Virtues/eight values

Rushworth Kidder’s Shared Values

After interviewing 24 courageous and thoughtful men and women of conscience from around the world, author Rushworth Kidder concluded that eight values are widely, almost universally, accepted. These common values are:

• love (compassion)—Caring for others, helping others,
• truthfulness—honesty, keeping your promises, communicating clearly and accurately, veracity, being trustworthy,
• fairness—following the Golden Rule, equality, symmetry,
• freedom—freedom of expression, freedom from oppression, freedom of action when combined with personal responsibility,
• unity—community, inclusiveness, cooperation, valuing our interdependencies,
• tolerance—acknowledging the dignity of all, respecting the rights of others, refusing to hate, being open to other points of view,
• responsibility—care for yourself, care for others, care for the future, and
• respect for life—do not kill.