Summary of My Values

My Values

Index

Allison, Scott T. “Want To Be A Hero? Embrace Suffering and Sacrifice.” Psychology Today. April 05, 2015. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/why-we-need-heroes/201504/want-be-hero-embrace-suffering-and-sacrifice.

– A self-help article based on accepting life’s suffering rather than denying its existence.

Brandom, Russell. “Your phones biggest vulnerability is your fingerprint.” The Verge. May 02, 2016. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/2/11540962/iphone-samsung-fingerprint-duplicate-hack-security.

– An article tackling another side of vulnerability. A physical vulnerability in the world of technology. This article was meant to represent another image of vulnerability.

“DIY Coffee How to Make the Best Homemade Latte.” The Roasterie. September 25, 2012. Accessed February 20, 2018. https://www.theroasterie.com/blog/diy-coffee-how-to-make-the-best-homemade-latte/.

– This is a recipe for homemade lattes. Homemade coffee is a something that gives me pleasure.

“DIY Argan Oil Hair Mask Review.” The Maple Holistics. https://www.mapleholistics.com/blog/diy-argan-oil-hair-mask-review/.

– Argan Oil hair masks give me pleasure because preparing them feels like a small ritual taking place, the feeling of massaging my head during the application process is fantastic.

“Embracing All of Life Instead of Resisting Pain.” Tiny Buddha. April 09, 2013. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://tinybuddha.com/blog/embracing-all-of-life-instead-of-resisting- pain/.

– This article delivers a unique perspective on pain, suggesting that we should forgive ourselves for the presence of it rather than feel shame for experiencing it.

“Glastonbury Festival to ban all plastic bottles on site.” TreeHugger. February 20, 2018. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.treehugger.com/plastic/glastonbury-festival-ban-all-plastic-bottles-site.html.

– A blog post dedicated to an English music festival making more efforts toward going green and preserving its environmental integrity.

Gunter, Posted By Dr. Jen. “How “should” a woman groom her pubic hair? A GYNO explains.” Dr. Jen Gunter. August 20, 2016. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://drjengunter.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/how-should-a-woman-groom-her-pubic-hair-a-gyno-explains/.

– A blog post from the perspective of an OB-GYN offering readers consolation on female pubic hair. The conclusion: people with vulvas should do what they want with their pubic hair! There is no “should” in shaving.

Hahn, Thich Nhat. “Why We Shouldn’t be Afraid of Suffering.” Tricycle. June 28, 2017. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/shouldnt-afraid-suffering/.

– Thich Nhat Hahn suggests to readers how they should approach their suffering.

“How do you build a healthy city? Copenhagen reveals its secrets.” The Guardian. February 11, 2018. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/11/how-build-healthy-city-copenhagen-reveals-its-secrets-happiness.Grover, Sami.

– Constructing a “healthy” city–or a city that develops and improves at the same rate as its people and architecture.

Larocca, Amy. “How Wellness Became an Epidemic.” The Cut. June 27, 2017. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.thecut.com/2017/06/how-wellness-became-an-epidemic.html.

– An exposé on the wellness industry and its potentially predatory nature on the public and health conscious.

Newman, Lily Hay. “Equifax Officially Has No Excuse.” Wired. September 14, 2017. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-breach-no-excuse/.

– Another perspective on vulnerability in a context outside of mental vulnerability.

Richard, Nora Whelan Andrew. “An Imperfect Humans Guide To Body Positivity.” BuzzFeed. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.buzzfeed.com/norawhelan/body-positivity-101?utm_term=.yyPAJgWar#.jyolveQAq.

– A buzzfeed blurb on body positivity from an “imperfect” source. Thus, a regular person’s (untrained unprofessional) guide to accepting the body one is born into.

Schawbel, Dan. “Brene Brown: How Vulnerability Can Make Our Lives Better.” Forbes. April 21, 2013. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2013/04/21/brene-brown-how-vulnerability-can-make-our-lives-better/#536ed81836c7.

– A thought piece of how vulnerability can be beneficial to our livelihoods.

Seltzer, Leon F. “The Power to Be Vulnerable.” Psychology Today. October 4, 2008. Accessed February 20, 2018. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolution-the-self/200810/the-power-be-vulnerable-part-1-3.

– A new perspective on the benefits to being vulnerable.

“Sex-positive youtubers are giving kids the sex talks we wish we’d had.” Mashable. May 7, 2017. Accessed February 20, 2018. https://mashable.com/2017/05/07/sex-positive-youtubers/#NiXaI9q4XmqC.Zar, Rachel, et al.

– An article recognizing the new generation of sex educators delivering support, advice, and information on the complicated world of sexuality to teens.

Skolnick, Jeff. “On the Benefits of Suffering.” Psychology Today. January 12, 2014. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/awaken-your-brain/201401/the-benefits-suffering.

