What values are important to you? How strong is your value system? On what do you base this answer? Do you exhibit full-swing values and courage of conviction in ethical dilemmas? How? How are ethics shaped by your value system?
and this is my answer:
In consideration for my personal values, I took an introspective approach. I thought carefully for several days whenever I felt that my values motivated an action or influenced a conversation with another person, and made note of how those instances occurred. The values that I found important to me are Integrity and Honesty (I view them as one, because I believe Integrity is dependent upon Honesty), Courtesy, Prudence and Knowledge (again joined, as Prudence relies on Knowledge), and Thoughtfulness.
My value system's strength stems both from my belief that my values are worthwhile and my willingness to reflect these values in everyday life. I try to be Honest, even when it may be inconvenient (telling a friend that despite their recent breakup, punishing an ex by throwing their belongings away is likely to have negative consequences), and I try to be consistent in my honesty, both in word and in actions, which I feel embodies Integrity.
I find Courtesy to be a difficult value to possess in modern society, although I still try to embody it. Many times it may have been easier to throw indignant insults at a bully, but finding a courteous demeanor and course of action has more long-term benefit. In one situation, I found myself, my peers, and a close friend bullied and harassed by an individual much higher in the authoritative chain. My peers lost confidence, productivity was lacking, and my close friend was suffering. The group appealed to me and a few others to rectify the situation because we were known for having strong values. Rather than storm in and demand change, we requested a meeting with the bully and their supervisor, calmly and respectfully voiced our concerns, and stated our hope that the situation would improve. Our courteous actions got us farther than the discourteous path would have, and things changed dramatically for the better after that.
Prudence, rather than meaning cautiousness, relates to me the idea of being able to discern the appropriate action for the appropriate setting. An easy way to relate this idea is to give the example of two occasions when I saw car accidents. The first occasion was in the middle of the day on a busy highway, and the accident had occurred some time previously, as emergency vehicles had already arrived and some were dispersing. I had just started driving and found that the experience made me nervous. After this occasion, I sought Knowledge on how best to act if I were to see a car accident again in the future, asking everyone from my mother to my teachers. What I learned was very valuable earlier this year, as I was in another city driving away from an event late in the evening when my passenger and I witnessed a car accident firsthand. A car sped across several lanes (all empty due to the late hour) and crashed into a metal pole, flipping the car several times before it righted in an empty parking lot adjacent to the street. I immediately called 9-1-1 and told the operator what had happened, where I was, and asked for further instruction. In keeping with the Knowledge that I had received years earlier and the operator's instructions, I drove closer to the accident, but far enough away that I would not be a hindrance to emergency personnel or harmed if any further damage occurred. I assessed that there was little or no threat to prevent me from checking on the driver or any passengers, and I found that the driver was alone and tried to keep the individual talking until emergency responders arrived. I answered all of their questions and gave my phone number in case any further questions would be required later. My ability to judge the appropriate course of actions and apply the Knowledge that I had previously sought exhibits Prudence.
Thoughtfulness, rather than being as straightforward as Courtesy or involving the stoicism of Prudence, stems from my belief that being Thoughtful, both in words and in actions, can have a positive effect on myself and the people I encounter. Thoughtfulness in words, to me, means taking the time to find a way to express my true feelings rather than speaking rashly and complimenting the successes and abilities of others. In actions, Thoughtfulness is reflected in putting another before myself for no reason other than I hope that it brings them some measure of happiness. This can be as small as opening a door for another person, or as large as allowing someone to take the lead on a project we both want to complete.
These examples show that my value system reflects not only what I believe to be important, but also how I interact with others on a day-to-day basis on a large and small scale. They also show my endeavors to exhibit full-swing values. I will not claim to be perfect; I do not always hit a home run with my values. However, my continued commitment to have courage of conviction in ethical dilemmas is an ongoing process. Rather than stop trying because I did not succeed once, I keep going and hope that the next time will be an improvement.
My value system informs my personal ethics, and also how I view ethics in my community. I believe that my values are strong pillars for ethical reasoning, because they answer simple questions that I can ask myself in an ethical dilemma: Are my words and actions helpful or harmful? How will my words and actions affect the situation? What are the lasting consequences? These questions are integral to how I view ethics. If ethics can be interpreted as the applied value system for a community or society, then I firmly stand by my individual values as indicative of ethical reasoning.
it's a doozy, but i think it's a good one. this assignment gave me an opportunity to reflect on why i feel the way i do about such hot-button issues (gay marriage, separation of church and state, anything that people love to argue about) and i think they're not all the regular ideas of values. i feel that values like prudence are shoved aside for rashness, and knowledge for instant gratification (laziness). i find myself explaining to more and more people what the idea of thoughtfulness even means. it hurts. it hurts that so many people don't want to be prudent, or seek intelligence for its own merits, or even be thoughtful. does anybody else ever feel this way?
