Blog Post 1 – Action Post: Values Activity & Aligning this with Global Millennium Goals
My most important values are equality, justice and belonging. I chose equality because I think that no matter your life conditions, you deserve opportunities that everyone else gets as well. I think that equality, while the majority agrees is a right that exists, still is a big issue around the world. So, I feel that because it is so difficult to have real equality around the world, it is a big issue but also a big value I hold for myself and others around me. The second one, justice is also a very big value I have in my life, because being a fair and just person makes a big difference in our world. It also relates back to equality because in order to get that equality, sometimes justice needs to happen. For example, if someone has faced a discrimination because they are seen as more inferior, there needs to be justice for the person facing this discrimination. Lastly, I chose belonging as I believe that a feeling of belonging is very essential for people no matter their age. There have been instances where people have developed serious issues and problems, because they did not feel that they belonged with others. I think there needs to be more awareness about this value, because it is a more hidden value than the others, some people might not realize it is happening and are not aware of it; therefore, making it harder to resolve in the future.
My least important values are tradition, power and spiritual growth. One of the least important I chose is power, because I think that power is a value that also has a negative side to it. A lot of leaders in power have taken over the power and took away basic rights away from their own citizens. So, I think that there should be other values that are prioritized over this one, as it might be unlikely to be a beneficial value. Another one is tradition, which might be a little misinterpreted, because there are countless cultures and traditions that have been erased because of colonization and other concerns, but I mean this value as in everyone has to practice these traditions and stick to traditional roles. On one hand, tradition is actually a big value with lots of history, on the other hand people should have the freedom to choose whether they want to follow and practice these traditions or not. Lastly, I think spiritual growth would be considered one of my least important values, because I think there are other aspects of growth people could focus on like mental growth, and personal growth. Spiritual growth is very important regardless, because it plays an important role in a person’s life and well-being. With that being said, all 3 of my least important values are important regardless of whether I think it is or not.
I agree with there results, because like I have explained above I have an explanation on why these values might be the most/least important. But, like I mentioned above, I think it is very important to say that all of these values are very important for our future, and I think an ideal world would need to include all of those values to be successful.
I think peace, justice and strong institutions aligns with my personal values the most, because I am always a person who wants to seek justice for those who deserve it. That is actually one of the reasons why I want to be a lawyer in the future; to speak up for those less courageous. I do not consider it to be the most important or urgent goal listed out, but I consider it more important to me, on a personal level. For example, lots of children around the world face injustice, because they do not know how or when to speak up about their problems, and I want to stand up to those injustices.
My passion is tied between peace and justice, and good health and well-being. The reason for this is because a peace and justice action is harder to act on as a teenager individually. There are legal steps and procedures that need to be taken to ensure that the action is successful. A good health action is easier to do, because getting a certification like first aid can permit to teach others about these findings. A specific action that me and my fellow classmates have been discussing is teaching younger children about health emergencies and what to do during them. For example, what if someone is choking on their food? We could teach them the heimlich maneuver in a kid-friendly way. I think that it is definitely essential for children to learn what to do in these situations from a young age. Another example could be helping post-maternity mothers with every-day tasks to lift a little bit of that weight off their shoulder. Lastly, we could find ways to encourage young adults to learn about first aid and the common situations where it could be life-saving. For example, I know that our school offers volunteer hours for those courses, so things like that could be useful.
