Ch. 19 What Do We Value?

"If we disregard our values,

we'll open our eyes one day and won't be able

to recognize 'our world' anymore."

- Frank Sonnenberg 

In today’s America, a land of manifest destiny and rampant consumerism, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly where things went off track. How did we get here?

While there are many moments in history that should certainly give us pause, perhaps the problem doesn't lie with any one event or even series of political decisions. Perhaps the cause is something deeper and often overlooked: Our collective personal values.

In a 2024 opinion piece in The Guardian, entitled To beat Trump, we need to know why Americans keep voting for him. Psychologists may have the answer, George Monbiot asserts that there are basically two types of people in this world. Those with intrinsic values, and those with extrinsic values.  

According to Monbiot, "People with a strong set of intrinsic values are inclined towards empathy, intimacy and self-acceptance. They tend to be open to challenge and change, interested in universal rights and equality, and protective of other people and the living world."

He goes on to say, "People at the extrinsic end of the spectrum are more attracted to prestige, status, image, fame, power and wealth. They are strongly motivated by the prospect of individual reward and praise. They are more likely to objectify and exploit other people, to behave rudely and aggressively and to dismiss social and environmental impacts. They have little interest in cooperation or community." (Monbiot, 2024)

You may see yourself in one of these, or more likely, you see little parts of yourself in both, but you learn heavily in one direction or another. Humans are complex creatures. 

But the real question is, as a country, what do we value?

To be fair, there is something to be said for a nation being perceived as powerful, prestigious, wealthy, etc. But there's also a case to be made for a nation which shows compassion, is open to progress and change, and watches out for the wellbeing of its citizens and the natural world. 

Research shows that the closer towards the spectrum of extrinsic values a person gets, the more likely they are to vote right-wing. On the opposite side, a person with intrinsic values is more likely to be left-leaning politically. 

This is reflected in our cultural stereotypes. When you hear of a "staunch" or "hardline conservative" you picture someone who is set in his ways, uncompromising, possibly intolerant, and definitely wants you to stay off of his lawn. When you think of the "bleeding-heart liberal" you picture someone who is progressive, compassionate to a fault, and spends all of their spare time hugging trees. 

Here in America, according to Monbiot, we have been steadily drifting towards the extrinsic side of the spectrum. And this makes sense. Remember in 1970 when Milton Friedman said that the drive for profit was the only consideration that a business has? Not equality, not the environment, not worker's rights, just profit. As we now know, a theory of shareholder supremacy was adopted and made gospel by Ronald Reagan, Jack Welsh, and others until it has become business as usual and the status quo in this country. 

One has to acknowledge that the logical evolution of a push in this direction would inevitably lead to a person like Donald Trump, the role model of extrinsic values. With his compulsive need for wealth, power and fame, and his objectification and extortion of everyone around him on his rise to the top. 

So let's continue this exploration of values with a little thought experiment... 

We are going to compare the words of two well-known leaders. 

At first, this might seem a little tongue in cheek or satirical. However, when you have a Republican Party in which 82% identify as Christian (pew research) and 72% still approve of Trump (The Hill, January 2024) even after multiple criminal indictments, dozens of felony charges, and being held civilly liable for rape... maybe it's fair to ask a few questions about our real values. 

Donald J. Trump (Extrinsic Values)

• Status/Prestige- "I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created."
• Image/Fame- “People love me. And you know what? I have been very successful. Everybody loves me.” 
• Power- “When somebody is president of the United States, the authority is total.”
• Wealth- “Part of the beauty of me is that I’m very rich.” 
• Objectifying others- “Don’t you think my daughter’s hot? She’s hot right?” 
• Exploiting others- “I just start kissing them, its like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything…Grab ‘em by the (female genitalia). You can do anything.” 
• Rude/Aggressive- "When somebody says something about me I hate them for the rest of my life. It's probably wrong."
• Dismissive of social impacts- "I don't take responsibility at all." (Regarding covid response failures.)
• Dismissive of environmental impacts- "When will our country stop wasting money on global warming and so many other truly 'STUPID' things and begin to focus on lower taxes?"
• Treatment of "the other"- (Immigrants are) "poisoning the blood of our country."

Jesus Christ (Intrinsic Values)

• Empathy/Compassion- "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."
• Self acceptance- "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."
• Stand for Universal Rights/Equality- "Love thy neighbor as thyself."
• Protective of other people- "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."
• Treatment of "the other"- "I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me."... "Give to everyone who begs from you and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."

Admittedly, we are talking about opposite ends of the spectrum here. 

Trump is the veritable poster boy for extrinsic values. Jesus was the embodiment of intrinsic values. 

It is likely you the reader are probably not a malignant narcissist nor are you a contender for being a historically recognized holy person. This does not mean that you can't ask yourself what you truly value, and how we can act together to best serve humanity. 

I propose that we can create a national culture that embraces intrinsic values without sacrificing the most important benefits of extrinsic values. 

This is where we take our stand for a set of values that recognizes human worth and finally fulfills on the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

We can't change our economic system overnight but we can build parallel structures and a parallel society that will serve to not only build community wealth and self-sufficiency, but will ripple outward and begin to change the national conversation about what is possible for We The People.