My reflection blog this week is to reflect on the Concept Map (CM) created in week four of this course and the Dan Gilbert video from module one. Provide some insight into my protected values and how far I am willing to go to support those values. Additionally provide some level of insight as to how the protected values would influence my decision-making.

Hoch & Kunreuther (2001) stated that “protected values (PV’s) are either absolute or inviolable, and people draw lines in the sand to create values that are protected by trade-offs”. Protected values are PVs that “People do not think should be scarified for any compensating benefit, no matter how small the sacrifice or how large the benefit” (p251). My personal values are the right to bear arms, religious freedoms, and American flag.

Right to bear arms

When it comes to the right to bear arms, I find myself very consistent with the value that is my right to own and use a weapon. When I was a little girl, I remember the day like it was yesterday when my father taught me how to shoot a shotgun. I grew up in Kansas where every home had a gun, and it was used to protect your family. This also was not an era where there was mass shootings in schools, theatre or military facilities. The decision for owning and carrying a weapon should be a person’s protected rights, not something that is governed by political rhetoric. However, reflecting on my mind map The Rubberband Model, there are pro’s and con’s with the protected value of the right to bear arms, but it has not yet pulling my value away from its original intent. I do think the type of weapons on the street need to be modified to protect people from those who are not responsible and their intent is to inflict intentional harm. I recently obtained my concealed weapons carry and was very proud of that achievement. There are some underlining fears with carrying a weapon. An example is if you had one stored in your vehicle for protection, and you are pulled over, and the police officer assumes you are armed, due to your carry permit is tagged to your vehicle license. That could go good or bad, so one has to be very cautious on how the make the officer aware that your device is not loaded and just in a locked box for protection. I feel the police shootings and lack of control of other potential people, heightens your awareness on your protected value.

Religious Freedoms

My religious freedoms is a topic I feel has a fair amount of protected values but at the same time under The Swiss Cheese Model, there are a fair amount of assumed mistakes that affect people and organizations. First, I did not grow up attending any type of formal religious rituals on Sunday morning, however there was a very strong southern Baptist presence in the home and we were to respect those values, whether we agreed or not. My grandmother recited biblical scripture, often, and you did not dare try to trump what she said, you just went with it. One of the most talked about religious topics is the gay and lesbian relationship, and this is my protected value, as I do not agree that it is right. That is what I was taught growing up, however as an adult I have done my own reading. I do believe that people have the right to be nice to other people. With the Swiss Cheese Model I look at the people in the scenario, as this can relate to our boss, colleague, friends, and random people we don’t know. It is not my place to judge other people and vice versa. My decision-making when it comes to protecting my value is still relevant, however how my direct behavior associated with the topic has changed. I can actually reflect that this is based off of The Feedback Model as well. Understanding your environment, respecting others, and completing your objectives without bringing in your protected value rids the tension in my view. Our culture seems to be so opinionated and protective of their values and in my opinion they should be, but not for harm to others.

American Flag

The respect for the United States flag is probably my most protected value. I believe in its value and what it represents, and chaps me to see other people disrespect it. I gained this value more in depth with my twenty years of military experience, to include a small service participation in my Base Honor Guard team. To me, there is no decision-making model that can change what this flag represents or what it means to me as an American Veteran. If you were to ask a random American to explain to you what the flag represents, you get the typical response that it is the American flag, or flag for this country. Most can tell you that that the 13 stripes are for the original 13 colonies that were apart of the first States in the union, and the 50 stars represent the 50 states. The value of the colors of the strips is what means the most to me, and most people get it wrong. The red is often misrepresented as blood that was shed, when it really is about hardiness and valor, white is signifies purity and innocence, and the blue is color of the chief, or highest position in our government.

Although the interpretations of what the flag means to not really make my mad, but very disappointed in people’s lack of knowledge. What makes me angry is when the flag is tethered and not replaced, not hung correctly on schoolyards or political facilities, and when you see people carrying the flag incorrectly. As a veteran, I have spent a good amount of time overseas and have observed other countries be very supportive of their flag and it is not a lazy, I don’t care type of approach.

Conclusion

In the Dan Gilbert Video he discussed that “values define how we think and how we act” and there are “two kinds of errors people make when trying to decide what the right thing is to do, and those are errors in estimating the odds that they’re going to succeed, and errors in estimating the value of their own success.” I have very strong personal values when it comes to the right to bear arms, religious freedoms, and the American Flag. I do hold very strong to these beliefs, however my behavior associated with acting out on those beliefs is different as I do like to defend my values, but I will not do it at an expense of hurting another person.


References:

Gilbert, D. (2005). Why we make bad decisions. [video]. Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness

Hoch, S. J., & Kunreuther, H. C. (2001). Wharton on Making Decisions. (1st edition.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.