A value system is something without which virtually any culture loses its meaning. Let us try to decipher this definition and explain its importance. A value system is a person’s needs, arranged in a hierarchical order. Something for the individual may be the main thing in his life, and something may be less important, or even completely insignificant. Personality builds its existence in accordance with these values. These are not goals, but directions for movement and development.
It is worth noting that value is not a thing, but rather a personal attitude towards it. In the vast majority of cases, intangible objects are valuable. For example, it can be a family, freedom, health, children and so on. The value system has its own distinctive characteristics. Let's try to consider them all.
- Value orientations are very dynamic. They are constantly being transformed. Throughout life, a person can significantly modify their value system. Here you can make a general conclusion. Value orientations change under the influence of time and various circumstances. This applies not only to the individual, but to all of humanity. For example, the value system of people living in wartime differs significantly from the same system in a prosperous and prosperous society. Priority needs of a person can change very dramatically. For example, most people do not care about their health, but when serious problems occur, it becomes paramount.
- The value system is in fact always subjective. It is determined by the individual characteristics of each individual person. Values can be passed on from generation to generation. For example, if work was a priority area for parents, in most cases their child will rely on this guideline. Or you can pay attention to historical examples. Previously, being a defender of the Fatherland was very prestigious. Children became the successors of their parents, choosing military service.
- The system of human values can be formed under the ideological influence of the state. For example, in our era of capitalism, more and more people choose not spiritual, but material guidelines. A value system can also be formed in opposition to the ideological policy of the government. For example, under a harsh totalitarian regime, some people begin to realize the true value of freedom and fight for it.
- The system under consideration is formed, rather, with the help of an emotional rather than rational approach. That is, it should be remembered that a person receives satisfaction and joy from the values he has chosen. For example, for one individual, family is great happiness, and for another, work. That is, a person receives the meaning of his existence and at the same time great joy from life.
A value system can be not only individual. In each country there are certain guidelines for further development. The system of values of Russian culture has undergone significant changes many times. In the modern world, in a predominant number of cases, landmarks are directed, as it were, inward. That is, a person appreciates his individual freedom, health, and children. While, for example, in the USSR, landmarks were shifted outward. That is, people cared about the general well-being of the state, about the successful development of the country.
It is worth mentioning that Christianity significantly influenced Russian value systems. In the old days, people often considered religiosity to be the main value of God, and still these traditions have a strong influence on modern man. However, at the moment, more tangible and tangible landmarks are more popular.