Personal Values Development Essay

In each and every day of an individual’s life he or she has to face various kinds of decisions. He or she has to make simple choices like the clothes to wear for a particular day or the right food to eat. There are also crucial and important decisions that can change his or her life such as choosing a career path or moving to another state. Nevertheless, individuals also have to assess the way in which they will deal with particular situations as well as their interaction with other people. In these instances, it is very important that every individual has a particular ethical standard that he or she must adhere to. These will serve as a basis in which a person could be guided according in his or her decisions and actions. It is also important to realize that in almost all of the choices that a person made there are corresponding consequences that will directly or indirectly affect the person who made the decision and even other people. Being the case, it is vital that an individual’s decision-making process is governed by ethical standards. Personal values can be considered as an ethical standard of an individual. These are the morals and principles that he or she believe and uphold. His or her judgment is usually based upon these personal values that he or she stands for. In the process of his or her interaction with other people as well as his or her stance regarding specific societal issues are usually guided by personal values. Simply put, the personal values of an individual govern his or her behavior. The development of these personal values does not happen overnight. In order to enhance the personal values of an individual ample amount of time is needed and important factors around him or her must also be given due consideration because these greatly influence the formation of his or her morals and principles. Personal values tend to developed as an individual matures. The level of maturity of an individual that is enhanced by the different situations and challenges that he or she went through also contribute to that person’s perspective and attitude ethical behavior. The formative years of a child is the most important phase by which values and principles could be instill in him or her. It is during this time that a child simply obeys and believes in almost anything that a parent or other adults would teach him or her. This could be exemplified by my personal experience when I was still a kid. I remember that my parents applied the concept of reward and punishment in disciplining me when I was just a young child. They would give me things that I want like toys and food such as chocolate and candies as long as I follow what they instructed me to do. My mom would usually say that I am doing the right thing that is why I should be rewarded. On the other hand, whenever I disobey their wishes like when they told me not to play in the mud, I would be reprimanded. They would punish me by spanking me and then explaining why they have to result to such action. Due to these, at a young age, I learned that if I do what is right then I would reap the benefits of it while doing the opposite would entail consequences that I must suffer from. As such, it developed in me that in order to acquire good things I must do what is right. When I was in pre-school, I started to interact more with kids that are around my age. I can say that my teachers at that time influenced some of the values that I formed in my life. Every recess period, most of the kids like me would usually spend their time in the playground. Almost all of the children were allowed to bring their favorite toy at school. One time, when I was playing with my toy, a classmate of mine approached me and asked if he can see it. At first, I was hesitant to let him borrow it but then our teacher approach me and convinced me that I should share it with him. My teacher further explained that for other people to also lend me their toy I should also do the same thing to them. This was one of the instances that I realized the principle of reciprocity wherein in order for you to be treated nicely you should also do the same for others. An individual get what he or she gives out (Maxey, 2005). This principle of reciprocity was further developed in me when I started to become aware of my religious faith. My family gives importance to our religion, which is why it has become part of their responsibility in rearing us to also enhance our spiritual growth. Our religion has played an important role in their method of disciplining us. They would see to it that the rules and regulations that they impose upon us coincides with our religious teachings. One of the most important lessons that I will always remember is the Golden Rule. The idea of the Golden Rule is also similar with the principle of reciprocity wherein it states that â€Å"Do not do to others what you would not like yourself† (Teaching Values, 2000). I also found out that this exact teaching also exists in other religious belief. This value was instilled in me in a sense that most of the time before I do something I always think of its possible consequences. I would place myself in the shoes of other people and analyze what I would feel if this particular action is done towards me. Since then I became conscious of my decisions. This could be best exemplified by my idea of respect wherein in order for other people to respect me I must also give the same courtesy to them. However, I later found out that not all people are guided by this same kind of principle. There are those who would still do you harm regardless of whether you do good things to them. I found this the hard way when I was in high school. I