Fighting for our values

One of the most poignant quotes I’ve ever read is “It is easier to fight for your values than it is to live them.”

I think of it every time I read about polarization in mainstream politics. And it’s not unique to any one country or party.

In the U.S. for example, progressives, conservatives, and everyone in between have their own lists of strongly held positions.

• Progressives might assert that police don’t reduce crime, that most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, or that workers are poorer today than in the 1970s.
• Conservatives might deny the climate crisis, oppose renewable energy, or dismiss the need for vaccine development.

In each case, there’s a judgment anchored in a value – safety, prosperity, freedom, stewardship of the planet, public health.

But the focus, nearly always, is to win the argument or prove the other side is wrong.

Living the actual value, on the other hand, requires engaging with evidence that challenges us, making trade-offs that feel uncomfortable, and, crucially, changing our mind when presented with a better alternative.

Living our values is harder than fighting for them.