Values

Values are the principles and beliefs that guide a person’s behavior and decisions. People develop values from their experiences in life; they reflect what a person and a society think is most important (there are personal and societal values). Civic education aims to encourage positive values such as honesty, respect, and self-reliance. 

What other positive values can you think of? What negative values can you think of?

Can you think of any situation where values are no longer seen as important?

For example, in some countries, taking and giving bribes to government staff is seen as usual, unlike in the past. Any other examples?

Expanding perspectives

Africa - Global Corruption Barometer for Africa 2019 | Transparency International

Sri Lanka - Fighting corruption in Sri Lanka – Nadishani Perera | International Anti-Corruption Conference 2022

Kenya - https://youtu.be/UrGcQxDixUE?si=VXs9_vz2lPh2BVv6

https://youtu.be/63BHJUTbo2o?si=6WXibw3595OmJgLW

The Culture of Respect in Japan

After watching the videos above, what do you think is the role of the government in protecting societal values? What is the role of the individual? In what way (that you have seen or heard) has your government/society excelled/failed at protecting you and your values? Using the same example above, some countries provide livable wages and work hard to employ diligent government staff, which prevents corruption. If bribes are taken, punishment is immediately carried out - all these work together to support the value system. But in some countries, the opposite happens.  

Which case happens in your country? Think hard on and discuss other examples.

Moral decay (or value erosion) is when important values that are cherished are slowly being abandoned/disappear. 

Read these articles on Moral decay

Medium Article on Moral Decay

The Silent Erosion: Unmasking Value Decay in Modern Society – BeLifeCurious

Can you think of any time when you have seen this in the country you live in? What do you think causes it and what ideas do you have to change this?