded by any amount of these wonderful creatures makes us all insanely lucky. I hope all that makes sense. Moving on, what makes me so mad I could scream? Too many things to count, but the thing that does it the most is a person perfectly capable of helping themselves but is too stuck in their ways to do so. Anyone who knows me will know how ironic that is but it says a lot about me doesn’t it? Maybe it’s just because I so desperately don’t want those people to turn out like me that it angers me when I see them on the same road I walked/walk or maybe I just don’t enjoy looking in the mirror. Either way the anger I feel in that situation is always derived from pain, and I think that says something, or maybe I’m just thinking too much. On a much happier note, the thing that fills me the most with joy is once again a very cliché thing, to see my friends and family happy is what joys me the most. Those days you see me acting like an idiot, jumping around, and placing my desk in the middle of doorways are the days where I have either seen one of my friends have an incredible day or I am trying relentlessly to heighten the spirits of a friend who wasn’t fortunate enough to have a day as good as mine. I just love seeing happy people especially when those people are the ones I love the most and I would do anything to put the ones I love in a good mood which again is sort of ironic.
I think I have succeeded in my attempt to keep this short and I did sort of learn something about my “values” but to explain that I would need to write a whole essay, so maybe I just found the topic of my OP…or not, this whole sharing how I feel about things, thing, makes me uncomfortable..sorry guys.
Vincent, this was absolutely amazing. Very beautiful; I found myself saying "awe" quite frequently. You seem like such a genuine young man that will go on to do great things. You're absolutely right, 77.1 years of life is extremely short and we should not waste those years of our lives. I am both elated and proud to hear that you have made a change in your life. Change is a wonderful thing. Please, never give up on yourself and keep being amazing.
Delete1). I love you. 2). I have the same values, which is probably why i love you. If i would have explained my values more thoroughly it would be identical to this blog posting. So yes, we are soul twins
DeleteEverything you say makes me adore you even more. I just love your honesty and your positivity and everything that comes along with it. I love seeing you get excited over little things like glitter or shiny string because you remind me that I shouldn't be afraid of people judging me for enjoying simple things in life.
DeleteI can easily spit out a long list of things that I admire but when it came down to identifying my values, I was stumped. After putting some thought into it, I came to the conclusion that there are three main things that I value. I don’t like many things about myself but one of the things that I take pride in is my passionate character. A majority of the things I have succeeded in have been aided by my intense devotion. Passion is also very emotionally satisfying. I feel internally fulfilled knowing that there is something out there that makes so happy to the point where I am willing to dedicate all of my energy into succeeding within a particular field of interest. Modesty is another trait that I value. It’s good to take pride in yourself for certain things but many people tend to let their pride get to their head, which then leads to egotistical issues. Remember, your ego is not your amigo. There are many people in the world that possess outstanding talent and yet they still have doubt in their abilities. Those are the people I deem worthy of admiration. One thing that I value deeply is happiness. I think this might be because I am rarely ever happy. I also find myself jealous of other people who are always pleased with their current circumstances. On the occasion in which I do find myself genuinely happy, I make sure I cherish the moment while I have it because it probably won’t last very long. As for things that make me aggravated, it has got to be my anxiety levels along with my low self esteem. If I had higher levels of confidence and lower levels of stress, I would probably be way more happier than I generally am. I hate having to constantly worry about things that aren’t even worth anguishing over. Along with that, I am constantly telling myself that I am not worthy or good enough for anyone or anything. It’s pathetic and unhealthy for my mental state. I am constantly mad at myself for not being a generally positive person because that would solve at least 90% of my problems.The fact that my failures are generally caused by my natural negativity bringing me down is frustrating to think about because it makes me realize how many opportunities slipped from my grasp all because of my mentality that I can’t seem to change.
ReplyDelete"Your ego is not your amigo." Why is this the first time I've heard this? How have I gone through life without knowing about this saying? On a more serious note, I do enjoy modesty in a person. I also believe that modesty has a way of showing a persons character and even helping them improve in everything they do. Modest people still practice hard to get better, while cocky people tend to believe they are so good that they literally can't get any better.
