Power of values

Nancy Tirthani
Etawah. Formal education enables an individual to get a good job and earn a decent living. It raises his social status. It gives him dignity and honour. It gives him the purchasing power to enjoy the pleasures life offers.

On the other hand, value education inculcates certain basic human values in the individual. If a highly qualified, well-employed person does not know how to behave properly, the very purpose of education is defeated. Fruitful education is the kind used for our welfare as well as that of others. This can happen only when we have both academic and value education.

Mere accumulation of knowledge will lead us nowhere, but its judicious use in practical life will make our life happy and worth living. As we are social beings, the society demands from us the observance of certain rules and social codes which ensure the happiness and well-being of all its members.

Values are desirable qualities, standards or principles which are a driving force and influence one’s actions and reactions.

When we say, “He’s a courageous man” or “She’s a generous woman”, this reflects the person’s deepest priorities in life. A brave man speaks out, even when it’s dangerous to do so. A generous woman selflessly gives money or her time to help others.
Besides bravery and generosity, other common values are acceptance, beauty, commitment, excellence, family relationship, fun, harmony, health, leadership, love, prestige, respect, service and spirituality.

We inherit some values. We learn some values from our parents, teachers, and other influential people. We also take values from reading and watching TV and from the school of hard-knocks experience.

Our values also reflect the values of the place where we live our town or city, region and country. They also reflect our generation, i.e., the group of people born around the same period in which we live.

Values last for a lifetime. While they may undergo some change through the years, they’re fairly stable.
Living with values helps us to –

• follow a clear set of rules and guidelines for our actions. We are less ikely to take the easy way out or chase after short-term gains at the expense of our long-term goals.

make good decisions. We know the choices that are good for us and those that are not.

find compatible people, places and things that support our way of life.

live with integrity. Integrity doesn’t mean merely honesty. It also means wholeness or completeness and being true to ourself.

Learning to identify and live with our values is a key to personal development. It enables us to become emotionally mature, intellectually erudite, efficient in communication skills and refined in attitude and behaviour. It’s also one of the best ways of managing stress. The more we are true to our values, the more mentally fulfilled and peaceful we are.

Value education is equally important during good times

The fine things in life like high reputation, fame and money can make a person arrogant. Unless a person knows how to use money and power in the right manner, these very things will destroy him. So we must use our talent, wealth, power or fame to give ourselves and others happiness.