What the heck are "Western Values?"
Added 2022-01-12 13:14:03 +0000 UTCTime and time again, I've heard this phrase: "Western values." And while I mostly knew what The West is, I did NOT know what "Western Values" exactly were. However, over time I grew to understand that it was a phrase increasingly used in more sinister ways, and it indeed has become a dog whistle to folks to promote xenophobia and nationalism, two things which I despise. Therefore, I thought making this video was necessary, especially since apparently no one else has.
One final note. I reference my cat, Ellie in it. This was recorded before she passed away on New Year's Eve. She was a great cat (and a great producer ha!). We had her for nearly 19 years, and I still miss her every day.
Thank you for your continued support!
Comments
We have yet to replace her, but likely will soon. I'm glad you dug this one enough to watch it again. 🙂
Mr. Beat
2022-05-23 01:54:10 +0000 UTCI just watched this one again. I really liked the graphics you used in this one! Liked the clean look of video clips in the TV frame. I like "values". And again, sorry about your kitty 😺. Hope you found a good replacement. (Hope that isn't too insensitive...pets are family members.)
Gael Guerard
2022-05-23 01:46:54 +0000 UTCWell put, and I appreciate the supportive words about my cat!
Mr. Beat
2022-01-17 18:47:30 +0000 UTCSorry to hear about your kitty. I have two myself and value the relationship I have with them. Good video topic. I do tend to think that people throw around that term “western values” to further their political agenda because it’s easier to scape goat outsiders for economic decline than it is to examine the real problems of it like automation and outsourcing.
Naterade
2022-01-17 17:16:11 +0000 UTCSounds like another great video idea!
Mr. Beat
2022-01-15 18:59:51 +0000 UTCThis is not directly related to values being assigned to compass points, but the term "middle east", that's a real beauty. What does it even mean.
George Kingston
2022-01-15 00:02:07 +0000 UTCThank you Aseef. I try! And yeah, I find PragerU's and Ben's two favorite fallacies are "cherry-picking" and "strawman" at this point.
Mr. Beat
2022-01-13 14:33:32 +0000 UTCGreat video, though. I appreciate your level headed perspective. It’s what makes these videos so great.
Aseef Ismail
2022-01-13 13:33:39 +0000 UTCWhat? Something on PragerU / something Ben Shapiro said was “simply not true”?? Color me shocked.
Aseef Ismail
2022-01-13 13:32:46 +0000 UTCIt’s called ‘the fall of the west’. I may have stretched it a bit when I said it was about western values, but it does talk about them in the first chapter. It’s by Adrian Goldsworthy
Ralph W. Kelly
2022-01-13 13:30:12 +0000 UTCHoly crap what book?
Mr. Beat
2022-01-13 13:28:43 +0000 UTCAnother great video! Coincidence: I watched this on my phone in a random room in my house, I saw out of the corner of my eye a book about western values
Ralph W. Kelly
2022-01-13 13:26:41 +0000 UTCThat theory makes a lot of sense. I ought to talk one of the prehistory folks like Stefan Milo or David Miano into making a video on the topic.
Mr. Beat
2022-01-13 13:05:45 +0000 UTCIts a good question and signs show this didnt just spring up from one place as many tribes across the word have heavily misogynistic ideals. these tribes are unrelated to each other. my theory is that it is a consequence of when men take advantage of nature then abuse it in large groups.
Devin Canada
2022-01-13 03:47:58 +0000 UTCThanks Devin! Yeah these values are (mostly) pretty awesome, and I think most of the world gets that.
Mr. Beat
2022-01-12 17:32:46 +0000 UTCI think these are all values I...uh..also value. :)
Mr. Beat
2022-01-12 17:32:01 +0000 UTCWow, that is crazy. Then again, where did the men get those misogynistic ideas to begin with? I am genuinely curious about that.
Mr. Beat
2022-01-12 17:31:08 +0000 UTCI thought this video was excelent, i love how you conclueded waht most people who say Western values think, i freeked out when i heard some people clame western values are raciest. Thank you for a excelent video.
Devin Canada
2022-01-12 16:22:54 +0000 UTCMy favorate western value is freedom of speech. but one you didnt mention is as the now dieing uplifting of women. like the man walking on the trafic side, holding the door open, and letting a women sit. i think that is unique compared to what i experanced in other parts of the world and read about. My favorate souther value if Zambia counts as sothern is the sex ed, Zambians in premartial counsalling are not shy on discussing sex to couples preparing to get married, this might not seem importiant but to a nation that has moved toward the "christian value" of saving yourself till marriage it has been a very valueble thing, it has also made sex ed in school less relevant then it is here, (its still taught but in school but not to the extreme as here.) The premartial counsalling is a combined effort as well both pastors and elders commit to it. My favorate eastern value, I dont know if this is a value per say but i have a book written by a dishonorable samurai who was so abusing his office, his family in order to punish him for the embarresment built a cell in their home to put him in till he turned himself around. China I both envy and fear their value of work ethic, i could never do it, but i have a love hate for it. they way they value work is bad in that it kills people but good too in that it discourages people from putting in a less then good effort. This value is shared in India as well.
Devin Canada
2022-01-12 16:20:11 +0000 UTCI dont think the word western is such a big deal. A story though. While in Zambia, they told me that in the tribal days a Women was expected to work the feild with the man, she was to come home and cook while the man rested, she then had the kneel before the man when serving food. (some homes still do the kneeling part to this day.) and the wife was still required to perform sex afterwords. The influence of europe altered much of that and gave more liberation to women in Zambia. Today that liberation keeps growing and young gen Z's in zambia often have the same lifestyle as those in the US.
Devin Canada
2022-01-12 16:07:21 +0000 UTCWould the reform movements still take place if "the west" never held a dominant place in the world?
Devin Canada
2022-01-12 15:51:30 +0000 UTCI haven't finished yet but I got curious. You challenged bens assertion only on the science part but what about the other three? Second is there any example of a culture having all those listed values at once not influenced by Europe.
Devin Canada
2022-01-12 15:47:16 +0000 UTCI personally feel it was right on and needed to be said by someone. I think most people are looking for truth to be said. Kind of like the "Emperor's New Clothes".
Gael Guerard
2022-01-12 15:33:09 +0000 UTCI'm glad the video had impact on you. To be honest, I'm not sure how this video is going to be received. Part of me thinks that I am being nit picky, but definitions and WORDS matter. :)
Mr. Beat
2022-01-12 15:23:28 +0000 UTCThank you so much
Mr. Beat
2022-01-12 15:22:22 +0000 UTCWow Matt! What a good video--and I opening. I really had the wrong idea in my heard about the term "Western Values". If anything I would call what I support is "Human Values". There were many good comparisons and explanations. I have watched many of the speakers you showed clips of and though agreeing with much of what they said would also not feel comfortable with it. I want to support "Human Values", not "Western Values". It's now my goal to never use that term again. Thanks much for this video--one of my favorites so far!
Gael Guerard
2022-01-12 14:36:35 +0000 UTCMatt, I'm so sorry on your recent loss of Ellie. 19 years--i can only imagine how sad your loss is for you and your family.
Gael Guerard
2022-01-12 13:36:21 +0000 UTC