DeleteI find it awesome how you are able to narrow down your values like that. I don't think I could do that. I think I use to value passion in much the same way you did, but after reading and analyzing Romeo and Juliet, I think I changed my view on passion quite a bit. But modesty is also a great thing to value: "Thou shall not brag!"
DeleteEmily great job on this blog especially the ego is not your amigo. But really it just like what I’ve posted that happiness is value that many people can personally value it because happiness can disappear. What I mean is that a person emotion always change and if someone can find happiness then they will appreciate it more after they experience something terrible. Also I do same thing as you because I always belittle myself so I don’t have a high ego and expectation for when I fail at stuff. Because it like the taller you are the higher you fall and if I keep my ego high then when I fail I will be utterly depressed. So to prevent it I belittle myself in my mind and keep my ego as low as possible. I am mad at myself for this but it the only way to protect myself. But overall great job on the blog Emily.
DeleteI think you must already know which line I'm going to say I love.. *wink wink* amigo. But other than that I just feel like I totally understand what you mean about the pointless worrying. It's become a part of the daily struggle for me. And I wish I would've thought to write about modesty. It's a trait not enough people have. And I actually wrote about passion too, just from the other perspective, because all I really have any passion for me is tennis. Hah.
DeleteAs all of you have figured out, I am not your everyday, care free teen. I mean I’m care free but I feel like care free is better put as care less in this prompt. I actually care about many things, values being my priority. After a long summer spent with many days and nights of introspection, dream deciphering and spiritual journeys, I have finally become my purest self. Cleansed of society’s filthy handprints. Once a hollow mind, I am now filled with my own, unique opinions and perspectives. With my own morals and values I have gained from my philosophical summer I found that what really bothers me is people who aren’t aware. Not only oblivious and ignorant to their surroundings but to who they truly are. I value the natural, uniquely magnificent spirit in all living things. I believe it is only good and so powerful. However it often needs cleaning to become the pure innocent mind it was. I value nature and how it just is and always will be. Maintaining its equilibrium and carrying life. Nature accepts everything and anything no matter how different, expressing its beauty. I also value feelings. I don’t like to let them control a person but it really connects your consciousness with your surroundings. Such a beautiful component in the makeup of humans. The thing I value most is my happiness and inner peace. That is everything. It keeps you in the right mindset. Although I very much value education and knowledge, I don’t care about school at all. It’s ridiculous actually. The amount of pressure and stress added to the weight of being a teenager is torturous. We are supposed to be resolving ourselves. Education is for college, were you are at peace. These things influence every decision I make. If it makes me happy; I do it. If it has good intentions; I respect it. If it involves thought provoking questions, I want to put use to this consciousness and brain I have grown and worked out over the years. That is what I live for. That is what I value and what I will value for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteI was so excited to read yours even though I kinda already had an idea of what you were going to say you valued because I know you oh so well ;) but you did an amazing job describing your thoughts and feelings on the world. Love you and I'm glad you made it this far in your life and in your mind.
DeleteLet me just start off by saying that the way you started your opening sentence is amazing :) I value the same things as you. This is so deep, and very inspiring
DeleteDanielle I really like how you stated that education is not really important as long as you are true to your real self. I mean many people convert to fit in with the crowd and that is just terrible because they are losing a part of themselves. Yeah in life there are many things that can change a person but as long people know and can find themselves then they will be set for life. I can totally agree with the fact that school is putting tremendous amount of stress on the guy who sleeps during Spanish class every single day. School shouldn’t be stressful because these are the time when people can find themselves. So amazing job. Your insight was really inspirational.
DeleteI can see why it bothers you when people are not aware of their surroundings and of who they truly are, but it takes some people longer to figure out who they are. You can't really blame them for that. The circumstances are different for every person.
