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SOME OF THE 
POSITIVE SOCIAL VALUES
UPON WHICH TOM BASES MUCH OF HIS WRITING
I base my writing, like my life, on a set of positive social values that I have compiled down through the years. They are not original with me but come from the observations I have made of the people with whom I have been acquainted. It seems to me that if men chose to live according to them, peace, love, and mutual helpfulness just might break out and save humanity from the violent, revenge-based, road to self destruction on which it now finds itself (old guys can say things like that!). Let me list some of them here for you to think about. When we write, like when we live, we demonstrate our basic values at almost every turn. I'm sure you will find these liberally sprinkled among the close to eight million words I have committed to print. It has always been important to me to ferret out the values of the writers I read. I hope you do the same.

These values are arranged in pairs – the positive (which, when regularly modeled in homes, help raise well adjusted, trouble-proofed children) and the negative (which lead to hurtful, maladjusted, misfits and contribute to social turmoil).

       Trouble-proofed (positive)                                         Trouble-prone (negative)

Logical problem solving                        rather than          physical techniques aggression

Cooperative                                         rather than           an unbridled competitive approach to life  

Ability to delay gratification                   rather than          the need for immediate gratification

A save and pay as you go approach      rather than        irresponsible spend & credit approach

Respect for all property                        rather than          lack of respect for others' property

Reverence and respect for life               rather than        disregard for life

Fair treatment and honesty                   rather than         deceit and dishonesty

Earning what you need and want           rather than        merely taking it

Law-abiding behavior                            rather than         law slipping (disobeying or ignoring) 

Democratic approach                           rather than          dictatorial, strong-arm approach

Positive value-based open mindedness  rather than       belief in absolute right and wrong

Altruism                                              rather than             selfishness

Accurately informed decision                rather than          uninformed making or lore-based decision   
                                                                                          making

Finding happiness through integrity       rather than         seeking it through stuff, status, or power

Planning ahead                                    rather than           Monday morning quarter-backing

Youngsters having adult confidantes       rather than        only having peer confidantes

Being known by ones good reputation    rather than         trying to be known as a somebody at
                                                                                            any cost

Knowing one is a worthy being               rather than         having to keep trying to prove one is a        
                                                                                           worthy being

Kind-hearted                                        rather than            inconsiderate or otherwise hurtful

A user of precise language                    rather than          imprecise language

Health and fitness awareness                rather than         health  and fitness unawareness

Cause and effect filer                            rather than          an observation/correlation filer

Analytic participation                            rather than           heedless/unthoughtful participation

Purposefully organized living style          rather than        a chaotic/ haphazard living style

Peer plus family social orientation          rather than         peer-only social orientation


From my book, Trouble-Proofing Kids: a guide for parents, in which they are discussed in greater depth.  The book The Weaving of Lelonia, posits an idealic society based in these values.  SEE BOOK PAGE.
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RELATED ESSAYS ON SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY CAN BE FOUND  HERE