Human Value I

Class 1 Innate Value

Think of the conditions that people must meet, before we will respect them. Or what can people do that would make us stop valuing or respecting them? Make a list.

What were they? Chances are, that many people would answer in a similar way. We often expect other people to abide by basic social norms. We want them to be honest with us. We would like for them to be respectful, at least to the people we care about. Sometimes, there are divisive issues that we feel passionately about, that make it hard for us to accept a different point of view.

People have different standards for those who share our gender identity, race, political affiliation or religious faith. We expect “our group” of people to behave one way, and another group to behave differently. Do you have special expectations for different groups of people?

Somehow, regardless of whether you believe humans are the sentient formations of a conscious creator, or are simply a product of biology and evolution, almost all of us understand the infinite worth in every human life when we look into the face of a child. If only for a moment.

This phenomenon is not only true of children. Most of us feel compassion when we see an elderly person struggle. Why? This senior may have never met the conditions we set for human behavior. Somehow, when we see vulnerability, healthy humans become aware of our innate value. What do these people (infants and older persons) have in common?

“Every Human Being has Infinite Worth”

Innate value means that we are born with worth. Occasionally, a health condition, such as some forms of autism, might make it more difficult for people to connect with others, but unless we were subjected to early trauma, it is a normal and extremely common reaction to feel mercy and love when we connect with humans with whom we are not competing. This is true in nearly every culture, regardless of geography or history.

Life, however, is challenging. Our innate value is not the part of us that competes. Competition is, unfortunately necessary for survival. (Competition is our struggle for security.) For the vast majority of the humans we know, some sort of adversity came along at a time when we were not adequately prepared. These challenges help us to grow, but if we are not supported properly, they can create trauma. Long term exposure to these difficulties can separate us from our sense of self-worth. Over time, we may lose the ability to love ourselves entirely. When this happens, it becomes difficult to interact with other humans without immediately feeling the threat of competition. We have lost contact with our sense of innate value, and consequently, lose the ability to sense it in others.

Class 1 Questions-

Try to remember the last time you felt good about yourself, when you were not competing. (Keep in mind that celebrating victory, is still competition.)

What was that experience? How long ago was it? Who, if anyone, made you feel safe when you were young? What specifically can you remember about your relationship with the people that made you feel safe?

When was the first time you felt ashamed? What did you do about it? Have you done anything that you are afraid to talk about?

What have you told yourself you had to accomplish to be “good enough” and when did you start thinking “good enough” was conditional?

Do you expect the people you love to meet your standards? Do you make them feel “not good enough” when they fail?