Values and the Development of Self (Module 5)

What is ideal and what is not?

    As I have stated in my previous posts, culture has a significant role in shaping how we think and act upon certain things. And in the development of the self, we acquire values inherent from a culture we belong. Different cultures hold different values, and an individual embraces those values to belong to a specific culture. These values then influence and guide how we decide on something good, desirable, and beneficial. 

    Essentially, values adhere to human existence and create purpose and meaning in a person's life. The values we have are learned through socialization, and the values we acquired from our culture give rise to our beliefs, ideologies, and principles. And with our experiences, we continually shape and build our values and eventually embrace particular views in life and stick to them when put to the test. 

    Filipinos are known to have embraced values passed on and molded by experience from generation to generation. Colonization has a significant influence on the values that we hold now. And for the most part, our values are aligned in achieving optimism, togetherness, peace, solidarity, and social harmony. And in these values that we have established, we stand firm against anything that stands in our way and threatens our national identity. While others consider our values our weaknesses as we can easily be manipulated, our values unite us in overcoming the struggles and challenges in life. 

The Togetherness of Filipino

    Among the many values that we Filipino esteemed, we give high regards to being there for each other - for family, friends, neighbors, and the community. We will always be there to help others in any way we could. It can be rooted in the concept of "Bayanihan," where, conventionally, people will heal each other in transporting homes from one place to another. And as we can see, even until now, we still hold to that value and have adapted to the modern context of technology. For example, we have incorporated social media to maximize our reach in raising funds or collecting donations to help our fellows hit by typhoons or those who are ill and hospitalized. I can say that "Bayanihan" will always be encrypted in our blood even in future generations, and no one will ever take this value away from Filipinos.

Fig 1. The Rise of Community Pantries in the middle of the Pandemic
Photo by Negros Chronicles 

Reflection:

Values are essential in the development of the self. It will dictate what is right and wrong, what is important and what is not, what is desirable and what is undesirable. It will reflect who a person is and the community to which they belong.