For those that don't know, Ralph Williams is a legendary professor at the University of Michigan. He gave is final, final formal lecture last week. He spoke about many things, but in that lecture and in the lecture he gave as the capstone of the "Of Human Bonding" class, he made reference to the devastating, complicated and exceptional moment in history we currently live in. I am going to attempt to organize my core beliefs in advance commencing my first position after being a full-time student. I feel as if I--and others of course--don't know what they hold as their core beliefs beauty shall never hold a plea.
I'll start with a list, and then try to cull out the beliefs even further. This will take several iterations, I suspect.
Core Beliefs:
People are good. At the very least they are more good than wicked.
Life is valuable.
Everything does not happen for a reason, but there are reasons for what happens.
Listening is more important than speaking and following is more important than leading.
Heuristics:
The big-4 (in no particular order)
Try really, really, really hard.
If it is at all possible, show love and respect (my understanding of the golden rule).
Give others the benefit of the doubt.
Be honest (to the self and to others).
Do not be fooled by seemingly paradoxical situations. For example, do not think long-term or short-term...do both.
Do not settle.
Act deliberately.
Now, to meditate on these and then try to see how the beliefs and the heuristics clash and coalesce. What values will emerge from these beliefs and heuristics?
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