For some years now, I have been observing how our surroundings unfold and how our world is evolving. For a while I have been expressing through my social media my discontent with the loss of principles and values. That is what motivated me to read and research the foundations behind these two concepts — not as a philosopher or scholar, but simply as someone trying to make sense of the world we live in.

For that, my definitions need to be as close as possible to the ones you already use. I would like to start by defining principles and values, drawing from information found online. I extract an important passage from www.concepto.de

What are principles?

“In the field of ethics, principles are the set of general and universal norms by which human beings guide our actions and conduct, within a given ethical, moral, and cultural framework.

Most doctrines, religions, and codes of some kind are based on well-established principles that underpin and structure an entire chain of values — that is, they give shape to a way of being in the world.

Principles are called so because they are found at the beginning, at the base, of every moral or social edifice. In other words, they are fundamental precepts generally regarded as beneficial not only to the individual, but to all of humanity.”

What are values?

“Values are individual aptitudes or qualities that define the conduct of an individual in society. These values derive from universal ethical principles, hence their objective is to guide individuals to act correctly, both individually and collectively…

…Values, according to the origin of their precepts, can be: ethical, moral, religious, civic, family-based, or personal.”

Based on these definitions, I pause a moment on values — understanding values in general as the most prominent elements for harmonious coexistence. While reading, I came across a quote by Caterina Chen that says:

“Without values as a reference for how we act individually and toward others, relationships weaken by lacking common criteria for life in society.”

Chen, Caterina (06/28/2019). “The 10 most important values in society and their meanings” In: Significados.com. Available at: https://www.significados.com/los-10-valores-mas-importantes-en-la-sociedad-y-sus-significados/ Accessed: December 12, 2021, 07:38 am.

But what are those values, and how do I know I am on the right path?

Looking a bit further, various websites list values in general as follows:

• Respect
• Love
• Freedom
• Justice
• Tolerance
• Equity
• Peace
• Honesty
• Responsibility
• Loyalty
• Gratitude
• Friendship
• Solidarity

Now, assuming we are on the same page — you might be asking: OK, so what?

Let’s see if you identify with any of these scenarios:

• Has a friend ever asked for your help, sat at the sacred table of your home to share with your family, and then taken something tangible or intangible from your house or business?
• Have you had people who claim to be your friends, only to turn out to be disloyal?
• Family members you help when you can, but who point fingers at you when you cannot?
• Have you reached the point of putting everything in writing, because a person’s word means nothing anymore?
• Have you devoted precious time to someone who only wanted to use you?
• Must you live under the dogma of materialism?
• How many times has your reputation been damaged by comments fabricated out of convenience — even ones that have harmed you legally?
• And the worst of all: have you been taken for a fool?

You may identify with some of these elements or anti-values, and there are likely many more. But on top of all this, we live in a world where the struggle for power is no longer only material — it is spiritual. It is a war that tries to dismantle the foundations of consciousness to create unrest.
What for?
I leave that to your imagination.

Social media, for example, is part of that power struggle. It has become a cult of the ego, or simply a showcase for lives people do not actually have. Take a moment to think about the damage social media has done to principles and values. Paradoxically, I myself have benefited from them from a commercial standpoint — I have given conferences, workshops, and consultations — but never by inflating fictional qualities or characteristics. If you stop to analyze it, on social media you can practically build a profession in minutes: psychologists who are not psychologists, marketing gurus based on meme joke accounts, not to mention the phenomenon of coaching with purely monetary motives, and most alarmingly, supposed doctors practicing medicine without ever having studied it.
In short, the world of possibilities is endless — and that is largely because each of them builds a story that someone, somewhere, buys into and follows. Then they multiply, giving rise to what are misnamed influencers. And you might say: “You cannot deny that real leaders and genuine influencers are emerging from these communication phenomena like social media.” But what is the proportion?

I will not dwell on the inclusion movement — I believe there is a great deal of manipulation and marketing around this topic; it is something still in development. I have read about it and watched interviews on the subject, and it should be approached with care. What I will say is that it is definitely a variable that affects principles and values. Because we must acknowledge its existence transparently, and understand that inclusion is not only about gender, but also about form, race, and creed. I do not agree that certain psychiatric pathologies, through the power of money and marketing, attempt to victimize themselves and attach to the inclusion movement. But we must continue to advocate for mutual respect guided by ethical principles and values.

