The Illusion of Values
Julian Stodd,
Julian Stodd's Learning Blog,
Apr 13, 2022
I enjoyed this reflection on the concept of 'values' even if I did not agree with all of it. "You could weigh yourself in pounds and ounces, or even in rabbits and buses," writes Julian Stodd, but "Values, like 'truth' and 'trust', 'pride' and 'fear' do not work like this. They are subjective and relative measures. There is no central validation: instead, the validation happens within our own heads." Quite so. But he writes "values may not be a 'thing'... rather they are a story that we believe in", which is where we part ways. I see stories as limited, linear and misleading. But still. I appreciate this remark on systems: "Systems describe 'values' as part of their overall narrative of culture, but tend to do so in rather deterministic ways: to say 'these are our values', when in fact they are simply words, or aspiration, and often without the ability to explore or position 'self' in 'system'." I've gone back and forth through this article a few times, time well spent.
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