Casting Aside Our Values
My thoughts of late have been focused on why we are all too willing to cast aside our values. As I watch television, go to the movies, read a novel, or even look at historical events, I notice that we always desire that those who hold to their values--their highest ideals--in the face of adversity. Even in our mystery, crime and horror genres of film, television and books we want those that live up to their ideals--even if they faltered a bit along the way--to win the day. We go to movies that illustrate and illuminate our ideals of family, sacrifice, interpersonal dynamics, honor, duty and offer an alternative definition of what it means to be a success. Even in our talk shows--which many of us consider to be one of the lowest forms of the broadcast arts--we are forever enamoured with those who have overcome every possible obstacle to their success, but these folks held firm to their beliefs, values and ideals to succeed in the face of adversity, consternation and condemnation.
That which truly inspires us holds to our ideals. We look at great people with awe because of their ideals that come to the forefront of their lives despite flaws, foibles, mistakes and alternative motives. We look at people like Mother Theresa--who would always find her own weaknesses overwhelming and thus see herself as unworthy of our honors--and we offer praise for her because of her ideals and the manner in which she chose to overcome obstacles to keep her ideals and make them real. We hold up those brave enough to take a courageous stand in the face of overwhelming opposition--indeed, powerful opposition--and give them our reverent admiration and awe. Throughout history we have held such people in high esteem: Joan of Arc, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Paul II, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Nathan Hale, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, St. Francis of Assisi, Anne Frank, Victor Frankl, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King (Jr.), Robert Oppenheimer, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Nikos Kazantzakis and the hero we find in his Zorba the Greek, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nelson Mandala, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Moses, the Prophets of Scripture, the Dalai Lama... The list of actual "heroes" that we revere could go on, but each of them has the singular characteristic of ultimately holding to their ideals no matter what faced them, no matter how difficult the struggle, no matter how great the opposition.
We also honor those that have made great sacrifices, even offering their lives for the cause of justice, mercy and righteousness. Our history is filled with martyrs that have given their lives for higher ideals. The range includes those that would not renounce their faith even under torture to those that have saved the lives of others at the peril of their own. Soldiers on the battlefield that save others while losing their own lives is one example of how much we value sacrifice for the love of others. In Christian thought, giving one's life for one's ideals, including to save the lives of others, is considered the ultimate form of love, as is exemplified by the sacrifice of Christ for all of mankind.
We go to church, mosque, synagogue, temple or other events and places of worship in pursuit of our ideals. We pray asking for the hope, strength and courage to overcome our daily obstacles as well as those events that truly overwhelm us. We revere those within our faith traditions that sacrifice their lives, their livelihood and their standing in community to adhere to--to stand for--the ideals.
Our heroes in literature are those that have withstood onslaughts against their values and ideals, often at great sacrifice and cost. We even root for the anti-heroes that maintain a code of honor despite the temptation that surrounds them to surrender their ideals. We find honor in the last warrior of wars past that refused to surrender because their ideals would not let them falter.
Why then, do we not strive to live up to those ideals in all that we do? Why do we cast aside our values for immediacy and self-serving gratification? Why do we not support those that adhere to values and make such great sacrifices when we see these sacrifices before us? Why do we ridicule those that adhere to ideals and dismiss them as "unrealistic" or "too idealistic"? Why do we choose to revere the sacrifice in the posthumous sense and not in the real sense?
Why are we so afraid of putting our values and ideals into practice?
As I sit alone at my computer on this first day of 2007, I am amazed at how willing we are to sacrifice our ideals rather than live up to them and put them into everyday practice... and I am deeply saddened by this reality, at least the reality we have chosen to define for ourselves.