DeleteImmediately when I read the prompt I equated these so-called intangible values with my principles. Principles, derived from our own self-evident sense of justice, are a product of who we are and how we are raised– nature vs. nurture in its purest form. Naturally, there are certain principles and values that we as Americans share, values well publicized by our old AP US Government textbooks. Those shared values encompass liberty, legal and political equality, equality of opportunity, personal responsibility, justice, democracy, and civic duty. Culture imposes these values upon us and influences the rest of our values accordingly.
ReplyDeleteI share all these values with my fellow Americans. In addition, I value open-mindedness, sympathy, integrity, brilliance, respect, sincerity, and a bevy of other morals that would be nearly impossible to completely list.
The most despicable things are those that stand in direct opposition to my values. Bigotry disgusts me, probably because of my commitment to open and liberal thinking. Hypocrisy irks me, as it antagonizes my values of sincerity. Cruelty I disdain, as it combats my values of sympathy. Disingenuity sickens me to no end, as it is contrary to my principles of sincerity. (Knowing this, one can understand why I shudder when I read some of our blog posts and why I would never vote for Mitt Romney)
Finding what fills me with unabashed joy is much harder for me to define, only because I feel as though it is less likely to reflect my values, per say. That is because, for most teenagers, the only “joy” we feel is completely hedonistic. I am tempted to say that a sense of accomplishment fills me up with joy. Maybe that stems in part because of my desire and value for respect. Nevertheless, the more I think about that euphoria of accomplishment, the more it seems to me as fleeting and insignificant as physical pleasure.
The only thing that can make me joyful repeatedly without somehow stimulating my brain reward system is satire. Consistently, there is nothing I appreciate more than the mockery and trivialization of the world in the pursuit of revealing hypocrisies. This is of course part of my values – it directly stimulates my values of sincerity (by revealing hypocrisies), brilliance (by employ genius humor), and open-mindedness (the entire concept of legal satire is one of America’s and humanity’s greatest achievements in the last 500 years). A well-done rage-session between Dave and I, or a good Onion video, a South Park social commentary, or an impeccable mockery of a figure of authority never ceases to put a smile on my face.
Well poop, you know me well enough to see all the hypocrisy and conflict in my blog post. But maybe ill get away with it because its all inner hypocrisy! Anyway i really enjoyed how different your "values" were to mine. I still interpreted the question as what things I value and you saw it as a question of principles. sorry for sounding boring. I really only wanted an excuse to say poop.
DeleteIt's seriously insane how different all of our values are. And it's nice to see that your values are so intelligent Neil.
DeleteI know right, Aubree? It's proof we're individuals. And Vincent, I wasn't implicitly making fun of your blog post lol. But I enjoy your wide range of vocabulary.
DeleteAs I ponder this question, I wonder what deeper meaning can come out of valuing my parents and peers. Finally after long hard hours of thinking I realized that something I value the most is seeing the happiness I can bring out in other people. Most of you know, I lost a very special "person" on Wednesday night. My dog that I had ever since I was two passed away. Seeing the way my family, but mostly my mom reacted to it broke my heart and I knew I had to do something about it. To cry with my sisters was one thing, but when I see my mom crying on my shoulder, I just froze like an ice cube and felt like my whole world stopped. I just wanted to see my mom's one million dollar smile again. Needless to say, I sent her flowers to work, hoping she would just cheer up a little and smile for an hour or two.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I can't stand when people only care about themselves. I believe this world is a terrible place because people are always thinking about themselves. I always think to myself, "help out as many people as you can encounter, because if you think you have it bad, people have it way worse." I'm always out to lend a hand, the slightest things such as holding the door. As a citizen, you should treat everyone how you want to be treated. No one is better then anyone, but people want to think they are.
Finally, I think like this because this is the way I was raised. I was raised to treat everyone the same. Even if I didn't like something or someone, I should always be polite. If everyone had this type of understanding, the world would be more peaceful, and so much more friendly.
Log I know how you feel, when we had to put down Godiva in the summer I once again had to see my moms tears. Whenever she cries it makes me feel so weak, because she's the strongest person I know. Love you, and you're strong enough to et through anything. It makes me so happy that you sent her flowers to work.
