Sometimes a phrase simply appears in the political discourse. It’s like a memo goes out, because suddenly every talking head is using it in their talking points. Doubtless the intent is to manipulate an opinion in order to obtain a political objective.
One such phrase I’ve been noticing lately is “our values.” A recent letter to the editor complained, “…he did not represent our values in Helena.” President Obama himself has used it: “That is the story of our history…, our commitment to stand up for our values…”
“Our values” sounds so noble, so thoughtful. One might assume that people who use this phrase really care; they are moral, nuanced, and thoughtful. Implied is that there are others who violate “our values.” Those people are immoral mouth breathers. They’re misogynists. Greedy. Eeeevil. They don’t have “our values.”
I would assume that “our values” was focus-grouped. Since most Americans have morals based on a religious premise, I suspect that the phrase is being used to attract them. One political party is traditionally seen as more in step with “values voters,” and as a result the other party desires to attract them by showing they care about “our values” too.
But is it even meaningful to ask what might be the values of 300+ million people? Is it even possible to impute commonality to a diverse group? Kind of like “world opinion” or “the interests of women,” I would assert that “our values” is simply a plausible sounding fiction, a cynical political maneuver.
Or maybe it’s an attempt to redefine “our values.” Traditional values might include self-reliance, fidelity, virtue, and generosity. But these values are frequently portrayed as old-fashioned, quaint relics from a past that never really existed. You see, we are progressing beyond those repressive ideas of yesteryear.
Yes, we have new values now, like equitable distribution of resources, choice, fairness, civility, and reproductive justice, all of which are carefully defined. These values, coupled with the idea that with enough reeducation, money, and with the right people in power, we can make the world a place where everyone is in harmony with each other in a wonderful paradise of unity and purpose.
As a result, in the name of fairness it is quite correct to assert that you have a claim on what belongs to someone else. In the name of equality you are justified in passing judgment on those who are deemed to have benefited excessively from life’s lottery. In the name of justice you should expect that other people will celebrate and subsidize your lifestyle.
In short, other people ought to be required to do things for you.
There is a word for people like this. That word is "child". And while we may love children and want to nurture them, we don't tolerate them running around incessantly demanding their way. We certainly shouldn’t pay for every whim that enters their precious little minds. Nor should we have to endure their inevitable insipid name calling. We are not haters, bigots, or oppressors.
This is the entitlement mentality. This is the world of little brats inside of grownup bodies. This is the product of a narcissistic generation obsessed with whether or not the piece of cake they were given is as big as someone else’s.
Let’s be clear, we are not talking about people with genuine need. You see, America has always been a generous nation, often in spite of government programs wasting our money on every hare-brained scheme someone dreams up. No, we are talking about those who think they have been cheated out of their rightful piece of cake, and want the bully down the street to come over and beat up the person who has a bigger slice.
Thus, “our values” is a way thinking that has nothing to do with a free and moral people. These values are obsessed with puerile things. We are right to reject them.
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