Pregonero–Barinas Route, June 2018

Bringing this home to my country, Venezuela: I reference the great intellectual comedian Emilio Lovera and the illustrious Laureano Márquez, who categorize Venezuela as the best country in the world — a belief I share. Venezuela is a country rich in natural resources, where we have had the fortune of living under the influence of two worlds: North American and European. With Caribbean spark, a tropical climate, and very few natural catastrophes or wars to reshape the Venezuelan identity, the real problem here is something else entirely — and that something is us, regardless of which side we are on. We keep making the same mistakes of the past, over and over again, without stopping to consider that the secret lies in thinking about the common good rather than individual gain. I am certain there are entire books written about our contemporary history and its absurd anecdotes.

Without gas, with gas; without power, with power; without food, with food; without gasoline, or with gasoline. Global charitable organizations collecting the goodwill of people around the world to help poor Venezuelans. But Carnival, Holy Week, and Los Juanes at Morrocoy remain sacred. Going to mass on Sundays in ninety-degree heat, yet keeping a trusted witch doctor or santero on call for when a push is needed.
We are a racial mix of many streams, but also a peculiar blend of many customs and ways of thinking. I am not sure whether that has been harmful or not — many criticize the genetic mixing of our conquerors with our indigenous peoples, yet many Venezuelans who left have ended up at NASA, so the cocktail is not so bad. Our own Simón Bolívar is proof of that, and I am sure the list of such examples is immense.

Many have left, for various or specific reasons. In search of a better quality of life. But they become perpetual slaves of other systems, unable to enjoy their families or the warmth of home in exchange for maintaining a “quality of life” status.

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It is difficult enough to make sense of the noise in the world we live in as adults — but even more complex is explaining to our children what is good and what is bad. How do we cultivate our principles and values in an environment so dynamic and complex? And worse still, when you make a tremendous effort to plant the seed, social media or forbidden sites can destroy it in seconds.

Look — contemporary history has shown the world that Venezuelans resist losing their customs: their Christmas, their Sunday barbecue, their weekend trips to the beach. Their vacations across the country or around the world, their house in the countryside or by the coast. Their healthy ambitions — their little home, their car. And why not? What is the sin of evolving through personal growth, through the fruit of your effort? We are an exceptional people — hardworking, energized. Look at what has happened in countries where there is a significant volume of academically prepared Venezuelans with some capital. Professionals who arrived fluent in several languages, with master’s degrees and postgraduate studies. Think about countries like Panama and Peru that today discriminate against us — yet when Venezuelans showed up with their CADIVI cards, they loved us. Always with open doors. And it deeply bothers me that we allow our national identity to be trampled. Good people or bad people — because in the end, some of the unproductive ones left too. I never thought I would see Venezuelans as refugees at sea, or worse still, crossing the US border at the mercy of coyotes. It is like a horror movie in which we do not know whether to run or stand frozen in place.

Pan de Jamón by @evegourmet, Dec 2021

On the other hand, the Venezuelan diaspora has spread our aromas and flavors across the world — our gastronomy, our rums, our music. Think about it. Today there is not a corner of the world where our arepa, hallaca, pan de jamón (I am a huge fan of pan de jamón), and even pepitos are not known.

On a personal note, I believe we must review what we truly need to prioritize. As someone who is both a critic and self-critic, I take the liberty of speaking up and laying out a manifesto of what I believe we must work on:

1. We must cultivate ourselves emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

   You must be watchful of what you think and what you consume. It is no coincidence that modern management sees the spiritual dimension as a fundamental element of success.

2. Punctuality and commitment to our responsibilities.

   These are key to restoring the value of one’s word. A person’s word must be the most powerful weapon we have. And this must go both ways — not in just one direction.

3. Our homes are the temple and the foundation of who we are.

   From here we project outward into our communities, to be influential and to contribute to what surrounds us. If we do not get involved in the problems of our communities, we will not be able to move forward.

4. Strive to be authentic.

   It is true that we must build strategies to grow not only as people, but also economically. But try not to do so by trampling others — do it with intelligence and preparation. The range of options is wide enough; there is room for everyone.

5. We must focus on surrounding ourselves with people who share the same codes.

   And strengthen our relational communities — not as secret societies or conspiratorial groups, but rather in a fraternal spirit.

6. Gratitude for the blessings life allows us to enjoy.

   With love, good friendships, without envy, without neglecting the environment around us, and respecting shared spaces.

7. Loyalty to our principles and values.

   It has been proven that by uniting efforts in community, sharing those principles and values, and putting them into practice, we will succeed. You cannot be loyal to those who do not preach your essence and belief.

My dear reader, if you have made it this far, the message is clear. We must insist and persist in reinforcing our principles and values. That will be our greatest legacy.

Raúl Story

PS: This manifesto was reviewed in advance by friends, lawyers, gender diversity enthusiasts, doctors, and politicians — in an effort to be as objective and neutral as possible. It only points to anti-values as the main focus of social dichotomy.