Childhood values

Thinking whilst on the throne, I remembered an experience from the age of about 6 or 7. We were assembled in the main play hall which seemed absolutely huge at the time, and split into small groups to be taught. At that age, you don't really question why you are no longer in the class room, you just accept the opportunity to be away from the desk.

Gathered around in a group of 5 or so, we were assigned to what appeared to be a teacher, around a small board on which we would stick pieces of paper with words written on them. The catch was that we first had to bid for these words with Monopoly money. The words all represented a value, so for example we could bid for "Good Job", "Nice House", "Good Family", "Good Health", "Happiness". There were two of each, meaning there was an element of competition for what could be considered the best. Here's the twist, I bid all of my money on "Good Job" which of course the Charity worker or whatever she was chose to "talk" with me about. She asked if that really was the best value...

In my best possible articulated words I tried to explain that a Good Job meant I was ambitious, and could thusly afford the Nice House and Good health. The Good Family and Happiness were not something I would ever choose to try to buy with money. Of course she didn't get it, and tried to install the values of happiness over money upon me. I never thought about it until earlier today, but it struck me that we often try to force our values on to others. Even if our values may help them in a myriad of ways. Yet often a person has to experience failure before they are willing to succeed. Not all of us has an inbuilt drive to achieve. It is a lack of compassion that compels us to not allow our loved ones to experience failure, because if we did, even though it is difficult, we would be doing them a service.