And Then I Asked… “But Why?”

Natalie S. Burke
Jul 21, 2017 · 3 min read
What determines our values?

America is having a crisis of values. The current efforts to repeal, or repeal and replace Obamacare speak volumes. Pending healthcare legislation indicates what one party and its members value — just as opposition arguments speak to the values of people from other political parties. Do people value the freedom to choose to be uninsured over ensuring individual and public health? Do they value tax cuts for the wealthy as a strategy to stimulate job growth over Medicaid coverage and access to care for people in poverty, in rural communities, and with disabilities? Do they value healthcare as a right or a privilege?

Regardless of the answers, the deeper and more productive question is — WHY do they value what they value?

Hashtags and headlines scream society’s values. They reflect the nature of our relationships and discourse. They confess openly the best and the worst of who we are at any given moment. As I look at people’s social media posts and online exchanges, I can’t help but think about what we choose to value because let’s face it, values are choices — founded on beliefs, cultivated by life experience, and influenced by people who influence us. More importantly, I continue to wonder — why do we each value what we value?

When people lose sight of facts and their emotions take control of their words, I ask about their values. The amazing thing is that it creates a momentary pause — time for deeper, rational thought.

During that pause and the subsequent conversation I often discover that people on opposing sides of an issue value different things but they value them for the same reasons (stew on that for a few seconds) or, they value the same thing but their approach to achieving it is markedly different.

Debating beliefs is a starting point to discuss problems that divide us but sharing values is the opportunity to identify the common ground we need to find solutions. While beliefs emerge from situations and experiences; values demonstrate how we assign importance or worth through our decisions, behaviors, and actions.

Think of it like this. Values reflect how we prioritize our beliefs and commit our energy. Our lives, interactions, choices, and our public policy are their best reflection.

During social and political debates, we each spend a lot of time espousing beliefs and declaring our values but do you know why you value what you value and could you explain it to someone else? It’s worth some self-reflection.

Circling back to the healthcare bill… I value individual and the public’s health over an individual’s freedom to choose to be uninsured because I know my health is connected to the health of everyone around me. I value healthcare coverage for people in poverty, living in rural communities and the disabled, over tax breaks that might create jobs because there are many other ways to create jobs. I value healthcare as a right, not as a privilege. Why? As the proverb says, “He who has health has hope. He who has hope has everything.” Health significantly determines the quality of a life lived and each person should have the opportunity to be their healthiest self — that’s fair and I value fairness. That makes healthcare coverage a higher priority than individual freedom or wealth — hands down.

Whether it’s about health or something else, as you choose your side of any issue and face off with your opposition, ask yourself and ask them, “But why?”

Then reflect and listen long enough to understand the answer.

Check out other videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_t3a54Ux8wU7Nf5ko10yQ

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Natalie S. Burke

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#GetUncomfortable. A full-bodied embrace of all that I am and full-throated expression of all that I think. I opine strongly but judge rarely.

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