experienced interacting with students who are considered as bullied of the campus. During my freshman year, they approached me in this good natured manner and I thought that they were actually trying to be friendly to me. Later on, I realized that I was just part of a joke wherein they would ask me to do a lot of things for them like their school works and asked me to run errands for them. The time came when I had enough of such kind of maltreatment and I started to stand my ground and told them that I would no longer obey any of their orders. At first, they were shock with such kind of reaction coming from me but later on they just let me go as they no that they could no longer bully me. In this situation, I realized that there are instances that the golden rule is not always applicable because even though you behave properly toward other people there are still those who would take advantage of you. Due to this, I also realized when to fight and stand your ground in defending your right especially when other people are violating it. As I grow older, I become exposed with more harsh realities of the world. There are situation wherein people tend to put their selves in an advantageous position at the expense of others. I experienced this kind of event when one of my classmates encouraged me to cheat in one of our exams. He told me that he got the set of questions from one of his friend who was in charge of the copying machine. This classmate of mine asked me to help him in answering the questions. In doing so, we are both sure that we could get high grades for this subject. However, doing so would be very risky not only for us if we get caught but also for our other students who are also taking that subject because the teachers would automatically impose a re-test and will surely make a harder exam questions. The situation would indeed be beneficial for me and for my friend if we successfully accomplish it but it would be detrimental for many people if not. The costs in this situation are greater than its benefits. As such, I decided not to participate in this kind of cheating and I was able to also encourage my classmate not to do it. The influence of my family, religion, and educational institution as well as the various events that I have to go through was able to help me in developing my personal values. My personal values tend to focus on doing what I deem is right and just that will not only benefit me but also take into consideration the welfare of other people. Having this kind of morals and principles are very essential especially when the time comes that I already have to pursue a career in my chosen field of profession. This would help me in dealing with various kinds of people that have different personalities and attitude from each other. Moreover, this would also guide me in making decisions and choices when it comes to the challenging situations that I will encounter I my future endeavors. My personal values also adhere to the principles of some theories of ethics. The morals that I adhere to during my childhood days up to my older years is greatly exemplified by the ideas of Cognitive Moral Development. As proposed by Lawrence Kohlberg the idea of ethics could be acquired through education. Just as people develop other aspects of their being, they could also develop ethical values. As an individual matures, he or she has to go through different stages of ethical thinking that helps him or her to know oneself better. A person strives to make the next level better than the previous one in his or her process of moral development (Northern Arizona University, n. d. ). This described the development of my personal values that improves and become wider and diverse as I get older. My values in life that follow the principle of reciprocity and the teaching of the Golden Rule could be linked to the Universalism theory of ethics. The Universalist perspective explains that ethical principles should be applicable to everybody and not merely to an individual or group of people (Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2002). In the same manner, the concept of reciprocity and the Golden Rule is similar to the Universalism theory of ethics because it gives emphasizes that an action made by one person should also be applicable to other people. An individual should put his or her self in the position of others to see if such decision or action is also agreeable to them. Lastly, the instance wherein I gave importance to the welfare of the majority of schoolmates instead of the benefit my friend and I will get from cheating follows the tenets of the Utilitarian theory of ethics. Utilitarianism asserted that a right act is the one that gives the greatest amount of good as compared to evil for all people concern (Northern Arizona University, n. d. ). In this sense, I was able to apply the utilitarian concept in the development of my personal values. The development of an individual’s personal values is largely dependent upon many aspects. Some essential factors are the span of time and level of maturity of a person. This allows him or her to interact with other people and experience various events. In relation to this, the people around an individual like his or her family and friends also have a great influence in the formation of his or her values in life. Different institutions like the church and school also help in molding the morals and principles of a person. In all of these, it can be said that personal values are something that an individual can learn, change and enhance in order for it to adhere to the beliefs that he or she uphold. Having this personal values are indeed important to guide a person in his or her journey in life.