According to Believe In Mind, cultural values are the shared beliefs, norms, and practices that guide the behavior and attitudes of a group of people (1). They are deep-rooted ideologies in these groups that influence how they communicate and interact with the world. While they are instilled into many cultures, they are flexible, making them susceptible to change.
Now, values are not to be confused with beliefs. Values are a culture's standard for what should be prioritized, while beliefs are convictions that people consider to be true. Values can help a society understand what should be sought after and what should be avoided (2). Consider values as a suggestion to how people should live, even if that isn't a reality. Values often paint this picture of an ideal culture, which is far off from what is actually true. (4)
Origins
Many of you may be wondering how cultural values originate. Cultural values originate through several ways (or a combination of them):
Religion: a lot of values come from religion. Any values that are emphasized in a religion often transfer over to a society or group of people that are a part of that religion.
Language/Ethnicity: having a similar background can strengthen cultural connections.
History: history often has a huge impact on a culture's values, since they can take what they've learned in their history and apply it to their society in order to prepare themselves better.
Environment: depending on the environment where a group of people live, it can affect their living conditions and what they value most.
What is their purpose?
Cultural values serve as a way we can connect with our community and interpret the world around us. Cultural values can hold a community together since they will all have a shared outlook on life. Additionally, they help us interact with the world around us since they give us a sort of guide on how to live our lives.
Examples of Cultural Values
The United States of America values individualism and freedom above all. This can be traced back to the foundation that the country was built upon. When creating the Declaration of Independence, they emphasized that anyone could have the right to the pursuit of happiness. This emphasizes the idea that anyone can make their own decisions and pursue their own goals. Additionally, in trying to get more people to move there, the United States promoted this idea of the American Dream, emphasizing the idea that anyone can achieve their dreams through hard work, no matter their background. This promoted the idea of individual choice and the freedom to make this decision and work towards it. (5)
The Japanese value a high work ethic. This can be traced back to several influences. The concepts of Ganbaru and Gaman are instilled in the Japanese. Ganbaru means doing your best, which is taken to the extreme when it comes to work. Gaman, on the other hand, means to endure the unbearable with patience. Both of these are taught to them at a young age, leading the Japanese to take these concepts to the workplace (6). The education system is also a huge contributor to this ideology. The education system emphasizes discipline, perseverance, and respect for authority, which carries over to the workplace. Finally, economic pressure and work ethic, in general, is a huge motivating factor for this thinking. (7)
Indians value education above all. If we go back to ancient Indian education, we can see that all texts and different education considered education as they key to understanding the universe and self-liberalization. Additionally, it's also due to their history. In the past, an average person living in India would not be able to afford a comfortable lifestyle unless they pursued an education. Staying in retail jobs or jobs that were on the more artistic or humanities sides did not pay well whatsoever. Parents wanted their children to have the best life they could achieve, so they often pushed them to pursue higher education in order for them to achieve that comfortable lifestyle. This is no longer true, but the value of education has been passed down for generations, which explains the importance of education in India
Conclusion
Values have been instilled into the minds of youth for ages in various cultures. These values have contributed many positive things to future generations, but they've also contributed various negative aspects. A culture that promotes values does so with the intention of helping guide others, but the people in those cultures can often take this to the extreme. Instead of respecting other values and cultures, some people may refuse to even attempt to understand their perspective and force their own values.
People often forget that values vary worldwide. While it's important to respect one's own values, it's also important to respect the values of other cultures. Values aren't set in stone, so even taking the time to listen to other values can positively influence one's own values. The important thing is to not only honor your own values, but to also respect the values of other people.
References
What are Cultural Values? A Comprehensive Guide for All (believeinmind.com)
Cultural values are a web of linked concepts, fixed in time and space. (anthropologyreview.org)
Cultural Norms, Values, and Beliefs: Values and Beliefs | Saylor Academy
Japanese Work Ethic - Why Japan Has Such A Great Work Ethic (thejapaneseway.com)
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