Highest values

[Zilal]

Okay, what do you think the highest value or values are? I mean what you should most aspire to. Kindness, courage, honesty, loyalty, something else?

[muguly]

I think the all virtues stem from the same source: love. So to me, once love is achieved, all else falls into place.

[Lights]

Okay, what do you think the highest value or values are? I mean what you should most aspire to. Kindness, courage, honesty, loyalty, something else?

That is kind of a flawed question. Values are beliefs of guiding principles. What belief may work for me may not work for another just as well. I don't see anything wrong with having different beliefs. It's only when someone declares their values are supreme to all others that problems seem to occur.

As far as for me personally, I like muguly's answer.

[thod]

ha! wussies.

Strength and power. To defeat your enemies. To kick the fools squirming at your feet.

These things have value, these things are joy, these things giving meaning to life!

[yondyr]

self-satisfaction

[Zilal]

Yay, someone replied to my thread. It's only been a month and a half! I know, you were all pondering.

I respect patience the most, though I think patience and love are strongly related.

[ArchonAlarion]

My highest value is human happiness, which is the only end, because all your values work towards this value anyways. When power and wealth are thought of as ends instead of means you are swimming in dangerous waters.

[prometheus]

Truth

My version is more correct than Lights also. :P

[ssfanatic]

I think there are three emotions which lead all others. Fear, Anger, and Passion. THe first two are obviously negative, but the third i think is what leads me to think that love is what i should aspire to. THis doesnt mean that i should be very kind to anyone, just those who need it. The pseudo-intellectual with the huge ego sitting in the corner doesnt need nor does he want my love, he only needs himself.

Basically, i agree with Muguly, and think that Yondyr's answer will only cause others a huge headache and make you a pain in the ass. Self-satisfaction is always found in things that benefit ourselves, if we love others, then we will eventually learn to find satisfaction in others pleasure. Its important, but it should definitely not be our primary goal.

[yondyr]

I should expand. By self-satisfaction I mean not smug but a contentment with who we are, an acceptance and understanding of what we are capable of, and what we are unable to achieve - thus hopefully eliminating anger, frustration, jealousy...
I'm looking at the larger picture from an older persons perspective.

[PRBori]

Okay, what do you think the highest value or values are? I mean what you should most aspire to. Kindness, courage, honesty, loyalty, something else?

Hmm... here is my list in the order of preference

1. RESPECT
2. TRUST & HONESTY
3. COMMUNICATION
4. LOYALTY
5. AMBITION
6. COURAGE
7. SELF-CONFIDENCE

I'm sure I have more, but my brain is dying... have to go to sleep..... getting up in 4 hrs to go to work...

Good NIGHT...:sleeping:

[stasis]

I think the so-called highest values would have to be those values which enable and/or enhance all other values. "Highest" in that usage evoking something akin to significance, an importance in order of function. But I suppose it would depend upon what one means by values; in this case it does sound like you're talking about the 'interpersonal values' or 'character values' to which people might aspire, and this might be more specifically like virtues (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) than values.

So, just to be confusing, I'll say that virtue is high on my list of values and then avoid answering the rest of the question.

[Caramel]

Integrity.

[Lights]

Truth

My version is more correct than Lights also. :P

Yes, your pride is legendary. :thumbsup:

Although, pride is not a virtue. :p

[Solaris]

Being genuine, all the time. It's more important that a person be himself or herself, than for me to like said person. It's more important to me to be myself, than to be liked. If one cannot be truly oneself, that is the saddest thing of all.

[Richard0612]

Being genuine, all the time. It's more important that a person be himself or herself, than for me to like said person. It's more important to me to be myself, than to be liked. If one cannot be truly oneself, that is the saddest thing of all.

I completely agree, and will not change just to please someone or appeal to someone's feelings.
I think that the values that I aspire to are truth, justice and progress [i.e the betterment of humanity, increased welfare, standard of living], but not to the extent of forgetting morality.
E.g. I disagree with killing thousands of people for the improvement of a few. There is always a better way for both groups to improve.

[Lagawrd]

Honesty and Accomplishment are the most important to me. I think they are self explanatory, I will expand if I find the need to.

[Jerry]

I would say loyalty is important. But equally important is making as few commitments as possible. I also try to be unrelenting in my opinions.

I am generally honest, but for some reason I don't view it as very important, depending on your intentions.

Depends on a lot of things though.

[Gonzo]

Selflessness and sacrifice. Personally theres nothing I respect more then this. I think these are the "highest values", simply because it's the hardest and most rare values to come across in a person.


"If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."


Cheers!

[Antares]

I have a list of values, although not necessarily in the order of preference.

1. Respect
2. Courage
3. Discipline
4. Integrity
5. Honesty
6. Accomplishment
7. Knowledge and Intellect
8. Good attitude
9. Truth
10. Justice

[Solaris]

We sound like a bunch of Boy Scouts

[Nightelf]

- knowledge&intellect
- respect of others&yourself
- truth&honesty

[NeonTetra]

So corny for a NF to list their highest virtues.


Honesty/truth
Compassion
Integrity
Humility
Equality

My biggest problem is the honesty/truth. Honesty towards myself and others. Being realistic and making achievable goals, not trying to oversell things and still striving for a higher purpose sometimes seems contradictory. If people aren't meeting little goals and have small victories along the way they are discouraged and lose sight. I don't want to throw cold water on them or myself, nor do I want to lie.

