On Values

People unconsciously cultivate their sense of self-worth through their assignment of value. They tend to value the traits they possess. Thus, the meter they judge the world by shows them in the most favorable light.

I value cleverness, curiosity and rationality because I perceive myself to possess those traits. When I judge others, I usually find myself superior in the qualities I value. I don't value organization, athletic prowess or piety very much because while I can see the usefulness of such traits, I do not have them.

I see this tendency in everyone: successful entrepreneurs value business savvy, stylish people value fashion sense and pilots value good flying. While such worldviews are not objectively correct, they serve a vital purpose in individuals' psyches.

It works both ways, of course. Striving for a quality tends to enhance it and that fixation tends to positively distort the quality's worth. This is useful, because it has a tendency to encourage people to develop their unique talents. The artist works to become more creative and the scientist to become more observant.

There is a crucial exception to this tendency. Whenever individuals strive to be something they're not, they act out the axillary to the self-worth principle. This axillary is less influential, but it is also vital in regulating human life. Poor people aspiring to wealth, cubicle-bound employees writing the great American novel and introverts desiring charisma all provide for motion and adaptation in themselves and society.

The balance between these two tendencies mostly leaves people with a net sense of self-worth, but not everyone. I won't pretend like I understand depression, but I will clarify that these are tendencies, not rules impervious to circumstance.