Hello readers,
I enjoyed this weeks reading. As an accounting major, I haven’t explored value systems in such depth before. The author wrote, “Ultimately, of course, nobody can ever be objective” (Sorting It Out 17). This point really resonated with me. The author was talking about how it is impossible to explore value systems without bias because inevitably each person will reason and explore from a given perspective based on there on values and mental modes. Although this may have been a minor point in the scheme of the entire discussion, I thought it was profound. In my experience the author is correct. Similar to what the author is describing, I think it is impossible to truly understand another person or identify with their thought processes and value systems. In my experience, this is most prevalent during an argument. People often say to “put yourself in their shoes”. But that isn’t really possible, is it? You need to understand a person’s thought processes based on their mental modes and values. However, you cannot achieve this objectively because your evaluation is coming from an inherently different perspective based on your own unique mental mode composition and values. You cannot understand someone’s thoughts and values through your own different thoughts and values.
The author also wrote, “Personal values matter a great deal. Without them, we cannot live at all… Without clearly focused values, it is probably impossible to lead a purposeful and satisfying life” (Sorting It Out 18). I don’t necessarily disagree with this claim, I just don’t think it is possible not to have values. Even if someone is depressed or struggles to find joy in things, they must place different significance and importance on things, which means they must have values. Inevitably one must use the mental modes in some combination, which would lead them to some set of values. This was another minor point within the scheme of the paper, but one that stood out to me.
I completely agree with you about that it is pretty much impossible to truly imagine what it’s like to ‘walk a mile in someone’s shoes’. It sounds relatively simple, but we do all have different processing modes and we bring past experience and prejudices in with us when we are deductively reasoning through something. I am extremely empathetic and know that even with my ability to feel what a person is going through, I cannot know exactly what they are going through. I can relate but I cannot truly say that I know what they’re feeling. I feel like the same can be said about how someone deducts through their value processing.
I think that it’s really awesome that you’re an accounting major and are taking this class. My entire first post really hit on the fact that at the end of the reading he referenced how 70 years ago values was taught right along such sciences as yours and now they’re aren’t intrinsically tied together anymore. I really think you’re it still should be and it’s neat to see you find parts of the message that really resonated with you and stuck out.
Hi Shonna,
Thanks for reading my post and commenting. I appreciate you sharing your ideas with me. I think you brought up a good point when you talked about how even though you are very empathetic it is still impossible to completely understand someone else. You hinted at the idea that it is impossible to have complete empathy. I do not think it is possible to truly understand someone else when we all have such different backgrounds, experiences, values, and we process through different mental modes.
Thanks for the kind words. Taking classes like this one are always pretty interesting and starkly different for me since I am coming from an accounting background. It seems like it would be useless but I think pretty much any background can provide some unique perspective in a class like Arts and Human Values. Plus, an individual’s major of career choice must say something about their values, right?
Thanks again,
-Sam
Hi Sam, we chose the same perspective when we need to analysis this reading. I definitely agree with you about what you stated in this post. It is hard to put yourself in others’ shoes due to different backgrounds and experience. Different people have distinct understanding about values. For instance, one person A admires another person B and hope the same lifestyle with B. However, after A and B change their lifestyle, it is hard to say that A could get as much value as B get from his/her lifestyle. That is, even though one person put himself/herself in others’ shoes, the person would not feel comfortable as he/she thought.
As the author said, “Value should be synonymous with personal evaluations and related beliefs about the ‘good’, the ‘just’, and the ‘beautiful,’ personal evaluations and beliefs that propel us to action, to a particular kind of behavior and life” (Lewis). Personal evaluations and beliefs decide the judgments of values of each person. Therefore, the lifestyle that comforts people most gives people more values.