It's really hard to figure out what people can handle which determines how much truth they get. Then I wonder how much truth I can handle do I really want to know. Timing is very important when telling receiving truth. What could be digested at a later is regurgitated if given at an inconvenient time. And that's the end of my thought trail.

[ssfanatic]

We sound like a bunch of Boy Scouts
Hey, your the Exxx here, not us ;)

[Solaris]

Hey, your the Exxx here, not us ;)

yeah yeah yeah... :P

Still, we sound like a bunch of Boy Scouts. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I am actually not surprised to see that we all have these lofty ideals for ourselves. Though I do notice that many of you INTJs have compassion and such humane ideals listed, whereas I do not. Really, being genuine is the most important to me. I'm certain that'll get me into trouble eventually, but the truth is the truth.

[BadMojo]

Here are my four in order:

1) Balance
2) Honour
3) Love
4) Knowledge

[DeadSpace]

Honesty, everything else can be chained to that, takes courage to speak the truth, and kindness. Honesty breeds loyalty in others, and yourself. Honesty with yourself makes you quite simply, a better person. You're more confident, assured, and you'll project that. At the same time you'll know your weaknesses, and be humble (sort of)
For me, honesty is the base, keeps away the negatives, like fear, anger, hatred, jealousy. And only reinforces/creates positives.

[Ace1337]

Truth and love, and I can't decide which one is more important, but they are both 5 steps above all other values

[SeaCzar]

Honesty, everything else can be chained to that, takes courage to speak the truth, and kindness. Honesty breeds loyalty in others, and yourself. Honesty with yourself makes you quite simply, a better person. You're more confident, assured, and you'll project that. At the same time you'll know your weaknesses, and be humble (sort of)
For me, honesty is the base, keeps away the negatives, like fear, anger, hatred, jealousy. And only reinforces/creates positives.

I could not agree with this more. However, many do not equate honesty with kindness. If anything, I have often, not being able to catch myself until its too late, been brutally honest. And its not come off well at all. This is something I am working on. While I do not want to come off as dishonest, sometimes its best to say nothing at all.

[yondyr]

I do tend to practice the saying nothing, silence is a language all its own, allowing others to make assumptions that I'll not confirm or deny. Though some call that lying by omission. Too bad for their small minds if they leap to conventional conclusions.

[Zilal]

This has become intriguing. There were a number of things on other people's lists that I hadn't really considered as values or virtues before, but now I see them in a different light. Equally interesting are people's reasons for their choices, and how they lead into one another... like honesty = kindness = love.

Okay, here is my list, at least in terms of how I'm feeling at this moment...

1. Patience
2. Compassion
3. Persistence
4. Curiosity

It's funny, I consider honesty and courage very good things, but I don't feel inclined to include them at the top. As I implied before, patience for me is synonymous with love, and I think it's necessary for the achievement of anything really worthwhile, as are patience and curiosity.

[Kotetsu]

Truthfulness/Honesty/Being Genuine

For reasons stated several times throughout the topic.

[E148]

Truth.
While searching for the Truth all else follows.

If you are searching for the Truth you must remain open minded and at the same time critical because humans can be mistaken. You will not lie (neither would others) nor would you kill because the person you (or the state) kills may have the truth or at least part of it.

Maybe love is the truth, but if not, it would be good to have the attributes of love while you search for the truth.

[vaguely dissatisfied]

Since there are so many different people, cultures, situations, etc. and all with varying ideas of what values to aspire to based on their own personal experiences, I would say that an individual's values are much like an individual's personality. These values are shaped by both a genetic predisposition and environment. There is probably no one set of values that any one person should aspire to, but varying sets based on how that one person values themself.

[Solaris]

Since there are so many different people, cultures, situations, etc. and all with varying ideas of what values to aspire to based on their own personal experiences, I would say that an individual's values are much like an individual's personality. These values are shaped by both a genetic predisposition and environment. There is probably no one set of values that any one person should aspire to, but varying sets based on how that one person values themself.

To me, that's just a drawn out definition of my thoughts on individuals being genuine. It's sort of interesting to me to see it typed out in front of me like this, but it amounts to the same in my mind.

[vaguely dissatisfied]

To me, that's just a drawn out definition of my thoughts on individuals being genuine. It's sort of interesting to me to see it typed out in front of me like this, but it amounts to the same in my mind.
Yes. I see your point. Perhaps, for me, being genuine or true to yourself is the same as adhering to your values/principles. After all, adhering to your values is what makes you true to yourself. If you didn't adhere to your values, then you would probably feel guilt or shame.

[sriv]

Fairness. Do unto others what you would want them do unto you. That gets rid of sadists so then the only problem would be suicidals.

[knitteratheart]

I'm not sure I get the question. Are you saying what kind of value/virtue we want to be more like/have more of? Or which one we think is more important. Yes, I'm nitpicking, but I think it's important to know the difference.

[notoppings]

"Be ashamed to die until you have made some mark on humanity" this is the saying that has made the most impact on me so 1. selflessness 2. Honesty

[Phaedrus]

ha! wussies.

Strength and power. To defeat your enemies. To kick the fools squirming at your feet.

These things have value, these things are joy, these things giving meaning to life!

I can tell I'm going to like you.

I agree with thod.

[Zilal]

I'm not sure I get the question. Are you saying what kind of value/virtue we want to be more like/have more of? Or which one we think is more important. Yes, I'm nitpicking, but I think it's important to know the difference.

The latter.