Values
I have learnt to value certain ideas over others in my time in the education system and as an adolescent. According to the Values Activity in the Butterfly Effect site, my most important values are equality, courage and recognition. I agreed with the wording of the statements that correlated with these values, however I would change the titles they were given to better suit my morals and values. I would reword these three important values as opportunity, respect and recognition.
Why do I value these three abstract ideas over the other 23 in the values activity? I found that by finding these three ideas in my own life and working toward making those ideas a reality I have gained the ability to speak up for myself in personal, academic and social settings, as well as provide others with a chance to build themselves up to a version of themselves that they admire.
The three values that I found least important in the Values Activity were tradition, spiritual growth and responsibility. I do not believe the statements are accurately represented with the one-word titles they are given. Tradition fits rather well, the belief that old methods should be respected at all costs. I believe it is important to teach, pass on and respect traditions but not get so stuck in them that we inhibit growth in the process. This is why it is one of my less important values.
Spiritual growth, or the “[importance of seeking] a connection to a higher purpose” does not conflict with me on a spiritual level, if individuals believe that a higher purpose of power is doing them good, I will do nothing to stop them from achieving that help. I disagree with the importance of seeking this higher purpose. I have no hard beliefs, but I do believe that not everything can be searched for, there are some things that just must be found along the way.
I believe that responsibility is important, I want to make that clear; however, the statement speaks of people “voluntarily” doing what is expected of them. I do not believe that responsibility comes voluntarily to all. Everyone has something they must do that they would rather not. I believe that responsibility can be dependent on an incentive and that is equally valuable if it is dealt with healthily. As an example, many people don’t enjoy certain aspects of their job, however there is a monetary incentive. Another example could be when a child does not want to brush their teeth, so a parent or caregiver gives them a sticker when they brush their teeth. Therefore the way the value was worded did not help me resonate with it.
A situation relating to both the value of “recognition” and my Action that I will focus on was closing night of the Best Players Production of A Midsummer Nights Dream in Spring of 2024 when I had made little keepsakes from ticket stubs for all of the graduating Cast and Crew as a token of appreciation for all the hard work and teaching they had passed on through the legacy teaching system of the Drama and Technical Theatre divisions.
A future situation where I might employ the “recognition” value might be when I get a role in choosing, casting and placing cast and crew in specific roles during performances. Those who have been around and worked hard to make a name for themselves get recognition and reward for their actions in the form of larger and more important roles.
United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals
Of the 17 sustainability development goals, quality education best aligns with my action and my values. Opportunity and ability to be educated in area you wish to receive education is important to me. My passion however is responsible consumption and production. I care deeply about how I will leave the world. I want to leave a mark; however, I do not want that mark to be made with waste and destruction. Creating as little waste as I am currently possible as well as making the world just a little bit more beautiful sustainably is what I wish to accomplish in life.
The action I am taking in being a stage manager that will address these two goals are outreach and sharing of my found knowledge. We set up an Instagram account and have sent home consent forms to be signed by both the student and a parent or guardian to eventually post photos and updates, as well as help with outreach of the Drama and Technical Theatre departments. I am keeping a notebook “handbook” of all the little tips, tricks and information I wish I had known sooner. All the useful information I could think of I am compiling into a “Stage Manager’s guide” for future Stage Managers, techs or crew who need it.
These are my values, and I will speak more on the Action I am and will be taking in the next blog post.
Melea Chew Roberts
I really resonate with your point about quality education aligning with your values and actions – education is such a powerful tool for creating opportunities and fostering growth. Your commitment to outreach and share knowledge as a stage manager is inspiring, especially the idea of leaving a sustainable, positive impact.
However, I found your perspective on *spiritual growth* intriguing but would have to kindly disagree. While I understand that seeking a higher purpose isn’t everyone’s priority, I believe that personal growth, in any form – including spiritual – can offer valuable insights and meaning in life. Even if it’s not about connecting to something “higher,” it could be about exploring one’s inner self or values in a deeper way. Would love to hear more about what you think about this angle!
Also, your “Stage Manager’s Guide” sounds like an amazing resource! What format are you planning for it – will it be a physical notebook, a digital PDF, or maybe even an online blog or guide? If you’re looking for more inspiration, you might enjoy checking out https://smnetwork.org, an online community for stage managers. It could be a great resource to build on your project!
Looking forward to your next post!
Laura
Hey Laura,
I enjoyed hearing your perspective on the importance of spiritual growth and agree with what you have expressed. I do not believe I made myself clear the reason why I disagree with the value titled “spiritual growth,” and any misunderstanding that may have caused is my mistake.
The description of this value in the values activity was “I believe it is important for people to seek* connection to a higher purpose.”
Although I agree with your opinion that exploring a higher power or an inner value is important and can provide meaningful insights, my disagreement with the importance of “spiritual growth” (as described by the values activity) was that all enlightenments of any form had to be searched for*.
My rough and flexible belief is that there are two ways to learn a lesson. The easy way, where you go looking for an answer with the help of resources and community, and the hard way, where choices or mistakes that an individual makes leads to a life lesson that had to be learnt. The outcome of both the easy and hard way of learning a lesson is positive, although one takes more of an emotional, mental or spiritual toll than the other.
I hope this clears up the reason why I do not feel as connected to the “spiritual growth” value as the others.
After deliberation and consulting members of my crew, I concluded that a physical notebook would be the best way to document and pass down the information and lessons I have learnt in my time as a stage manager.
Most of the information I have to share is specific to the Charles Best stage and technical theatre department, therefore was not intended to be shared with the world as a one-for-all guide. Because of its personal and specific nature, Digital PDFs and online blogs would be harder to access and reference when in the middle of a hands-on task. A small handbook that can be carried or stored in the theatre space might prove more useful than an online resource.
Thank you for sharing your opinion and the website I may use to continue my action!
Melea Chew Roberts