New material and spiritual values: what is important for people in the 21st century

In this article we will tell you:

Concept of value
Examples of material assets
Spiritual values in human life
Table of material and spiritual values
New material and spiritual values in the 21st century
The golden mean between material and spiritual values
5 factors influencing the composition of material and spiritual values
3 ways to understand your life values

Time does not stand still; technology has long been integrated into our lives, making it easier and at the same time complicating it. Much is changing, new material and spiritual values are appearing. What priorities are of particular importance to a modern person? And what exactly – morality or more mundane things – should you pay attention to?

Each of us is individual, therefore we all have our own value system. In this article, we have displayed the main points regarding material and spiritual landmarks, highlighting those that are of particular importance for a resident of the modern world. At the end of the material, you will be introduced to three ways to find out your key values, which determine your entire life path.

Concept of value

What are values? This is the importance, significance, benefit, usefulness of something. Externally, value appears as a property of an object or phenomenon. This should not be confused with price. Although sometimes price is directly related to it, these are still two words completely independent of each other.

Here is the most important thing to understand: value is something that a person determines for himself independently. Perhaps what is important to one may be completely insignificant to another.

Let us consider the main purpose of all material and spiritual values created by man. Thanks to the values:

everything unimportant gradually disappears from life;
it becomes clear which things are worth paying attention to first and which can be postponed;
you can determine the steps that need to be taken to achieve your goal;
It’s much easier to make a life plan;
it is easier to find a common language with people and establish business and friendly contacts;
manages to live in harmony with oneself and others;
life becomes more interesting, and many difficulties are easily overcome.

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Types of valuables:

Material (life). They can be divided into 2 subgroups: simple and higher order. The simplest include food, clothing, home and those items that are necessary in everyday life. Of a higher order are the material elements with the help of which man influences nature.
Spiritual. These include the inner world of a person and its content.

Values as the basis of culture

Values are the most important element of culture and society; they can be called spiritual guides of social life. Therefore, values form the basis of society and culture.

Cultural and social values surround us everywhere and regulate all aspects of our lives. And the emergence of values is associated with the emergence of the first communities of people.

Values contribute to the emergence in an individual of value knowledge and attitude towards the phenomena of the surrounding reality. In this regard, people form value judgments based on values (for example, we call an action a bad or good deed). People also develop a sense of duty based on values.

An example of how values lead to proper behavior in society is as follows: if a person values the life of animals, then it becomes his duty to take care of a stray pet. Therefore, a value attitude is the embodiment of values on the part of society and people through actions, beliefs, ideas, events, actions, etc.

It is important to note that those objects that are carriers of value can mean a lot to those who value them, but at the same time have no meaning to other people (for example, a child's drawing or an amulet).

To find out what cultural and social values are characteristic of different communities, it is necessary to understand what these communities valued, respected, revered, admired, and in the name of which they performed feats.

As a rule, the answer to this question is contained in the multifaceted cultural heritage that humanity has left us. This includes not only records in the archives and memoirs of our ancestors, but also other traces, cultural monuments that contain the value of centuries, which primarily includes works of art.

Literary works, theatrical performances, architecture, painting, cinema - these are the “cultural storehouses” that store fragments of values cultivated by people throughout the development of society in different countries.

In this regard, we can conclude that the values of communities are expressed in art, laws, rituals, and language. For example, to find out what the Japanese, Americans or Swedes value, we need to get to know their customs, traditions, fairy tales, cinema, theater, poetry, and so on.

Values as the basis of society

Values have been formed within different areas of people’s lives, especially in those that are especially significant to them: religion, politics, health, society, nature, art, and so on.

A society characterized by a coherent system of values shared by the majority is considered strong and stable.

The system of values in this case comprehensively regulates all aspects of life (social structure, economics, politics, education, etc.) and does not cause internal contradictions. An example of a stable value system can be any culture that existed for a long time and created many unique creations (the culture of Ancient Greece, the culture of Ancient Egypt, Soviet culture, etc.).

