Let’s aim for universal values, not mountain values

I want to thank Mr. Eck for his viewpoints on values as it stimulated me to think more deeply about this subject ["Democrats Don't Represent our Mountain Values," May 5]. In reality, true human values are universal.  They can be claimed by neither mountain nor coast. They do not originate from north, south, east or west.  No religion or political party has exclusive claim to these values. Truth, love, peace, right action and nonviolence are universal values that all beings aspire toward.

Sadly, humankind is caught up in jealousy, hate and destruction. While political name-calling and bickering goes on, the planet and her children cry for help. While the resounding horns of battle sound, people and children are slaughtered. What values are these? While our insatiable desire for fossil fuels increases, innocent workers are condemned to death working in mines and on rigs, and the other creatures of the earth pay dearly. If this is not enough, the human addiction fills their bellies with meat products [and] causes 10-plus billion animals to be mercilessly killed every year (just in the U.S.). Where is the love here?

Only when humans place these universal values above all, will the world attain peace. We can only hope that mankind evolves from his/her slumber of self-destruction.

— Rudranath "Rudy" Beharrysingh
Webster

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18 thoughts on “Let’s aim for universal values, not mountain values

  1. Viking

    Wow. There goes the precious ‘Mountain Values’ myth.

    It was about time. Thanks, Rudy.

  2. JWTJr

    Rudy .. don’t hold your breath.

    Wishing away cultural, local, regional, national and ethnic differences so we can all think alike is totally naive.

    I’d suggest a humanities class at UNCA so you can learn how different we all are.

    Getting everyone in one room to agree on a variety of topics is hard enough. Getting a whole planet to … well, maybe your next letter can help us figure out how to do that.

  3. JWTJr

    “War is one of our most cherished human activities.”

    Humans don’t own War. Every living thing on earth does. I’ll make a stretch and say that every living thing in the universe does. Why should Humans be different? When have humans ever been different?

  4. shadmarsh

    I don’t think I disagree…Humans are the only one that have turned it into an industry, culture and religion tho.

  5. Viking

    JWTJr,

    I graduated from UNCA. While Rudy’s PETA stance is not necessarily on the top of the list, and HUM courses do not sell a political party, UNCA sure as heck promotes the framework and philosophy of universal human rights.

  6. Piffy!

    [b]Wishing away cultural, local, regional, national and ethnic differences so we can all think alike is totally naive.[/b]

    When did she claim that we all must think alike? You sure love battling those windmills.

    Clearly, her point was that the mountain values’ espoused by the previous letter writer are not mutually exclusive to this region.

    [b]Humans are the only one that have turned it into an industry, culture and religion tho. [/b]

    No, ants do it, too.

  7. JWTJr

    “I don’t think I disagree…Humans are the only one that have turned it into an industry, culture and religion tho.”

    Ask an ant what he thinks about kicking butt. You’d see religion there. Their entire GNP is about kicking butt. I don’t think the Universe revolves around humans the way you do.

  8. JWTJr

    “Only when humans place these universal values above all, will the world attain peace. We can only hope that mankind evolves from his/her slumber of self-destruction.”

    Universal sounds to me like everyone thinking the same way. Maybe you can tell me where I’m wrong?

  9. Carrie

    “Wishing away cultural, local, regional, national and ethnic differences so we can all think alike is totally naive.”

    Tell that to the text book makers in Texas! They just were allowed to rewrite history! Yay for them..

  10. Killarue

    Meme thinks that one of us has difficulty in opening their mind. Hmmm, I wonder who that could be.

  11. travelah

    As soon as you begin clarifying your “universal values”, they begin to lose their universal appeal.

  12. travelah

    Tell that to the text book makers in Texas! They just were allowed to rewrite history! Yay for them..

    Not that this has anything to do with the topic, but what specifically did they “rewrite” that is causing you such consternation?

  13. dhalgren

    Hmmmm namvet jr. and travelah feeding on the same carcass.

    Hey, all he (Rudy) is saying, is give peace a chance. If you can’t believe it’s possible, it will never happen! Obviously jr. and trav will never believe.

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