Quick update for anyone who is interested, I am finally no longer driving truck. I left in the beginning of December to pursue a career as a retail trader. We shall see how that progresses.
Ok, so last I left off, I had talked about coming to the conclusion that my entire belief system was empty and useless...enter John and his subtle ways of challenging me. After that comment in the cafeteria, I really started to think about values and behaviors. Why do we value, as a society, thing like honesty, benevolence, and integrity...or do we? With our cultural shift and gorging on the philosophy of Postmodernism, we have rejected things like objective truth and adopted the ideas that things no longer hold objective meaning and all that matters is what each individual believes is true. But, if things like morality is subjective and relative, how can we decide that what someone else believes is either good or bad? In short, if morality is relative and truth is subjective, then we cannot argue that Hitler's moral values were worse or any different than the values that Mother Theresa espoused.
What values and character traits did I admire in others? If I was essentially a blank slate, couldn't I write whatever I wanted and be whomever I wanted to be? To be fair, I do not believe in the Tabula Rasa, nor do I believe we can be whomever we choose. I believe it is up to us to discover who we are and who we are meant to be. I reread my obituaries, analyzed those around me, and concluded that there were, in fact, two main values/beliefs that I wanted to adopt and seven more that I felt summed up who I am...or rather, who I desperately wanted to be. Keep in mind that these are my values, my beliefs, and in no way do I hold anyone else to this standard. I am free to believe what I choose, and you are free to believe what you choose. Ready?
The core two values/beliefs that are paramount to me are truth and responsibility. Truth, to me, is not something we create, but something we discover. I believe in absolute truth, and I also believe in subjective truth...the two are not mutually exclusive. I believe that since I did not create objective truth, I am obligated to evaluate my beliefs when challenged, and based on reason and evidence, should change them if I conclude I am wrong. The one thing I am in control of is my actions, hence I am bound to take responsibility for my thoughts, my beliefs, and my behaviors.
When a ship is built, the architect must answer three questions: Where did the ship come from, where is the ship going, and how to stop it from running into other ships or sinking? How do I answer these questions, and how do I live out the core values of truth and responsibility? In essence, how I answer those questions can be found in the other principles, and with your permission, I would like to share them and how I define each one...for me:
1. Justice or Rectitude: A belief in right action and the proper time. All points and views should be considered.
2. Respect: Show courtesy to everyone, especially in difficult times. Be courteous to yourself.
3. Courage: Action not in absence of fear, but in spite of it. Simply doing what is right.
4. Honor: Action that is consistent with your values. Your only judge is yourself, and you cannot hide from your own actions.
5. Compassion: Patience. understanding. Help others and try to make a positive impact.
6. Honesty and Sincerity: Speaking and doing are the same thing. Do not lie. Act from a place of honor and truth.
7. Duty and loyalty: Fidelity toward other people, especially toward those you care about.
These values, I have discovered, are defined differently, depending on who you talk with. Some people define compassion as "being nice and helpful, a constant state of kindness." I would define compassion and being patient and understanding, but at times, being direct and aggressive...sometimes being compassionate is telling hard truths and hurting someone's feelings. Note: I did not create these values, I have adopted them from various sources of inspiration, ie...twelve steps, martial arts, and people I admired. Am I able to live up to these standards? Not at all, at least not in the way I desire to...but life and personal growth is a process, not a goal. I strive to master myself, continue to develop whatever discipline I have acquired, and to challenge myself to be better.