But when one culture is replaced by another, the values of the emerging society contradict the old values. In this case, a revaluation of values occurs, which is often accompanied by a value (spiritual) crisis. Medieval culture, modern culture, and modern digital culture were born in a similar way.

No less dramatic is the constant value conflict between generations, when adults do not understand the aspirations, significance, prospects, goals, and ideas of the younger generation. At the same time, the development of the entire culture of mankind is nothing more than a repeated reassessment of values, the promotion of new ideals, standards of behavior.

Consequently, values constitute the most important layer of any society; they create the spiritual, ideological basis of culture.

The role of values in human life and society

Values are the ideological basis of culture and society, therefore they play a vital role in the life of society and individuals. In order to reveal the role of values, let's consider the functions that they perform in society and in people's lives. Values perform the following social and cultural functions.

a) Values are a guideline, a beacon, a motivator for people’s activities (they help people navigate life, act in accordance with significant ideas and concepts, plan and implement their life path, encourage action, choose the right decision for people).

b) Values set criteria, a scale of evaluation and attitudes towards phenomena, processes, and events occurring around them (they form normative judgments and a sense of duty, make priority values, laws of society, etc. relevant).

c) Values unite communities, maintain social order and ideologically strengthen members of the team (they unite and unite society, maintain a spiritual connection in communities).
d) Values coordinate internal relationships within groups of people (they determine forms of acceptable behavior, regulate the system of relationships in society, including relations between individuals and communities, individuals and the state, authorities, churches, etc.)

System of life values in your life

The system of life values of each person is determined by a certain not very large list of values. This set of values is very individual. It is he who determines your life.

Every person has a set of 3-5 main values, which he uses as a tool to build his life. Everyone receives their benefits in life only thanks to their values. One person makes a living by going to war, another by building a business, and a third by acting in films.

The basic values of a person determine the path of life and the way of implementation in life.

Value system for men and women

The debate about gender differences is currently very active. But it is difficult to deny the influence of historical and biological factors on the formation of value ideas. According to statistics, the desire, first of all, to build a career, gain high social status and material well-being is characteristic of the male part of humanity. Women's physiology and psychology implies bringing to the fore the desire to realize oneself as a mother and wife.

However, speaking not in general, but in particular, everything that concerns internal beliefs is a purely individual issue.

Examples of material assets

Man has always sought to surround himself with objects that would make his existence much more comfortable and easier. That is why various material values were invented, which are an important part of the life of any person.

Material values are a collection of objects, money, property, the significance of which for a person is very great. For example, these include cars, real estate, gold and valuable jewelry, fur products, various equipment and furniture.

For some, these benefits are a vital necessity and even a goal; others can live with the minimum, but still be absolutely happy. But in any case, material values are, to one degree or another, important and necessary for everyone.

What is included in inventories?

Material inventories, in particular, include finished products, goods for sale, food, medicines and dressings, fuels and lubricants, construction materials, soft equipment and other inventories (clause 99 of the Instructions for the use of the unified chart of accounts, approved.

Interesting materials:

How much maternity capital did you add? How many dollars can you take out of Azerbaijan? How long should laminate flooring last? How long should parquet lie before installation? How much should a suitcase weigh on an airplane? How much should a man weigh if he is 170 cm tall? How much should a child weigh? How much should an employer pay when laying off? How long should it take to dry the body? How much should a girl weigh at 12 years old?

Spiritual values in human life

Spiritual values are a person’s ideas about good and evil, about ethics, formed by an era, religion, environment, nation. There are people who believe that such ideas cannot be changed. But at the moment we can say that this is a rather contradictory and, rather, incorrect statement.

Let's take the most basic example. Time does not stand still, everything around changes, so it is impossible to compare the spiritual values of peasants in pre-revolutionary Russia and what is important now for a modern citizen. The same applies to comparisons of different religions, for example, Islam and Christianity.

