Values? What values?

[ddstory]

Since we're about political populism this month, let's talk about values a little bit. This term which is most often used in the plural, and is being so overused in recent times for all sorts of occasions and purposes: from political debates to the regular Sunday sermon, from TV talk-shows to newspaper headlines. Some prefer to put some adjectives

Comments

[dreamville_bg]

But, but, I believe in the modern liberal values! Or at least I'm required to! Otherwise I'd be considered a bigot/hater/caveman/Nazi.

[mahnmut]

Technically, Nazism and fascism are a Western invention. As is communism.

[garote]

What forms of government do you not consider "western inventions"?

[mahnmut]

Absolute monarchy. Theocracy. Hell, even multiethnic empire is not a Western invention.

[policraticus]

So what are these Western values that everyone keeps blabbering about?Rule of Law (This is the bedrock. In my opinion. If you have a stable judicial system that can be trusted to act predictably and with consistency you are more than half way to being "Western

[luzribeiro]

Limited Government

How limited? Like in the US, or like in the UK, or like in France? Or like in Sweden? Or maybe like in Singapore?

Military Power/.Aggression

Like in Russia?

Ps. You omitted "political correctness", "moral high horse" and "hypocrisy".

[policraticus]

How limited?

It's a sliding scale. They all are. The more limited, the better, in my opinion, but the essence is that government is not totalitarian, it allows civil life to exist outside the scope of the state. There are places in civil life where the state has no cause or let.

Like in Russia?

Sure. I never said these were universal goods, or values that could not be turned to foolish or evil ends. Of course, I also said none of these were confined to the "West," so since Russia is failing currently to live up to any number of the other values I've mentioned, perhaps they are falling outside the parameters of the discussion.

"political correctness", "moral high horse" and "hypocrisy".

I admitted there are probably more. Although I think you could put those down to "Affluence" combining with "Toleration" and "Intellectual Freedom." Hypocrisy is a value found only in places where there are homo sapiens.

[luzribeiro]

The more limited, the better, in my opinion

Most of Europe would beg to differ. As would Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and so on and so forth.

[ivankon]

Values - a valuable habits, rules and customs in contrast to the habits, from which it is easy to give up.

[mikeyxw]

"In a nutshell, when we say "Western values" we mostly mean our Western way of life

[underlankers]

Judging by what the West actually does it's a culture of death glorying in pious hypocrisy about freedom even as it in reality is a bunch of parasitical gangsters. The West was born in the bloodbath of the French Reign of Terror and adopts highly selective amnesia because the 20th Century taught Europeans how the White Man's Burden looks applied to them. They are very good at tolerating nonexistent minorities. The USA of course is just a more successful Mexico/Brazil complete with racial castes and now with over fondness for the soldiers.