In the second section of the text, the author attempts to explain what values are. According to philosopher Allan Bloom, he views the term “values” as “barbarous jargon” (Lewis). In today’s society, we often say that values are things we believe in and treasure in our life. These could be religion, knowing rights from wrongs, and simply just what we use to justify our actions. No matter if you agree with Bloom or you agree with the rest of society about what the meaning of value is, it is nearly impossible to not rely on predetermined morals that have been wired into our society. For as long as I can remember, values that are important to me have been to tell the truth, work your hardest, and be kind to those around you.
But when I take a moment to think about why I believe in these things, I have to look at what external pressures I have experienced that have caused these to become important to me. First off, I look to my parents and family for the main influence of values. Growing up, I was rewarded when I was honest, when I got good grades in school and when I was polite to others. Reflecting back on it now, I realize that society has shaped my values, which is why these three things are not explicitly unique to myself alone. Many of my companions know that you should be kind, honest, and hardworking: traits that society tells us will lead to successful lives down the road. But after taking another look at what I believe are my unique values, I am beginning to understand that these are values that previous generations have made up and have decided are important.
According to Professor Drielling, a sociology professor, there are four axioms that make up the self. While reading Lewis’ article, Drielling’s first axiom rang in my mind: the self is a product of the environment it resides in (Giddens). This is evident in the context of values. I agree with Bloom when he states that values are just made-up words because they are not individual thoughts unique to a single person. Society has influenced us to believe that what we value -kindness, honesty, and discipline – are just thoughts that previous people came up with and are simply ideas authority has engrained in our minds (Lewis) in order to allow us to follow what they believe. Since the self is a product (Giddens), values are just terms we obsess about in order to conform to the rest of society and to fit in. This is why Bloom is correct in saying values are simply “barbarous jargon.”
In conclusion, I agree with the fact that values are not unique to an individual and only exist because authority in society has pre-wired generations to believe in what they think is important, instead of promoting individual thinking, which would result in values and morals unique to the individual.
Giddens, Anthony. Introduction to Sociology. New York: W.W. Norton, 1996. Print.
Lewis, H. (1990). A Question of Values: Six Ways We Make the Personal Choices That Shape Our Lives. Axios Press.