Complexity and Values LO8264

Dr Ilfryn Price (101701.3454@compuserve.com)
Tue, 2 Jul 1996 17:34:29 -0400

Replying to LO8239 --

Replying not to one post but to several in what was a vintage collection
in this mornings mail.

First Roy LO8239

>BELIEFS are what we hold to be true about something.
VALUES are composites of beliefs which we are willing to live by.
PRINCIPLES are comprehensive guidance we follow to translate values into
action or standards>

Thank you for distinguishing Beliefs, values and principles. Works for me.
In what follows I may use 'values' loosely

The Mike LO8229

>We will have to account for the values we select (or that selected us -
if we didn't do the honest intellectual and living work) to the society
and communities which we find ourselves in by choice or otherwise.

>The existential dilemna is with us and all of the fancy theories don't
allow us to escape that. They either help us deal with it or they are
rather useless.>

A key point IMO. We select, as individuals and societies the values
[beliefs/ principles] we live with or they select us.

Then Robert [LO8228]

>it is often the case that following one value drives in one direction,
another value in another, and that we must sort out that conflict. I call
that a dilemna resulting from values that conflict; but I suppose one
could also call it a conflict of incompatable actions related to seperate
values. To tell you the truth, I am not sure I care what we call it, so
long as we recognize that everyday we deal with decisions (with values
attached) where we must take one path and give up the other.>

and others. Does the salesperson help one buy or manipulate [thanks Gary],
the good manager help the organisation and harm another group, the teacher
instill useful conformance or deaden the mind, the saint seek to destroy
the belief system of another.

and finally Bill [LO8226]

>And that is why the really good leaders are resilient. To be so they
must have an inner strength that comes from deep self mastery. The Navy
found during the Vietnam war that the best preparation for these trials
was a deep religious or philosophical foundation. The type of depth
needed only comes from reflective introspection concerning values and what
are acceptable behaviors -- acceptable from your self and by your self.>

To which one can pnly ask Bill - why just leaders. The same is true
whether we lead or partcipate in any situation.

Yet that same war -like most others - was fought [and opposed by some] out
of a philosophical foundation.

I suspect our 'values' transmit and organise themselves through, in the
broad sense our language. I wonder if the inner mastery comes from
recognising when it is our values speaking and when it is us. This does
not say do not have the courage of convictions - it does say recognise
them for what they are. How do we escape the tyranny of 'values' or
'beliefs' seeking their own perpetuation. Genuine free and open
communication - constantly sought - seems to me an important facet. Once
again I have to acknowledge the wisdom of the designers of the US
constitution. A test of our actions may be our ability to live with their
being scrutinised?

Thanks to all for this thread.

If Price
The Harrow Partnership
Pewley Fort Guildford UK
101701.3454@compuserve.com

-- 

Dr Ilfryn Price <101701.3454@compuserve.com>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>