The 7 most important human values: what they are and how to develop them.

A set of key ideas to guide us in deciding what is right.

It may seem normal to us today, but it is relatively new to consider that all human beings have a set of inviolable rights. Not so long ago, slavery was still permitted and socially accepted, and racist theories were used as an excuse for blatant discrimination in plain sight.

The arrival on the scene of human values has been one of the precipitating factors for change in recent decades. The popularization of this notion, which goes hand in hand with human rights, has helped us to create a frame of reference from which to judge whether or not people are treated with dignity and whether or not their integrity is at risk. Let's see what the main ones are and how having them present and keeping them present in our daily lives affects us.

What are values?

To understand what human values are, we must first understand what values are in the context of philosophy and ethics. They are the set of ideas that guide the way we think and set goals for the impact we should have on our lives. in relation to the impact we should have on society and the environment in general (and, by extension, on ourselves, given that we are in that environment). Thus, it is a set of beliefs that tell us about how things should be. They serve as a reference to know what is right and what is wrong, and therefore have great importance as a common element by which a society decides what are the principles that govern it.

Human values, in particular, are those that are a fundamental and necessary part of the existence of societies. are a fundamental and necessary part of the existence of societies in which as many people as possible feel comfortable and can live well. in which as many people as possible feel comfortable and can live well. They are the guidelines that serve as a guide to behave in a way that benefits the maximum number of human beings.

Because they are so important, many of them appear in many cultures, albeit in different forms and applied to different groups.

Therefore, human values go hand in hand with human rights, since they establish a framework of minimum requirements necessary to create social fabrics in which no one is excluded a priori and in which the only thing that defines how we are treated is how we act: whether against others or in favor of their welfare.

The main human values

Although there is no objective and rigid way to categorize the different human values, it is generally understood that the most important are the following. In the following list you can better understand what each of them refers to.

1. Humility

Humility is not only a matter of maintaining a public image that is pleasing to others, away from arrogance. It is also a value that helps us to promote the emergence of changes for the better, both in our own lives and in those of others. in our own lives as well as in the lives of others.

First of all, it helps us because its presence makes us not to rest on our laurels, i.e., to assume the fragility of our own lives, that is, to accept the fragility of our successes and the way in which a change of context can cause that progress to disappear. In other words, it helps us to be foresighted and at the same time to strengthen the projects we undertake, so that failures and setbacks do not cost us so dearly.

On the other hand, this is one of the human values that helps others by providing them with motivation. Maintaining humility means being human at all times, so that others can identify with us more easily and are less likely to feel intimidated to embark on a similar path.

Responsibility

Responsibility makes us assume the consequences of our actions, and among these consequences we consider the impact that what we do may have on the lives of others. In other words, it helps us not to do things that have a high cost for others, which obviously benefits those around us but also benefits us, since it makes it easier for us to create social bonds.

3. Honesty

Honesty leads us to create empathetic ties with others and, at the same time, to share with others relevant information that we have obtained from our experiences. In this way, information flows through personal relationships, and this serves as the glue of social cohesion, essential to create environments in which cooperation helps us to leave no one behind. environments in which cooperation helps us to leave no one behind..

4. Respect

Respect leads us to create a climate of communication in which no one feels attacked. This may seem a minor detail, but it is actually relevant, especially in relationships where there is not much closeness. In the face of uncertainty, it is very easy to become defensive and create conflict out of nothing, which is especially risky in a relationship.This is especially risky in societies where there are no mechanisms to prevent the occurrence of violence.

5. Gratitude

This is a human value that leads us to want to compensate in some way for forms of altruism, so that the latter is promoted. Much of what makes us progress is based on favors performed spontaneouslyWe are not only a simple acknowledgment of the appreciation we feel for another person.

6. Prudence

Prudence leads us not to be hasty and to consider the pros and cons of an action with significant an action with significant consequencesThis is important if we take into account that acting without foreseeing what may happen can negatively affect several people and destabilize environments.

7. Sensitivity

It is what leads us to connect with others taking into account their fears, needs and beliefs. It is a damage control value, which prevents us from accidentally harming others by adopting their point of view.

Bibliographical references:

• Gelfand, Michele J. (2018). Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World. Simon & Schuster.
• Tetlock, Philip E. (2007). Thinking the unthinkable: sacred values and taboo cognitions. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 7 (7): pp. 320 - 24.