DeleteValue is a very vague term. It can be applied both to a physical item and mental ideology. For me personally, I value my relationships. Not the people, but the relationships I have established with them. For me, friendship and just being a good person to anyone you meet is a big part of life. I believe that your relationship with someone can affect the people in it in both good and bad ways. I always attempt to keep a good rapport with my teachers and a stable friendship with any of my peers. I have some friendships who I've kept strong since elementary school. Now, what makes me so mad I could scream? I really don't know. I try hard to not get very angry, I go about life in a very nonchalant attitude. Although I am very opposed to people taking others for granted. I have always believed that sometimes people forgot to appreciate others in their life and stop caring about them. Yet when they need them, they come back then leave again. That is unfair and it seems to annoy me more than anything I've seen so far. What fills me with joy? On the other hand, I enjoy feeling appreciated. Even in the slightest way, but I love even more to help someone out. It's enjoyable for me to go out of me to make someone else's life easier. I always try to help anyone in any way I can. It's a good thing to do in a world where people believe chivalry and kindness are dead
ReplyDeleteFirstly, love the profile pic! But that was a nice work around: you value relationships. I can totally understand that. I didn't even stop to consider that. But I guess I see relationships in a more callous way. I see them as the gov textbook does: "social capital". Obviously, there is an emotional aspect there, but it's not 100% emotional like yours. Which is ok.
DeleteDan I agree with you 100% and I applaud you on the idea that you love to make someone else happy. I am always trying to make people happy even if I am happy. I just like to see the happy look on someone face even if I get not in return. However I don’t believe kindness and chivalry are dead it still happens in the world but it just that no one really pay attentions toward it. The reason is because many people don’t give the necessary amount of time to be appreciated it and it seems like chivalry is dead. But overall great job Dan.
DeleteTo be honest, I’m always a little anxious to write the blog each week. This is only because every Lang kid reads my post with all of my inner thoughts. But then I realized, hey they’re probably feeling the same way I am while I read all of their posts.
ReplyDeleteValue. When I say the word value aloud, numerous pictures pop into my head. Too many things, actually. One thing that I value, and this also took me a very long time of my life to realize that I value it, are chances. I have been fortunate enough to receive multiple chances on different occasions and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
When I get a second chance at something, I know not to screw it up because I was given that extra chance for a reason.
One of the reasons that I value chances is because of my dad. He overdosed and passed away when I was 5, but he got a lot of “chances,” I guess you could say. Having many personal family issues with drug addicts is a scary thing, it makes you grow up pretty fast- which I did. As you get older you learn more.
At a much younger age, I felt sympathy and pity for my father for the fact that he had to be in and out of rehab and had to have been dealing with all of the excess baggage that came with the drugs. But, as I matured more and learned more, I realized that he was given enough chances to turn his life around. You can say, “Oh my god, that’s horrible for Aubree to say about her own dad!” But you don’t know what to feel or how to feel until you’ve gone through it and experienced it first hand. Going through this in my life it not only helped me realize that anything can happen any second, but it helped me realize that chances aren’t given out often- whether it’s with people, school, work, or your own life.
When you are given a chance at something, whether it’s your first or second or billionth chance, you got to grab it and not let it go. Especially when you get numerous chances at life everyday. Every chance I get, no matter what the situation is, I try my hardest- always, because sometimes you may not get a second chance at things.
Something that makes me so mad I could pull my hair out and scream is overthinking. I over think from the simplest miniscule things possible like what to have for lunch and all the way to the largest things. I’m not sure why I overthink- I’m a spas and I really can’t help it. I get anxious over every little detail of my life and then when I calm down, I just get angry at myself for not acting in a calmly matter. I probably have all these reactions because of how much I ponder of my future. Twenty-four seven that’s all I think about. How the decisions I make today, will effect my tomorrow and the others around me.