For a large number of people, spiritual values are primarily fundamental. They can be divided into 3 types:

Universal. This is all that is important for everyone - health, family, etc.
Moral. Responsibility for your thoughts and actions.
Aesthetic. They are directly related to art.

Spiritual values include love, friendship, sympathy, respect for others, self-worth, faith, and creativity. We can't live without it. Thanks to these values, a comfortable and calm world is created around us, we understand the importance of some events or things and exist in harmony.

List of basic personality values by category

As you go through the steps of finding your personal priorities, it is important not to miss key categories. The proposed list is simply a list of values.

You need to treat it freely. After all, personal values change throughout life; they depend on your point of view, knowledge and experience.

Development values

Analysis
Vision
Attentiveness
Flexibility
Foresight
Delegation
Intelligence
Books
Personal growth
Logics
Skills
Reliability
Non-standard
Update
Education
Awareness
Mindfulness
Imitation
Habits
Thoughtfulness
Insight
Reflections
Self-education
Meaning
Concentration
Capabilities
Structure
Focus
Accuracy
Mind
Uniqueness
Control
Character
Target
Definition
Efficiency

Material values

Assets
Ambition
Business
Wealth
Things
Power
Benefit
Winning
Domination
Case
Money
House
Achievement
Income
Jewelry
Legality
Fame
Investments
Innovation
Capital
Comfort
Competition
Uncertainty
Possession
Purchases
Benefit
Superiority
Enterprise
Entrepreneurship
Prestige
Profitability
Acquisition
Space
Strength
Risk
Luxury
Height
Own
Stability
Status
Ambition

Self-realization. Purpose. The purpose of life

Autonomy
Antifragility
Wellbeing
Greatness
Contribution
Imagination
Demand
Call
Globality
Celebrity
Knowledge
Significance
Significance
Individuality
Mastery
Performance
Study
Career
Quality
Competence
Creativity
Leadership
Mastery
Motivation
Independence
Victory
Accountability
Subsequence
Vocation
Professionalism
Separation
Management
Technicality
Triumph
Hard work
Satisfaction
Improvement
Service
Success
Determination
Expansion
Enthusiasm

Spiritual values

Asceticism
Limitlessness
Serenity
Care
Awe
God
Being
Harmony
Depth
Unity
Common sense
True
Space
Ease
Curiosity
Wisdom
Novelty
Commitment
Experience
Comprehension
Opening
Cognition
Purpose
Transparency
Simplicity
Development
Humility
Content
Creation
Cooperation
Sympathy
Happiness
Creation
Tolerance
Silence
Tolerance
Pacification
Philosophy
Church
Cleanliness
Ethical

Relationship values. Love

Altruism
Balance
Charity
Proximity
Loyalty
Donation
Kindness
Confidence
Friendship
Playfulness
Intuitiveness
Sincerity
Art
beauty
Hope
Recoil
Frankness
Frankness
Support
Devotion
Adoption
Joy
Liberty
Spontaneity
Passion
Self confidence
Sensuality

Moral values

Vigilance
Safety
Fearlessness
Politeness
Generosity
Expressiveness
Genius
Discipline
Valor
Dignity
Maturity
Grace
Control
Optimism
Organization
Caution
Courage
Responsibility
Determination
Independence
Ferocity
Restraint
Strength of mind
Courage
Calm
Talent
Thorough
Conviction
Confidence
Moderation
Integrity
Shocking

Joy. Pleasure. Rest

Art
Inspiration
Fun
Delight
Leisure
Desires
Cheerfulness
Games
Pleasure
Entertainment
Surprise
Astonishment
Fan
Hobby
Art
Prank
Emotions
Aesthetics
Humor

Health

Activity
Inner fire
Endurance
Drive
Naturalness
Intensity
Dexterity
Naturalness
Mobility
Potential
Naturalness
Performance
Prosperity
Force
Strength of mind
Jump
Speed
Rivalry
Sport
Acceleration
Grooming
Fitness
Fundamentality
Energy

