We Become What We Choose to Admire | Why Values Shape Society
What Exactly Deserves Our Admiration? I believe we can learn something about our values by noticing whom we praise—and what we praise them for. We may admire wealth, beauty, intelligence, courage, generosity, or careful work. Sometimes several qualities attract us at once. Achievement deserves attention. But a visible result does not explain the whole path that produced it. Before holding someone up as an example, it helps to ask: What specific quality do I want to learn from this person? The answer makes admiration more thoughtful. It turns a general wish to resemble someone into a quality we can examine and practice. Separate the Person, the Result, and the Method Admiration can become unclear when these three things blend together. We see an impressive result, assume the method was admirable, and then treat the person as a guide to every part of life. Each deserves a separate question. What was achieved? How was it achieved? What do we actually know...