What IS This Thing we Call "Value?"
What do you value? What do any of us value? What does it mean to "add value?" What constitutes a "good value?"
"Value" is a strange and often nebulous thing, and yet it is deeply interwoven into everything we do. Value lies at the heart of how we perceive things to be "rewarding," or not.
Lately, I have been part of a number of discussions concerning the future of work; what we will end up "doing", in the face of encroaching automation.
Pink rhododendrons in our garden, Spring 2018
Most people seem to believe the somewhat "Utopian" model in which everyone becomes an artist, musician, philosopher and the like is basically Pie in the Sky. Whereas these are nice, they are not perceived to add value.
So, somehow, we need to be able to add value to the experience of living, if we are to find some kind of gainful employment. Or, at least, a "gig" we can hope to get compensated for.
But I find myself wondering, though: Is this merely the old paradigm speaking; the paradigm that got us here, in the first place? The paradigm that insists that our value is directly correlated by what we produce, rather than who we are?
Value... in the Online World
The "value" discussion would occasionally show up here on Steemit, during early debates over where people felt the community was going, and should go.
In a sense, "value" was an alternative to the more rigid idea of "quality content," which I never was quite on board with. After all, Steemit was never an "Online Magazine," it was/is a Social Content Site. Again, quality content is nice but it isn't necessarily what the majority of social media users are interested in. Some find value in photos of kittens, or playing dice... not just in lengthy pieces of speculative philosophical prose. But regardless, people are — in general — interested in content that adds value to their web browsing experience.
But once again, I come back to "value" being a strange and often nebulous thing.
The veins of an autumn leaf
It's funny, isn't it? We can't quite pinpoint what "value" IS, but we are able to determine that it is important. And we need it, in order to thrive and be successful.
Will this post add value to your Steemit experience? Well, if it gets you thinking for even five minutes, I'd submit that it adds some form of value.
Value... Added Through Work
As I touched on up top, work and "value" is an increasingly interesting beast.
We have these very human and labor intensive things like art and philosophy but we don't really value them (at least not enough to afford anyone a living), while we value things like bed sheets, shoes and smartphones... which — ironically — are far more likely to be machine generated than the former.
Rowanberry blooms
If we must have occupations, what is valued? Again, value is a strange and often nebulous thing. No sooner will I get through telling you that people don't value intangible contributions like art and poetry than someone points out that celebrities and professional sports figures are valued to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, even though they don't actually produce anything we can touch and hold.
But do they really — by themselves — produce any value, or is their "value" basically in their ability to make sharp-minded and often greedy managers and media moguls rich?
But it's very individual. For example, celebrities and professional sports figures hold pretty much ZERO value to me. Similarly, ostensibly "valuable" status products hold ZERO value, to me. Even if I had a vault filled with $100 bills, Rolex watches or fancy cars would be of pretty much NO value to me. The ability to sit and watch the sunsets, exercise my brain and eat great food would.
And so I end this... being really not much closer to identifying value than when I started.
But hopefully, I at least made some of you think about it!
Thanks for reading!
How about YOU? What do you think "value" is? How would you characterize whether something is "of value" to you? What is NOT of value? What is a "valuable" occupation, and what is not? In a more automated future, what will humanity do, to create value? What will that "value" look like? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Created at 190218 23:55 PST
0901
to add a bit more confusion.
How valuable is a quart of water to a man dying of thirst in the Mojave Desert?
How valuable is that same quart of water to a man who is drowning in Lake Superior?
Ice in the Arctic vs Ice in my tea...ditto.
First can of beer vs 27th one...ditto.
Value is not only variable from one person to another but also variable over time to that same person.
Does SOMETHING have to be valuable? I have a neighbor on either side...the both have dogs that bark CONSTANTLY.
I value silence. The ABSCENCE of something.
Brings up the entire issue of valuing things that are not "things."
Like silence.
I value having better health than most.
Is "value" a required thing? I suppose only to the extent of the value-reward system, as it works in our brains.
if you value 'it' more should you pay more for 'it'? Shirley you don't expect 'it' to be free. That would be Utopian.
Deconstruction the concept goes some way to clarify things (imo).
We are animals that need calories to live. It's not a choice.
Ergo, things that offer a calorific intake to us, have an intrinsic value.
(You can't eat a car ..)
If we see 'value' based on actual real life sustaining, items - and then work from there.
We can see how the concept of value has been made so complex, and totally and utterly corrupted - so much so, that now , we can't easily see what value is.
The funny thing is, the intrinsic value of a sheep - hasn't changed much from what it was 50,000 years ago.
Some thoughts
I don't think it's "made" so complex, it has become that way by spontaneous human interaction. (maybe no one is to blame ;)
For instance I value a heater in the house, over a open fire (inhaling smoke,black inside of the house, danger of something catching fire, not having to tend the fire all the time etc.etc.)
I also think that I am the only one who can decide what is of value for me and you for you. And very much happens unconsciously, in the way that if i buy a heater I do not think all those things I mentioned above, I do not even know.
The value of a sheep depends on who you ask, if you ask a kebab seller he would have a whole different perspective on it than a vegan, and someone who bought the kebab to eat it has a whole different perspective on it that the kebab seller (who does not eat it all) Someone who sell's wool, looks at a sheep differently than a butcher
This all happens within "spontaneous order" or "spontaneous chaos" or both, depends on who you ask.
There have been individuals in the past, (and maybe now) that valued their idiotic dream of an agrarian society (or whatever) far more than he valued millions of peoples lives or what was of value to those people. Pol Pot
It is not a good thing ....I think.....to force someone to value (or not value) what one self values.
But that is what I value ;)
You can't force anyone to place value , and yeah, no one made it happen - it just happened.
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I agree with you wholeheartedly on so called sports stars. Excellent, well written post. Thank you for sharing. 👍👍
I guess it's what's important to you
Right now, I am harping about education, secure your future, right attitude
But the kids probably only hear blah blah blah
And all I see are Zombies attached to their gadgets... but I think it is bringing them more value then a nagging parent... but you see I beg to differ... hahaha
Yes, as you said ;D
Very good questions. This reminds me of the central question in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig. This timeless classic has the protagonist touring the country (the U.S.) by motorcycle as he pontificates on the nature of Reason. What is it? What value does it hold for the human race? How does one achieve it? Etc.
The principle quality of value is subjectivity. What is valued by one person is not valued by another. Again, what one values at one time may not be as valued at another given time. Water to a man on the verge of dying of thirst, for instance, will be highly valuable, but to a man who just had a drink in the comfort of his own home and in no danger at all will have less value.
Good question, though. Keep asking it. We might arrive at the answer some day.