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This is http://www.essayz.com/a8909051.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %IDENTIFY TRANSCEND VALUES IDEALS HEALTH INTEGRITY 890905 When we are sick and confused it is not easy to identify the transcendent values and ideals which would lead us out of our confusion and ill health. When we are very sick we cannot wisely prescribe the way to recover health, for serious sickness impairs our ability to perceive and understand our own condition of sickness. The essence of understanding is the clear perception of differences, and in serious sickness our perception becomes clouded and indistinct; confused, parts fused together so that they cannot be distinguished. That which is not perceived clearly cannot be communicated truly. Our sickness is serious when we cannot perceive the difference between our self and others; when the boundaries between us and others are clouded, indistinct, and confused. In serious sickness we cannot know ourselves and be true to ourselves because we cannot clearly perceive the differences between our own selves and others. When we cannot perceive such differences, we can not truly represent them. Clear perception, understanding and communication of important differences entails integrity all around. If there is no unifying/integrative principle which distinguishes "A" from "B", then we cannot clearly perceive, understand or communicate "A" and "B" as distinct realities; no matter what sort of realities may be entailed. If we ourselves lack integrity through some form of disintegrative sickness, our perception is bound to be clouded, confused, and lack understanding; and so also must be our communications. If those with whom we would be in communication lack integrity, our efforts at communicating with them will be frustrated by their inability to perceive and understand the differences to which we point; even if we do so with great clarity and elegance of expression. Even if we express the truth clearly, our effort is futile if it is not apprehended clearly. When the personal relationships in a community are sick and confused, it is difficult for the community to identify the transcendent values and ideals which would lead it out of its confusion and ill health. When a community is very sick, it cannot wisely prescribe the way to recover health; for serious communal sickness impairs all members' ability to perceive and understand the pervasive condition of their sickness. Serious communal sickness entails confusion about ideals and values, and about the consequences of being dedicated to the dominant ideals and values which leaders in the community embody. Such confusion can extend to confusion about the difference between ideals and values on the one hand; and techniques and technologies on the other hand. When technocrats are respected as wise leaders because of their technical abilities, it is not clear that there are any differences between ideals and techniques, or between values and technologies. When confusion is so complete that such differences are obscured, a community will have great difficulty in dealing with its sickness. All sicknesses undermine both personal and communal health and well-being. Transcendent values and ideals lead the way towards both personal and communal health and well-being; pervasive integrity. When values which are not transcendent are treated as if they were transcendent, they lead towards both personal and communal disintegration in many forms of sickness and illness; i.e., being poor in mind, heart, spirit, and body. It may be easier to point to characteristics of values and ideals which are not transcendent, than to point to characteristics of transcendent values. Transcendent values do not lead people and communities in ways that lead to their disintegration. Transcendent values do not lead people and communities to behave in ways which lead to many forms of malnutrition, sickness, perverted relationships, coercion, dishonesty, violence, personal manipulations, etc. Transcendent values do not lead people to justify their actions upon narrow and highly specialized considerations, rather than upon comprehensive and integrative considerations. The first step towards identifying and respecting transcendent values is to recognize that many values and ideals which are treated with the ultimate of respect are in practice disintegrative in effect. It is foolish to respect values and ideals which sound good in theory, but which in practice lead to personal and communal disintegration. It is important to recognize that respected people in sick communities often are lead by disintegrative values and ideals. Respectability is not a reliable measure of values and ideals in a community where dishonesty and personal manipulations are honored. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================