I value chances, and I’m trying to take advantage of the chance at life and make myself a little less anxious and spastic about the world.
Aub, I love that you are a "go getter." Whatever you set your mind to, you are out to achieve it, and nothing gets in your way. You are truly an inspiring person.
DeleteAs I was reading this post I thought about everything I value in my life from hard work, to family, and feeling, etc. However I wanted to say something else instead of just something specific. So I thought about the post for a long time and I focused on the words value and personal. Then I realized that most people say they value something but they don’t really personally value it. People can say they personally value something, but they will never truly value it because it the fact that they will always have it. I choose to value things that I don’t already have. Okay I know that sounded very confusing, but it will make sense. Okay so what I mean is that people can say they value everything in their life. However do those values actually have a significant meaning? A person will never realized the importance of something unless they lost it or never had it. For example if a person values friendship, but was never alone or never felt alone then they would never truly value their friends. But if they are first lonely and then makes friends then they will have more appreciation of friendship. A person never truly realized the importance of something unless it is gone from their life. This concept can be applied to everything so anyone can really appreciate something and not just say they value something without any meaning behind it. Another example is in my life I lack confidence for a long time over everything I ever did, but one day I did something right which help boost my confidence. So from that day I learned to really appreciate confidence because one it made feel happy to done something great but I also learn what life is like with confidence. I gain the insight of life with and without confidence and I could say I will always value it because I don’t want my life to be with out confidence. So that what I meant by I appreciate values I don’t have. What makes me so mad is if someone does something great and doesn’t get the right appreciation for it. Many people in the world do great things without recognition and that is shame. These people can be role model for others and can make the world a great place but because their action aren’t recognize then it won’t be know to the world. I know many people don’t want the fame but just doing it for the greater good and that is the exact reason their action should be recognize. What makes me happy is when other people are happy. Like I don’t care if I am not happy as long as I can make someone else is happy. It not the outcomes but the joy in someone face that is the reward. The reason I think like this is because of the fact that I value the value that people don’t have. First of all after someone gain a value they didn’t have then they will be very happy and I love it when everyone is happy. Secondly if a person does a great deed they should be recognize like after a person gains a new value. Because after a person gains a new value then they will realize the importance of it just like the greats deeds of people so that why I hated it when someone is not recognize for their good work. A person value isn’t really recognized until a person knows how it was to live without their value then they can personally value that value. That is what I really thought and it wasn’t a way to avoid the question because I wanted to focus on the idea that most people don’t personally value something because they never know what it was like to not have it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, my parents always told me little white lies. They sugar coated everything for me because I’m the baby in the family. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate their kindness, but sometimes I wish that they didn’t pamper me as much as they did because it isn’t going to help me in the future. I want honesty even though it hurts sometimes because being pampered will do much more damage. When I was twelve, I found out that my dad lied to my face about keeping one of the most important promises he has ever made to me. He always told me that I should never lie and that he is a man of his word until he broke that promise.
ReplyDeleteEver since then, I have always had trouble forgiving people who lie to me. I value honesty more than anything. It takes courage and confidence, and that is very respectable. I don’t care if it may hurt. I would take the truth over a lie any day. I can get over the truth. I have a more difficult time getting over the fact that my trust has been betrayed, so keep that in mind the next time lying becomes an option-not just to me but in general. Of course, I have lied before, so I’m a hypocrite, but I try my best to be honest to people. I don’t like lying to people, but I also don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. I don’t really have to worry about hurting feelings though because I don’t often see bad things in people as long as I get my sleep. On the other hand, I have more courage when my mind isn’t completely there. Lack of sleep for me is like being drunk for others, it gives me courage to say the truth and do what I want. I don’t always have the same amount of confidence when I’m running on eight to nine hours of sleep because I over think things-especially honesty. I like to think about it this way, if you were on the receiving end of a lie, would you rather be lied to or would you want to be told the truth?