Family values

Close
Understanding
State
Children
Care
Team
Communication
Loneliness
Understanding
Ancestors
Affiliation
Forgiveness
Relatives
Birth
Community
Wednesday
Spouse
Traditions

Moral values

Nobility
World
Thoroughness
Graduality
Is it true
Rules
Integrity
Equality
Justice
Durability
Traditionality
Respect
Honesty
Honor
Environmental friendliness

Table of material and spiritual values

Level	Values
I	Material	Spiritual
Food, water, clothing, equipment, housing, natural gifts, valuables	Truth, knowledge, grace, creative process, goodness, honesty
II	Universal	Personal
Freedom, honesty, life, impeccability, order, prosperity, beauty	Everything possible
III	Instrumental	Terminal
Enlightenment, rationality, wit, decency, independence	Benefit, pleasure, happiness, salvation of the soul
IV	Vital	Cultural
Food, water, pleasure, reliability, sense, interest	Credibility, beauty, goodness, revelation, love, God
V	Primary	Secondary
Food, water, home, clothing, security	Inherence, reverence, love, reverence, self-realization.

What conclusions can we draw based on this table? You probably noticed that some values are repeated. It turns out that they are all inseparable and are in close interaction with each other. They seem to form a single system of human values.

Types of values of modern Russian society

Our country is undergoing a transition to a capitalist society, which greatly impacts the social life and values of citizens. Ideas about money and politics are changing, motivation and lifestyle are radically different from those that prevailed in socialist society. People's attitudes to material values are changing, and, accordingly, their behavior and social life in general are changing.

The development of a market economy in Russia has led to an increase in the initiative and creative component of citizens. Now everyone could create their own business and realize their lifelong dream. The main vector was making a profit and implementing one's own plans. But the rapid development of entrepreneurship has led, among other things, to tough and merciless competition, psychological problems, hysteria and neuroses.

However, some market values conflict with the internal beliefs of the individual. Such a person seems to be lost, on the verge of destroying his material and spiritual balance.

For example, an entrepreneur is engaged in business, earns good money and provides for his family, that is, he follows physical and spiritual values. Family is important to him, and through business he provides it with only the best material goods, thus showing care and attention to his family. However, spending whole days at work, material value comes to the fore - to earn as much as possible. The family is dissatisfied, relationships are crumbling. In such a situation, a person must stop and think about what values he is guided by at the moment. It is important to understand yourself and live in harmony with your inner world.

This process is complicated by propaganda in the media about the enormous importance of money and well-being in a person’s life. However, it is important to understand that without spiritual values, society will be characterized by a low level of moral principles, and therefore degrade. It is necessary to pay more attention to the formation and development of spiritual principles, norms and rules of life of society.

New material and spiritual values in the 21st century

Each century has its own system of material and spiritual values. Of course, among them there are those that should always be relevant, regardless of time, for example, compassion, impartiality, decency, the need to live in peace and tranquility. But with the other part of the values, constant changes occur. Much depends on what country a person was born in, what his nationality is and what kind of terrain surrounds him.

Currently, one of the main values is freedom. Freedom means self-expression and full self-realization in any area of interest, which gives a person a feeling of confidence and makes a person want to live and move on.

Nowadays calls for human values are very relevant. Different countries advocate social equality, protest against discrimination, and call for collective resolution of conflicts. But we must remember that freedom is also a great responsibility. If you gain freedom, then you must control your actions and actions; they should not interfere or harm someone else.

The question arises: in 21st century society, behavior patterns and value systems correspond to the idea that people are immediately born with a tendency towards friendliness and the desire for self-realization? Rather, in our world everyone wants to live comfortably here and now. Due to this, a person strives to receive an education, implement his plans, exchange thoughts and creative endeavors with those who are also interested. This model of behavior applies to absolutely everyone and does not depend on environmental factors.

But we will be able to talk about what new material and spiritual values were important for us in the 21st century only after some time, or rather, already in the 22nd century. It is after this time that the whole meaning of what is happening will be revealed and conclusions will be drawn about what we were able to preserve and pass on to the next generation.

