Meaning of values:
In this article today we will learn about the Values meaning, types, sources and erosion. Values play a very significant role in the lives of humans and form the ideal society. But in this modern world, people are after fame, money, and power. They have become money-minded. As a result, they don’t pay attention to the values.
The term value originates from the Latin word ‘valere’, which means to be of worth. Values mean something precious, valuable, dear, or worthy. It is used differently in different disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology, or education.
These are the ideas, guiding principles, beliefs, or norms that tell us what is wrong and what is right. Values have an impact on the behavior of people and the decisions they make.
According to the Oxford dictionary, “a set of ethical beliefs and preferences that determine our sense of right and wrong”.
Milton Rokeach, a Polish American psychologist, defined value as “a specific mode of conduct or end state of existence that is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state of existence.”
Characteristics of values
- Values are judgmental.
- These are personal.
- The values are dynamic. With the change in experience, these also change.
- Values differ from culture to culture or person to person.
- It can be specific or general.
- We cannot see the values. They are seen in the attitude and behavior of an individual.
- These can be learned.
- It can be both positive and negative.
Types of Values:
1. Terminable Values
These values are achieved during his or her lifetime, and after achievement, they are terminated, such as a comfortable life, job security, freedom, family security, inner peace, etc. Terminable values are the ultimate goals or outcomes.
2. Instrumental Values
These values are used in everyday life for achieving terminable values such as cleanliness, honesty, courage, politeness, self-control, etc.
3. Social Values
These are received from society. Some social values are as under.
a) Loyalty
b) Discipline
c) Adjustment
d) Cooperation
e) Justice
f) Sacrifices
4. Moral values
This kind of value helps in the personality formation and character building of the individual. These are-
a) Kindness
b) courtesy
c) Helpfulness
d) Teamwork
e) truthfulness
f) Honesty
5. Cultural values
An individual gets this from his or her family, religious books, and culture. It includes customs, rituals, teachings, etc. For example, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, an 1st Sikh Guru, said that hands that don’t perform social service are worthless. Therefore, langar Pratha is the core feature of Sikh culture.
Sources of Values:
Personal factors
It includes abilities, intelligence, educational level, failures, and success of an individual, and they develop values like empathy, honesty and fairness.
Peer Group
An individual interacts with his friends and colleagues in school and the workplace. In this way, he learns different values from them. It can be both positive and negative.
Religion
Religion and moral values are closely associated with each other. Every religion taught humans a set of values like sympathy, kindness, honesty, and morality.
Literature
It includes essays, poetry, stories, plays, and novels. All these literary sources have an impact on the personality formation of an individual.
Family
Family is like a miniature of society. After birth, the child starts to learn various values, rituals, and customs from his parents, siblings, and relatives. They tell the child what is right and what is wrong, which behavior is accepted or not.
Society
It is another important source for inculcating values in the human being. Society comprises religious institutions, neighborhoods, and political groups.
Media
It includes movies, television, newspapers, and social media. Media also has an impact on the personality of an individual, especially adolescents.
Erosion of values
Political Interference:
Political leaders are using the youngsters for their own selfish purposes. They indulge in unfair activities and practices. Most of the educational institutions are funded by these political leaders and parties.
Cutthroat Competition:
In this modern world, competition among people has increased. They are less worried about the concept of value. They just want money, power, and fame through any unethical means in this competitive world.
Materialistic World
People have become money-minded. They want to become rich overnight by illegal means. They do not worry about the value.
Mass Media
Social media like Instagram and Facebook mostly promote violence and unethical behavior among adolescents. They feel alone when they see photos of their friends doing parties and develop the feeling of FOMO, which is fear of missing out.
Economic Condition
Poverty and morality cannot go hand in hand. Poor people are deprived of food, clothes, and health services. If they fail to get these basic facilities, then they don’t care about the values of society.
Globalization
After adopting the LPG reforms, Indian people were exposed to different cultures. They adopted different ways of living. People have now become more broad-minded. The norms, values, and rules of society also change. For example, people who meet people now prefer to do handshakes instead of namaste.
Nuclear family
In the early period, there were mostly joint family systems where children learned values from their grandparents through stories. But now most of the families are nuclear. Both parents are working. They come home to eat, watch TV, and sleep. As a result, children are neglected by them. Values are not transmitted from one generation to the next.
Role of the classroom and school in value inculcation
- There are students from different economic and social backgrounds, castes, religions, and races. The teacher should promote diversity among the students. In this way, students will learn to respect each other.
- The teacher should teach students about values like unity, cooperation, kindness, honesty, tolerance, loyalty, etc.
- The school must celebrate national days and festivals like Independence Day and Republic Day.
- Another way is to organize trips and picnics so that students establish cordial relations with each other.
- A teacher should become a role model in front of the students. The students should be motivated to inculcate values through moral stories.
- The school should organize co-curricular activities such as quizzes, debates, sports competitions, chess clubs, math clubs, drawing competitions, etc.
