Teresa Mercer, LCSW, LCAC – April 23, 2019
Upholding Values inToday’s Society
By Teresa Mercer, Youth First, Inc.
I haveworked with people of all ages, and that has given me the unique experience oflearning about the different value systems of many people. It has been veryinteresting to listen to every person’s story and what is important in theirlife, whether they are 6 or 60 years old.
Valuesreflect our sense of right and wrong. They help us grow and develop. They helpus create the future we want. The decisions we make every day are a reflectionof our values.
We learn mostof our values from our parents and extended families. Our family values stemfrom our social and cultural values. Sometimes new life experiences may changevalues we previously held.
Individualvalues reflect how we live our life and what we consider important for our ownself-interests. Individual values include enthusiasm, creativity, humility andpersonal fulfillment.
Relationshipvalues reflect how we relate to other people in our life, such as friends,family, teachers, managers, etc. Relationship values include openness, trust,generosity and caring.
Socialvalues reflect how we relate to society. Social values include justice, freedom,respect, community, and responsibility.
In today’sworld, it may seem our society doesn’t practice many values. We have a rise in discrimination,abuse of power, greed, etc. What are we leaving behind for our futuregenerations? Maybe it’s time society takes a hard look at its values.
Here aresome things I feel our society needs more of:
- Empathy – Empathyis defined as understanding and sharing the feelings of another. People need tounderstand who others are and accept who they are. Focusing on how we can grow together should beour ultimate goal.
- Respect – Mutualrespect is needed for all of us. This is what makes us human. Having respectfor everyone, despite the differences between us, is vital in order for asociety to function well.
- Love – Havinglove in our hearts keeps us from feeling the need to harm others. Love helps usacknowledge the similarities we all share rather than the differences of color,religion or sexual orientation.
- Loyalty – Loyaltyis a value that binds us to a person, thing or sentiment. With loyalty, we donot betray. If we all shared loyalty, it would help us build the strengthneeded to stand up against something that would harm our society.
- Honesty – Oneform of honesty in society is accepting yourself. With honesty, you can admityour flaws and take the necessary steps to improve yourself. When we can admitto our flaws it can help someone else admit theirs. Ultimately, we can all helpeach other become better people.
Values canbe contagious; if you practice them, many others will also, including ourchildren. Hopefully more practice from all of us will leave the world a better placefor future generations.
This columnis written by Teresa Mercer, LCSW, LCAC, school social worker for Youth First,Inc., a local nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. YouthFirst provides 55 Master’s level social workers to 76 schools in 10 Indianacounties. Over 38,000 youth and families per year have access to Youth First’sschool social work and afterschool programs that prevent substance abuse,promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student success.
FAQs
Social values for youth can vary depending on the culture, beliefs, and customs of a society. However, some common social values that are often emphasized for young people include: Respect: This involves treating others with dignity and showing consideration for their feelings and rights.
What are values in today's society? ›
Social values include justice, freedom, respect, community, and responsibility. In today's world, it may seem our society doesn't practice many values. We have a rise in discrimination, abuse of power, greed, etc. What are we leaving behind for our future generations?
What are the human values of youth? ›
Human values are for example: Respect, acceptance, Consideration, Appreciation, Listening, openness, affection, empathy, and Love towards Human Beings.
Why are values important in youth? ›
Strong Character Building
A strong character/personality is made by the virtues and values that kids learn during their early childhood. It lays the foundation for the future. Good Values such as Kindness, Modesty, Honesty, Equality etc should be inculcated in children which can guide them to the right path in life.
What are the life values of modern youth? ›
According to some indicators, the priorities have radically changed among the young people surveyed in 2020, although some indicators remained in the same positions, in particular, the most important life values include: material security - 79.1%/83.2%; success, recognition - 72.8%/73.1%; political events - 69.0%/70.6 ...
What are 10 social values? ›
What Are the Societal Values That Need to Be Considered When Making Decisions about Trade-Offs between Equity and Efficiency?
- Accountability.
- Collective responsibility.
- Dignity.
- Education.
- Fairness.
- Honesty.
- Humanity.
- Individual rights.
The Most Important Social Values for Well-Being at Work. Considering well-being at work as a dependent variable in our study, these are the social values with the greatest capacity to influence it: Respect, Trust, Equity and Non-Discrimination, Help, and Gratitude.
Why are values important in today's society? ›
Values help us live with direction and purpose – like a guiding compass. Whatever is going on in our lives, our values can show us a path forward, and help us make better choices. Values are also intimately linked to our sense of self, and they're essential for our mental health.
What are 5 moral values? ›
Examples of moral values include honesty, empathy, respect, compassion, and integrity. These values guide individuals in their decision-making processes, helping them to discern right from wrong, treat others with kindness, and uphold ethical principles in their actions.
What do youth value most? ›
Then they did a study of 1,000 teenagers to try to find out what did they value, what did they want in their life, and it showed this: 91% said they want a good happy family life. Think of that. Not wealth, not riches, not a good job, not popularity—they want a good, happy family life.
Respect is a vital moral value that children have to learn about early on: A young child must learn to respect all people regardless of their age, religion, nationality, beliefs, or point of view. You can set an example for your child by speaking respectfully towards others.
What are the 7 basic human values? ›
The Theory of Basic Human Values: the original version (Schwartz and Bilsky, 1987) Initially, Schwartz and Bilsky (1987) proposed a model with seven different motivational domains: prosocial, restrictive conformity, enjoyment, achievement, maturity, self-direction and security.
How are the values of today's youth different from those of the older generation? ›
Today's youths do what they want. Edgar Artates, Parañaque City:Today's youth tend to value material things more. They are quick to demand freedom and their human rights, while the older generation centered more on moral values, good manners and respect for others.
What are social values and examples? ›
Social values are defined as standards, which individuals and social groups employ to define personal goals and essentially shape the nature and form of social order in a collective i.e., what is acceptable and not acceptable, what ought or not to be, what is desirable or non-desirable (Kluckhohn, 1951; Tsirogianni & ...
What is social values and examples? ›
Social vs Cultural vs Moral Values
| Social Values |
|---|
| Definition | Principles or standards that society deems important. |
| Guidance | Guides behavior and interactions within society. |
| Basis | Often form the basis of social norms and laws. |
| Examples | Respect for others, honesty, cooperation. |
Jun 23, 2023
So, in short, social value is about respecting people, listening to them, and using the insights to optimize value for both people and the planet; social value is about being more accountable to those people whose lives are affected; and social value is about making better decisions on how we allocate our resource.
What are social values in early childhood education? ›
Social values (or virtues) might include kindness, honesty, respect, social justice or fairness, responsibility, empathy and caring for others. These can vary within different cultures. Teachers, in collaboration with families and community, might consider selecting different social values and teaching them explicitly.