My life is meaningless without my ideals and the principles that are derived from them. So, when I see the rest of the world surrendering to the pressures to cast aside these most important values, principles and ideals, I am saddened all the more. I understand the despair that Christ felt in the Garden at Gethsemane. I identify with the despair Mohammed saw when his enemies threatened to overwhelm his small band of followers. I know what the true struggle of "jihad" really is when I contemplate the evils we commit against ourselves all because we are willing to sell ourselves short. I comprehend the nature of suffering that the Buddha disciovered under the tree. I identify with the clash of cognitive dissonance Dostoevsky discussed in most of his writings. I am just not sure what to do with this information and revelation.
That which truly inspires us holds to our ideals. We look at great people with awe because of their ideals that come to the forefront of their lives despite flaws, foibles, mistakes and alternative motives. We look at people like Mother Theresa--who would always find her own weaknesses overwhelming and thus see herself as unworthy of our honors--and we offer praise for her because of her ideals and the manner in which she chose to overcome obstacles to keep her ideals and make them real. We hold up those brave enough to take a courageous stand in the face of overwhelming opposition--indeed, powerful opposition--and give them our reverent admiration and awe. Throughout history we have held such people in high esteem: Joan of Arc, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Paul II, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Nathan Hale, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, St. Francis of Assisi, Anne Frank, Victor Frankl, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King (Jr.), Robert Oppenheimer, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Nikos Kazantzakis and the hero we find in his Zorba the Greek, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nelson Mandala, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Moses, the Prophets of Scripture, the Dalai Lama... The list of actual "heroes" that we revere could go on, but each of them has the singular characteristic of ultimately holding to their ideals no matter what faced them, no matter how difficult the struggle, no matter how great the opposition.
We also honor those that have made great sacrifices, even offering their lives for the cause of justice, mercy and righteousness. Our history is filled with martyrs that have given their lives for higher ideals. The range includes those that would not renounce their faith even under torture to those that have saved the lives of others at the peril of their own. Soldiers on the battlefield that save others while losing their own lives is one example of how much we value sacrifice for the love of others. In Christian thought, giving one's life for one's ideals, including to save the lives of others, is considered the ultimate form of love, as is exemplified by the sacrifice of Christ for all of mankind.
We go to church, mosque, synagogue, temple or other events and places of worship in pursuit of our ideals. We pray asking for the hope, strength and courage to overcome our daily obstacles as well as those events that truly overwhelm us. We revere those within our faith traditions that sacrifice their lives, their livelihood and their standing in community to adhere to--to stand for--the ideals.
Our heroes in literature are those that have withstood onslaughts against their values and ideals, often at great sacrifice and cost. We even root for the anti-heroes that maintain a code of honor despite the temptation that surrounds them to surrender their ideals. We find honor in the last warrior of wars past that refused to surrender because their ideals would not let them falter.
Why then, do we not strive to live up to those ideals in all that we do? Why do we cast aside our values for immediacy and self-serving gratification? Why do we not support those that adhere to values and make such great sacrifices when we see these sacrifices before us? Why do we ridicule those that adhere to ideals and dismiss them as "unrealistic" or "too idealistic"? Why do we choose to revere the sacrifice in the posthumous sense and not in the real sense?
Why are we so afraid of putting our values and ideals into practice?
As I sit alone at my computer on this first day of 2007, I am amazed at how willing we are to sacrifice our ideals rather than live up to them and put them into everyday practice... and I am deeply saddened by this reality, at least the reality we have chosen to define for ourselves.
My life is meaningless without my ideals and the principles that are derived from them. So, when I see the rest of the world surrendering to the pressures to cast aside these most important values, principles and ideals, I am saddened all the more. I understand the despair that Christ felt in the Garden at Gethsemane. I identify with the despair Mohammed saw when his enemies threatened to overwhelm his small band of followers. I know what the true struggle of "jihad" really is when I contemplate the evils we commit against ourselves all because we are willing to sell ourselves short. I comprehend the nature of suffering that the Buddha disciovered under the tree. I identify with the clash of cognitive dissonance Dostoevsky discussed in most of his writings. I am just not sure what to do with this information and revelation.
posted by Jim Downey at 6:45 AM
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