Well--today's major discussion topic was personal values, and their 
origin and development.  Epistemology and metaphysics also came up.
There seems to be no doubt that we are a highly principled group
(most of us) but it was interesting to me how much people felt that
they had developed their own value systems, through introspection,
or analysis, or whatever, as opposed to having accepted some
pre-existing "value-system."  No one took the bait of my suggestion
that univerities brainwash innocent girls into becoming feminist
ideologues... (actually, I was paraphrasing.)

5 responses total.

I doubt that anyone accepts every aspect of any single "belief system".
I'd consider any person's interpretation of any such system to be just
that: an intrepretation.  Other folks may think differently, of course.  >8)

It was very interesting to me to find Louis Raths' model of clarifying one's
values.  He suggests there are 7 levels of the process of valuing.
1. Prizing and cherishing one's beliefs and behaviors.
2.  Publicly affirming them, when appropriate.
#.  Choosing one's beliefs from alternatives. 
4.  Choosing after consideration of consequences.
5.  Choosing freely.
6.  Acting on one's beliefs.
7.  Acting with a pattern, consistency and repetition.

In other words, we may cherish our belief in freedom of speech, but there are
six more levels in the process, the final one of which leads to behaving like
Keosha Thomas [I think that's her name] who got national press for protecting
a Klan supporter from being beaten during a protest last summer in A2. She
is a young African-American high school student. (or was at the time).  

Number 2 above is interesting.  It does seem as if the whole idea of
values is often associated with some group, such as a church, or the NRA,
in the context of which people can display their values, and have them
approved and validated.  I'd like to think that you could be independent
and discreet and still have a value system, though.

Rath was doing his work in the 60s, and was interested in values clarification
in the k-12 environment.  He was assuredly not promoting any existing
structure, but helping people figure out their *own* values.  Thus his
concept that we must choose our values after we know alternative
possibilities, that we understand the consequences, and that we choose freely.

There is a good book  called "Values Clarification, Teachers Edition" by
Simon, HOwe and Kirschenbaum, that includes 79 activities and strategies for
getting groups to facilitate the clarification process for their members. 
Little Professor can get it for you, it is still in print 20 years later. 

resp:0

> ...univerities brainwash innocent girls into becoming feminist
> ideologues.

Prophetic.

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