Values from the perspective of social responsibility

"There is a way that seems straight in the eyes of man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12)

1.1 Summary

In this essay some arguments are presented where values play a very important role when individuals make decisions in various situations and it is our responsibility to have a positive or negative impact on society.

Before starting, we must know the following concepts.

Values: “Values are a quality that gives things, events or people, an estimate, whether positive or negative. For objective idealism, value is found outside of persons; for subjective idealism, on the other hand, value is found in consciousness (that is, in the subjectivity of the subjects when they make use of value). For the philosophical current of materialism, the nature of value resides in the capacity of the human being to value the world objectively ”. Dictionary of (2008)

Social responsibility: “It is the obligation / commitment that the members of a certain community, society, either individually each one, or as part of a social group, will have among themselves, as well as towards society or community as a whole. ”. Definition ABC (2010).

The above allows us to know the concepts that we will talk about in our research, since all human beings acquire different values throughout our lives and which allow us to establish relationships with the other members of a society.

1.2 Introduction

This precedent brings us closer to understanding the responsibility we have as members of a society to establish relationships in accordance with the scale of values such as: respect, solidarity, justice, honesty, fidelity, honesty, loyalty, etc. since our acts have a direct or indirect, positive or negative impact on other people around us (family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, school, sports, religion, etc.); Since values are inherent in people, which make us unique and valuable beings, they allow us to discern the good from the bad.

This analysis lies in the importance of making people aware that every act has favorable or unfavorable repercussions in the social environment where we get involved; Since the beginning of the creation of man, these acts have manifested themselves for which I will carry out an analysis through biblical passages where they clearly show us how they affect society when an individual makes decisions by putting into practice their values or anti-values and the importance of establishing respectful relationships with our fellow men.

1.3 The practice of values has a positive impact on society

All societies or peoples have their moral codes, they need to have a supreme force to guide them. As something inherent to his nature he worships a higher power, be it the sun, the moon, a mountain, a river, an animal. Your moral code may be recorded in one of the many sacred writings that different cultures have. This need for moral codes is observed in people everywhere, since it is innate to man.

The famous scientist Fred Hoyle wrote about “the moral code in force in all human societies”, adding: “It would be easy to elaborate a well-thought-out argument to show that the moral sense persists in man, despite all the temptations that are placed on him. constantly present in the opposite direction ”.

In the sacred book of scriptures better known as "The Bible", he recognizes the existence of this moral sense inherent in man. In Romans 2:14, 15 it says: “For whenever those of the nations that have no law do by nature the things of the law, they, although they have no law, are a law to themselves. They are the very ones who demonstrate that the substance of the law is written in their hearts, while their conscience bears witness with them and, among their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused ”.

Meinong assures that: "A thing has value when it causes us to like it and to the extent that it can make us like it." He also affirms that "Value is, in truth, a subjective state, of a sentimental order, an object has value insofar as it has the ability to provide an effective basis for a feeling of value." (Meinong, 1894: 25; cited in Frondizi, 2004: 54).

From this perspective, all people acquire from childhood the moral values which are learned in the family, later they are consolidated or weakened in school, religion or in the space where the infant develops, that is why we must cement well moral values from our home, but in doing this we must be congruent with ourselves since we have to preach by example.

A columnist for various newspapers named Georgie Anne Geyer says that “It is impossible for a community or a nation to be moral without having faith in God, because then it quickly boils down to the 'me', and the 'me' per se it just doesn't make sense. When 'me' becomes the yardstick for all things, overlooking God, the Church, the family, and accepted norms of civil and civic human behavior, we have problems ”.

This is an example taken from the book Genesis chapters 39 to 42 of the sacred scriptures is the biblical story based on the life of Joseph son of Jacob. Joseph was only 17 years old when he was taken to Egypt. There he was sold to a man named Potiphar. Potiphar works for the king of Egypt, whom they call Pharaoh.

Joseph worked hard for his master, Potiphar. For this reason, when Joseph grows up, Potiphar entrusts him with his entire house including his goods. When Joseph grows up he is a very beautiful man, and Potiphar's wife wants him to sleep with her. But José knows that would be bad, and rejects it. Potiphar's wife gets very angry. So when her husband comes, he lies to her and says, 'That bad José tried to sleep with me!' Potiphar believes his wife, and gets very angry with Joseph. Get him thrown in prison.

The prison warden soon sees that José is a good man. That is why he puts him in charge of all the other prisoners. Later Pharaoh gets angry with his cupbearer and his baker, and puts them in prison. One night each of these has a special dream, but they don't know what it means. The next day José says: 'Tell me about your dreams.' And then Joseph, with God's help, explains the meaning of his dreams.

To the cupbearer, Joseph says: 'In three days you will be released from prison, and you will be Pharaoh's cupbearer again.' So Joseph adds: 'When you go out, talk about me to Pharaoh, and help me get out of here.' But to the baker, Joseph says: 'In just three days Pharaoh will cut off your head.'

In three days it happens just like José said. Pharaoh cuts off the baker's head. But the cupbearer is released from prison and he begins to serve the king again. But he forgets about Joseph! He does not talk about him to Pharaoh, and Joseph has to stay in prison.

Two years pass, and José is still in prison. The cupbearer has not remembered him. Then one night Pharaoh has two very special dreams, and he wonders what they mean. The next morning Pharaoh calls his wise men and tells them what he has dreamed of. But they cannot tell you the meaning of your dreams.

