I often think about whether or not we are adding value to the world or just doing the thing that is in front of us. Do people think about value beyond the grocery store? I especially think about value when it comes to work. It seems to me so many jobs are simply sales. Not only that, it is most often sales of products and services people don't really need, if they were honest with themselves. Most products and services are for convenience and to make life easier but are they really accomplishing this? I measure the value of things by how many hours I will have to work. Most times the thing is simply not worth the trouble of even 1 hours work. To me true wealth is being able to do without but I live in a world constantly screaming you need more!
I like things, but I also like not giving my time and talents to people who don't appreciate them and having to sell either myself or products people don't need. There is just something deceitful in the whole process. I feel like I am often sacrificing integrity by feeding this system of perpetual desire for more.
The economy seems to be precariously teetering on a mountain of things we don't need. It's a very fragile system we have created for ourselves, an addiction to goods and services for imaginary "needs". We will do anything to maintain a certain level of lifestyle based on the avoidance of pain and inconvenience.
So when it comes to work I ask myself is it worth it? Gone are the days where one could see the direct value/benefit and results of one's work. There are just too many soul sucking jobs and the meaninglessness of our work seems to be growing. It's not that work is just hard that I don't mind, but its hard in a way that makes me ask what is the point? Or is it work worth doing? I see a disturbing disconnect that requires some collective soul searching.
I often wonder if the Industrial Revolution was a principle vehicle that brought us to this point of no return, the pace of action in the market increasing so fast in so many directions that we didn't have time,energy or the integrity to ask where the train was headed. You know how on maps its says "you are here"? Yah well here we are...now what?
I believe the degradation of values is at the heart of the matter.
We just don't seem to value values anymore, or at least people aren't clear and deliberate about their values. We aren't taught to be. Is it a symptom of post-post moderism? That period where we tore everything down intending to build it better, but somehow got comfortable, or found the task too hard or unnecessary, placated and distracted by shiny objects. Progress is fine but have we progressed? Or are we in regression to a society of vice ridden rats? ...are we addicted to more? Willing to gamble what we have on what could be? Namely values.
Open your arms to change but don't let go of your values.
Dalai Lama
Lack of values has caused us to forgo making conscious decisions, and become easily manipulated by market forces. We are blown by any prevailing breeze that comes by or a whisper in our ear, without time to consider if what we are undertaking, buying or believing will bring our personal lives and the lives of those around us value, never mind the consideration of how it will affect society as a whole.
How does the market have such power over us, to make us forget who we are and who we really wanted to be? The market has become increasingly sophisticated in the last 50 years. They use binary thinking which causes us to become emotionally attached to causes and things we had no real interest in, making us vulnerable to make decisions based on fear, desire (some we never knew we had), jealousy, envy, greed... basically enticing our vices.
Money is central to our lives. Yet money is not of central importance. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the lasting values that make life worth living.
Kent Nerburn
We give in too easily to our own vices, but deep down there is a gnawing feeling that something isn't right, not only with the market or the wealthy 1%, but with our own thinking and actions. We've lost integrity, torn in pieces, schizophrenic, not ourselves. No wonder we are depressed and anxiety ridden.
Is it sustainable? I mean mentally or spiritually sustainable? We are at a breaking point. Or is it a turning point, a crossroads? Decisions have to be made as a community what values and virtues we will allow to take root in our hearts, minds, souls and society. We can no longer afford to passively allow the market to guide and manipulate us. We must know our values and act virtuously in regards to the market, work and how we treat one another. We need to start taking personal responsibility for what the world is and what it will become instead of being sheep. There cannot be any dusty corner untouched by decisive values or virtuous behavior.
Virtue is a state of character concerned with choice, being determined by rational principle as determined by the moderate man of practical wisdom. Aristotle
Values are our compass and a virtuous life is the path to better selves and societies. So what can be done? We can start with taking stock of our own values and the state of our personal character. What virtues do I need to work on? It's easy to blame the market or the wealthy, but we are all complicit through our complacency. Working on ourselves is not easy but its work with clear satisfying results, and where have you seen that lately? We have a sphere of influence and improving our own character will be a direct way to affect the people in our sphere, bringing value, purpose and meaning to all areas of our lives.
Further reading:
Take a look at the lists of virtues at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_virtues).
please comment with any helpful quotes or tips or continue the discussion.
