Values

As I grew up I was exposed to many different sets of values. I find this an incredible advantage and often feel sorry for people only exposed to one set of values.

First I was exposed to Republican White Blue Collar Values. This was my life from about birth to High School. However, in college I was exposed to extreme liberal views as well as moderate views. This tempered my libertarian Republican upbringing. Then as I grew older I traveled to other countries especially India, Nepal, Thailand and Japan. In comparison to the U.S. this was sort of like going to a whole new planet because perceptions really were that different then than the U.S. Later I also went to Europe and was surprised at how different people in Europe saw the world than we in the U.S.

I think people (if they are able to) should travel and expose themselves to different values and ideas than those they grew up with. I have noticed an extreme ethnocentrism especially in the midwest and south of the U.S. People there usually have no idea just how ethnocentric they really are until they go somewhere else even if it is somewhere like California or New York or Chicago or London, or Paris or Rome. Then often their minds get blown by realizing just how different people are in the way they think in the rest of the world from where they are from.

Realizing that each point of view is relevant to wherever people live helps people everywhere share ideas about everything. So, in this way at least the internet is a useful tool for people to share points of view and ideas regarding almost anything that live all over the Earth.

All the points of view made me more moderate in my thinking not only in regard to the U.S. but also in regard to how people all over the world are intelligent and resourceful in a myriad of ways. I found in reality that all cultures are intelligent but often they value slightly different things than each other. And in understanding that there are good reasons for this it is easier for each of us to understand each other all over the Earth better.