Now the cupbearer finally remembers José. He tells Pharaoh: 'When I was in prison there was a man there who could tell the meaning of dreams.' Pharaoh has Joseph removed from prison at once.

Pharaoh tells Joseph about his dreams: 'I saw seven fat, beautiful cows. Then I saw seven very skinny and bony cows. And the skinny ones ate the fat cows.

'In my second dream I saw seven ears of full, ripe grain growing on a single stalk. Then I saw seven thin and dry ears of grain. And the thin ears of grain began to swallow up the seven good ears. '

Joseph tells Pharaoh: 'The two dreams mean the same thing. The seven fat cows and the seven full ears of grain mean seven years, and the seven lean cows and the seven thin ears of grain mean another seven years. There will be seven years when much food will grow in Egypt. Then there will be seven years when very little food will grow. '

So Joseph says to Pharaoh: 'Choose a wise man and commission him to gather food during the seven good years. Then people won't starve in the other seven bad years when there will be very little food. '

Pharaoh likes the idea. And he chooses Joseph to collect the food, and store it. After Pharaoh, Joseph becomes the most important man in Egypt.

In this biblical passage he shows us the greatness of a man named Joseph who preferred to go to prison than to be disloyal to his master, it is there where we analyze that he made the decision not to sleep with Potiphar's wife and respect his moral values and when performing This courageous act, although he suffers in prison, later succeeds with Jehovah's help to help an entire nation so that they would not starve in the seven years of food shortages.

1.4 The practice of values has a negative impact on society

Just as moral values have a positive impact on society, as the previous point explains, we also find that by not putting into practice, or not having our values well founded, they lead us to catastrophic consequences in some cases not only to individual, but affects a whole society; This is where the responsibility of decision-making lies when doing wrongdoing.

Adela Cortina asserted that "Any human being, to be fully, should be free and aspire to equality among men, be supportive and actively respect their own person and other people, work for peace and for the development of humanity, conserve the environment and hand it over to future generations no worse than what we have received it, take responsibility for those entrusted to it and be willing to resolve through dialogue the problems that may arise with those who share the world with it and life »(Cortina cited in Ardila & Orozco, 2005: 06).

In the following example that was taken from the biblical story based on the life of Achan in the book of Joshua chapters 7 and 8 of the Holy Scriptures. Jehovah asked Joshua that the city of Jericho be destroyed, but that all silver, gold, bronze and iron utensils be consecrated to Jehovah. So these people have disobeyed God. They have stolen what is God's. The man's name was Achan, and those who are with him are part of his family.

After Achan steals these things, Joshua sends some men to fight the city of Ai. But they are defeated. Some die, and the rest flee. Josué gets very sad. Face the ground, pray to Jehovah and say: 'Why are you allowing this to happen?'

Jehovah answers: 'Get up! Israel has sinned. They have taken things that were to be destroyed or given to the tabernacle of God. They stole a nice suit and they didn't say so I won't bless you until you destroy the suit and the one who has taken these things. ' Jehovah says that he is going to show Joshua who the bad man is.

So Joshua gathers all the people together, and Jehovah brings out the bad man, Achan. Achan says: 'I have sinned. I saw a nice suit, and the gold bar and the silver pieces. I wanted these things so much that I took them with me. You can find them all buried inside my shop. '

When things are found and brought to Joshua, he says to Achan: 'Why have you caused us trouble? Now Jehovah will cause it to you! ' Then all the people stone Achan and his family until they die.

From this point of view, it shows us that the decision that Achan makes without respecting his moral values affects not only his integrity, but that of an entire people, since Jehovah by his will to have disobeyed his mandate, does not help the people of Israel to win the battle against Ai and some Israelites die and others flee.

In the first book of "The Duties", Cicero: talks about the duties that man has towards society and towards himself and proposes that there is only one true law. This law is right reason, which according to nature, rules over all men, is eternal and does not change. It encourages men to fulfill their duties, forbidding them to do evil.

"Your word is a lamp for my foot, and a light for my path." (Psalm 119: 105.)

1.5 Conclusion

For the above I can affirm from my point of view that values are characteristics that perfect those who possess it, it is something valuable that enriches the human being, that is why they look for it because it represents something that will make them a better person. Each individual establishes his scale of values depending on the goals that he sets himself throughout his life, it will be the bridge that brings him closer to achieving his end that will be valuable to him and he will reject everything that may interfere with his goal. Goals are first set and then structure the scale of values according to the order of importance, so as not to have to sacrifice higher values for lower ones.

Values definitely motivate and define people's decisions; As well as having a positive or negative impact on an entire society, that is why the need to raise awareness of the importance of exercising our right to free will when making decisions that do not affect the other members of our society.

"Respect for the rights of others is peace" Benito Juárez.

References

• FRONDIZI, Risieri (2004) »What are values? Introduction to axiology.. Economic Culture Fund, Mexico.

• THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT HOLY BIBLE (revised 1960). Reina Valeria 1960.

• OROZCO, V. Julio & Sandra ARDILA Z. (2005) »The book of values». Editorial Televisa. 1st. Mexico.

• DICTIONARY OF. (2008). Values concept.

Obtained from: http://definicion.de/valor/ consulted on October 20, 2010 at 9:00 pm.

• ABC DICTIONARY (2010)

Obtained from: http://www.definicionabc.com/social/responsabilidad-social.php consulted on October 28, 2010 at 10:00 pm.

• THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA WIKIPEDIA. (2010)

Retrieved from: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsabilidad_social consulted on October 30, 2010 at 11:30 pm.

• HOLEY, Fred. The integent universe.