Values
I found this place via a PSA on while watching a dieting/plastic surgery show with the Pink One last March. I've found it to be fascinating, to say the least. It seems fairly inclusive, though I think I might add a couple of values to it. I'm still reflecting on it. If you click the individual values link, you get stories about that value. Like I said, I find it very fascinating. It's interesting to look at the values we are passing on to the next generation. It's also interesting to see what we pick up from our friends. Let's take a look at the first one, shall we? This is how www.dictionary.com defines ambition:
–noun
1. an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment: Too much ambition caused him to be disliked by his colleagues.
2. the object, state, or result desired or sought after: The crown was his ambition.
3. desire for work or activity; energy: I awoke feeling tired and utterly lacking in ambition.
–verb (used with object)
4. to seek after earnestly; aspire to.
It also defines value as a lot of things, but I'll go with the 10th definition for my purposes here:
10. values, Sociology. the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy.
Now, though the definition of value is a sociological one, I've never been much for following the crowd. My values and the views expressed here are mine alone. I've never been one to consider ambition a positive character trait. Mostly because I've seen what unchecked ambition can do to people and their relationships. However, reading the definition has changed my mind a bit. I think having an "earnest desire" for something is not a bad thing. It's when the desire becomes something other than earnest that things get out of hand. It's moderation that's the key in this. I find it interesting that one word on a page can invoke so much thought when it's used in an unexpected, yet completely correct, context. I've batted around doing a series of posts with my thoughts about each of the words listed as values, plus some of my own additions. I'm not sure if I will or not, but I still had to share the site.
–noun
1. an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment: Too much ambition caused him to be disliked by his colleagues.
2. the object, state, or result desired or sought after: The crown was his ambition.
3. desire for work or activity; energy: I awoke feeling tired and utterly lacking in ambition.
–verb (used with object)
4. to seek after earnestly; aspire to.
It also defines value as a lot of things, but I'll go with the 10th definition for my purposes here:
10. values, Sociology. the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy.
Now, though the definition of value is a sociological one, I've never been much for following the crowd. My values and the views expressed here are mine alone. I've never been one to consider ambition a positive character trait. Mostly because I've seen what unchecked ambition can do to people and their relationships. However, reading the definition has changed my mind a bit. I think having an "earnest desire" for something is not a bad thing. It's when the desire becomes something other than earnest that things get out of hand. It's moderation that's the key in this. I find it interesting that one word on a page can invoke so much thought when it's used in an unexpected, yet completely correct, context. I've batted around doing a series of posts with my thoughts about each of the words listed as values, plus some of my own additions. I'm not sure if I will or not, but I still had to share the site.
Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 6:51 AM MDT |
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