As for things that make me want to scream until I lose my voice, I absolutely hate when people take advantage of others. It makes me want to dig a six feet deep hole and then cover it with dead leaves supported by a net so that person can fall in the hole and just be stuck down there with no way out. Alright...I know. It’s kind of over the top. I would never do that. I’m just trying to explain how angry it makes me. I am a people pleaser to a certain extent, and it upsets me so much when I try to help people, and then, they just use me. I’m not a tool or a utensil or a calculator. I’m a person. If they don’t respect me, I no longer care even an ounce about them. On a more positive note, I admire sincerity. I love when people just do things out of the kindness of their hearts. I especially love when people hold/open the door for me. People don’t hold doors because they expect some sort of reward. No one gets any sort of gift or extreme recognition for holding a door. It’s kind of like they are tricked into being selfless. Holding a door is a common courtesy, but that small little act restores my faith in humanity when needed.
I actually really like the door-holding analogy. It's just a simple gesture, and it is kind of a trick, though I guess I'm a little more cynical than you because I really think that such a little courtesy is really more habit-formed than anything.. And talking about honesty is difficult. But I'm pretty sure there were more than a few of us that had the word 'hypocrite' going through our minds while we wrote our posts, so don't feel bad. And well if someone tries to take advantage of you you should trap them in a giant hole. Or bury them alive. I'll help.
DeleteThe most unoriginal and truthful answer I have for this is honesty, in all its forms. I don’t just mean that I like when people say what’s on their mind – though I do – but that I just enjoy uncensored people. I hope that doesn’t go along the lines of ‘my friends and family’, but that is something they have in common. My friends at least, considering they are the people I choose to be with for myself. People that are able to just do what they want all the time may be reckless, but the freedom they give themselves commands my respect like nothing else. My most favorite people are usually the kinds that you have to either love or hate for that exact reason, and whether this ability to just be as they are comes from self-confidence, pure ignorance, or anywhere else their genuineness and possible jerkdom grants them my unconditional love. These individuals can be loud, and obnoxious, and carried away by passion to the point of where it gets awkward, and it’s for that that I admire them.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to see the passion and love people have for things is actually something that does bring me a lot of joy. It makes me jealous, but I like seeing people that care about what they do. That should be the main point in doing anything but for lots of reasons that isn’t always the case. Just seeing someone talk about what they love most gives me the kind of excitement I’m not sure a lot of other people are able to appreciate, as mean as that may sound. It makes me sound like I’m a much better person than I actually am, but it makes me happy to see others happy, and even more so when I’m the cause. But, when someone shows true zeal for something, anything I may have to do with it is irrelevant.
While all these things represent the goodness and happiness of my values, what drives me crazy in a way that makes me want to tear my hair out is a little more complicated to explain, and even more hypocritical than honesty is. What I hate more than anything is things undeserved. In this world there is no such thing as a level playing field, and with any group of kids that’s one fact that will never cease to be. However, I don’t think I’m completely in the wrong when I say a part of me wishes that was the case. Even though it isn’t the point of this particular blog, I feel I have to talk about myself for just a minute to keep from going off on a rant that may end up looking like it’s aimed at any other particular person. So. One of the things that makes me the most angry with myself is my incredible, and un-incredible luck. I wish there was a way to be satisfied with myself, but of all the so- called ‘successes’ I’ve been privileged to have, not one feels earned. Everything just ends up turning out well. And that is a terrible, terrible thing to complain about. But it fills me with a never-ending cycle of guilt and frustration when I see others working so hard, with much better morals and principles, and I still manage to stay on par with them. Then at other times I find ways to screw up everything I love most. The things I care about that aren’t academic are what I mess up on, consistently and all the time. I feel like that’s undeserved and it makes me mad, as does my terrible indecisiveness, but such is life. I’m pretty sure we’re all aware that life is unfair. It sucks, but whatever. That’s just how it all works, and just about everything balances itself out in the end. I’d like to think so anyway.
Great posts this week, scholars.
ReplyDeleteI admire the way you really worked to try to pin down a rather amorphous-yet-shape-shifting notion: VALUE.