– An article analyzing the benefits of suffering in daily life.

“Sustainable development goals.” United Nations. Accessed February 21, 2018. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/.

– The United Nations sustainable development goals.

“The Fragility of Body Positivity: How a Radical Movement Lost Its Way.” Bitch Media. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/fragility-body-positivity.

– An article critiquing the missteps in the body positivity movement, and suggesting areas of improvement.

“Understanding Recovery.” Recovery is Different for Everyone – Eating Disorders. Accessed February 21, 2018. http://www.nedc.com.au/recovery.

– A clinical view on eating disorder recovery.

Valev, Nancy. “5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Afraid To Open Up And Be Vulnerable.” Elite Daily. December 22, 2017. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.elitedaily.com/life/open-up-be-vulnerable/1748613.

– Self-help tips on committing to vulnerability.

Wahl, Daniel Christian. “[7 Key Questions about how to] participate appropriately in complex systems?” Medium. August 12, 2017. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://medium.com/age-of- awareness/how-can-we-participate-appropriately-in-complex-systems-aec17e74cd9f.

–A look into the way in which we participate in systems and ethical thinking. Relevant to environmental conscious thought.

Walter, Natashia. “Feel my pain.” The Guardian. May 20, 2005. Accessed February 20, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2005/may/21/art.

–An opinion piece on Frida Kahlo and the relationship between suffering and artwork.

“What Does “Sex Positive” Mean, Anyway?” Sex Positive – Meaning, Attitudes, Connotations, www.refinery29.com/2013/11/57345/sex-positive-meaning.

– A quick article defining sex positivity for the new generation.

“Why We Must Take Care of Our Planet.” WWF. Accessed February 21, 2018. https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/why-we-must-take-care-of-our-planet.Boseley, Sarah.

– A call to action from the World Wildlife Foundation convincing us to care for the Earth.

“Youth and Comprehensive Sexuality Education.” The United Nations. Accessed February 20, 2018. http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/youth/fact-sheets/youth-sexuality-education.pdf.Hauteau, April.

–The United Nation’s guide to comprehensive approach to healthy and comprehensive sexuality education.

Summary

What are your selected five values and what do they mean?
The five values I selected were my body, my suffering, my vulnerability, my pleasure, and my earth. My body has become an abstract concept to me over the years, with countless coaches, teachers, therapists, and other professionals telling me exactly what it should be, the way it should be seen, and how it should be taken care of. Because of this, the way in which I view my body, and the way I value it may not be the same as someone else. This is none of my concern. I have not lived the life of somebody else, I have only lived my own. And so, when I mean “body” I mean the way I see it and nurture it. My suffering is something I value as well. I define the value of suffering as appreciating the balance it provides. I could not notice my good graces if I were unable to recognize the hardship brought by suffering. My vulnerability is marked by my ability to empathize for myself, and to let my confusion, sadness, frustration, and compassion present itself. My pleasure, though sometimes mental, is defined by the physical and sexual delights I have grown to enjoy. I am constantly in the pursuit of pleasure, whether it be finding the best morning brew, or the warmest scarf, or the healthiest way to communicate with a partner, it has been exciting to allow myself to feel it. My earth is my relationship to mother earth. It is consistently developing. It is one of my strongest values.

How does the research you’ve conducted this week support your understanding of your values?
I intentionally conducted research that was both critical of my values and that would contain resources that would allow me to explore other avenues within my values as time progressed. For example, in one of my values, body, I selected two articles on the process of healing. One dealt with a more clinical aspect of healing, specifically eating disorder recovery. The other, a critical lens on the potentially predatory world of wellness. I found both equally interesting and great platforms for me to add my own insight to. I came back to both throughout the research process.

Did it challenge it in any ways or change your definition or framing of your values?
Yes and no. I speak my own language. The way I communicate my value to myself may make sense to me, but when I try and search it in the computer, there are no results. In this case, I would have to go back and ask myself, what do I mean? (This is the product of many hours reading T. S. Eliot and French Absurdist fiction). I also tried to combine my values. For example, pleasure and joy meshed into one form for this exercise.

Which biases and experiences may have played a role in defining your values?
I am quite bias toward my value of Earth. I am aware of this. I was fortunate enough to have spectacular environmental science teachers. This allowed me to develop an understanding of the Earth and its needs. I see the Earth as a person, as my twin. I know I am probably unique in this. However, my relationship with the Earth and the way in which I value it has trickled down into my other values. For instance, I have become healthier personally since I made a consistent effort to care for it, I have not been afraid to suffer, and I have been more responsible in the pursuit of pleasure. In summary, my value of the Earth has made it so that I am never quite disconnected from it.

Megan Elizabeth

concm876

Leave a reply Cancel reply