Personal values of an individual

This type of value is a combination of all the above aspects, but taking into account the individual priorities of a person.

So, one person will have in the first place the desire to achieve a high position in society. This means that its main value is social. Another will have an ardent desire to understand the true meaning of existence - this is an indicator of spiritual value that stands above all else.

The golden mean between material and spiritual values

Some people cannot find a middle ground and therefore fall into despair. For some, the most important achievement and goal is material wealth, while others are completely dissolved in the search for peace of mind and believe that money is not so important. The most striking example of such a contrast is India. In this country, various conversations about philosophy and spiritual enrichment have always come first. And now we can observe that most local residents barely survive and vegetate in slums.

This is a reason to think and understand that you should always look for something in between and should no longer pay attention to certain values. Only the right balance will lead to harmony in everything.

Don’t believe those people who tell you that material wealth is not important at all, and spiritual enlightenment is everything. Most likely, such a person is simply sick or he is lying to you. It is quite possible that he simply chose this way of defending and justifying his failure.

Quite often, it is material problems that force people to pay more attention to spiritual development. They try to prove to themselves and others that everything is fine with them and they don’t need anything. But let us repeat that everything is good in moderation, and finding the golden mean is what you really need to work on.

Material wealth, and more specifically, money, will always be evil for those who try to forget themselves and close themselves in their illusory world, or are simply sick. Quite often, one thing just leads to another.

However, quite often people think that happiness is measured precisely in the amount of money. In the 21st century, everyone around is talking about material wealth and calling on you to earn more. But if you look at this issue, then everything is not so simple. Recently, tragedies have often occurred when more than wealthy people go crazy and commit suicide. At the same time, there are many opposite examples, when, without much income, a person lived a truly happy life.

Factors influencing the rethinking of values

As we have already noted, the composition of life values and their hierarchy change throughout a person’s life. Their transformation can be influenced by both negative and positive factors. Let's get to know some of them.

Change in social status

If a person lived alone for a long time, thinking only about himself, then marriage and the birth of a child will greatly change his value system. He is starting a new life, where family harmony and happiness will be a priority.

Also, social status may change with the death of a loved one. This is a very serious blow, which often leads to a re-evaluation of one’s entire life and a revision of its meaning.

Financial difficulties

There are two possible scenarios here. Firstly, financial difficulties may arise due to the collapse of a career. Then a person is forced not only to moderate his financial appetite, but also to reconsider the values associated with self-realization and profession.

Secondly, a person may place material goods at the top of the hierarchy, but not be able to provide for his growing appetite. He gets into debt, loans that he cannot repay, and bankruptcy occurs. Of course, such a situation will entail a rethinking of life attitudes.

Change in health status

It's no secret that while we feel great, full of strength and energy, we think little about the value of health. A dangerous or long-term illness radically changes this situation. Of course, it’s better not to let this happen and take care of your health from a young age!

Another rethinking of life occurs when a person begins to notice the first signs of impending old age. Approaching the end of life's journey forces a person to look back at the years he has lived, rethink something, and perhaps find a new meaning in life.

Dissatisfaction with life

It happens that outwardly everything is fine with a person: a good job, a happy family, regular rest. But he is constantly consumed by dissatisfaction with his life. Irritation towards everything and everyone gradually grows.

In such a situation, a person should pause and try to rethink his life values. Perhaps something is not at its right level in the hierarchy (for example, you want to devote more time to creativity rather than work) or a person simply forgot about some important value and did not allow it to be realized in his life.

Wrong priorities

Poor prioritization can occur due to low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. Sometimes a person lacks the inner strength to stand up for what is important to him, and he lives “like everyone else.” Perhaps you have heard the expression: “I don’t live my life.” This is exactly the situation.

But sooner or later, such a life ceases to suit, because the person feels unhappy, as if superfluous. As a result, a rethinking of priorities and values becomes inevitable.