Category: Unit 02

Faith

Family

Friendship

Health

Security

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Integrity

Independence

Enjoyment

Loyalty

Personal Accomplishment

Wealth

Location

Wisdom

Service

Leadership

Creativity

Personal Development

Expertness

Community

Power

Prestige

Today I awoke from a short nights sleep and drove back to my home town to participate in a family tradition of making apple cider. My grandparents started this a thousand years ago and I anticipate it happening every year. I then drove my girlfriend and roommate back to school in Eugene. The most applicable values from my top 20 would probably be, family, friendship, enjoyment, and loyalty. Comparing my top five personal values to the activities that occurred today I would say that family applied the most here with friendship also. Family was the reason that I drove back to my home town. I did find the whole day enjoyable but I would have to say that it wasnt because I was able to get messy and take home some apple juice. Seeing my grandparents and family always makes me happy but I like that we were able to all engage in an activity that we like to do. Friendship applied because I was able to bring my friend and girlfriend home and joke around with them before doing more homework.

I think I inherited Faith, Family, and Friendship from my family and all of which I can say are still applicable today. I do see less of an influence that they make on these being my values, but they are definitely still my top values. I have a goal of being successful in school and living a life that involves the least amount of stress as possible. I don’t exactly know how this is going to happen at the moment but then again that is why they are goals. I would say that the things that stand in my way of these goals would be a job that pays enough to have a comfortable life and a job that is not stressful. I really hope that someday I will find a place that I will want to wake up every morning and go to.  I am not a very picky person but there is one thing that I don’t like and that is stress. As far as my values go I dont really see them changing any time soon.

 

“The initial question” was a very detailed and interesting writing sample that stimulated me to immediately question my own reasons of belief. The article’s style did manage to make me slightly nervous about the quality of research done. One example is how, much of the material for this article consisted of questions asked and answered by Lewis H. This article was although very eye opening and insightful. I think it is important to study the reasons why we do things in detail. But when it all comes down to life applicable behaviors Lewis asks, “If we establish a framework for sorting through values, and keep it as objective as possible, will it help us in our lives?” After all the research I agree that this is what matters. Maybe understanding and manipulating personal values will change who we are? Or could this act of understanding happen to make one a better person for themselves. In this article Lewis explained that many people were unsure how to respond to the informational overload of the value systems. When I cant give a fully unbiased reason to why I believe something it makes me uncomfortable. Not being able to control something so seemingly easy is bewildering. I also agree with Lewis when he says that personal values are as essential as food and air. I also feel that “without a clear set of personal values it is hard to live a satisfying life.”  To me this talks about all the reasons we work, learn, exercise, and have fun. although they are not as explained as possible the fact that they are there is acknowledgeable. For example without an inner drive caused by emotion to do homework, there would be no reason or urge to do it. This article brings up so many good points about inner belief systems but once again makes me feel so small in respect to the unknown parts of existence.