A500.2.3_SeabournBeau

What are some standards that are most important in your life?

I'm choosing to address non-critical standards. For some reason these tended to stand out a lot more then the critical thinking areas. In each area the questions to be addressed are, How did you acquire those standards and how have they changed over the years?

1. Free
I find this to be open to interpretation. I immediately think that free is some how related to being free or freedom. Having the ability to do what you want and not have your life challenged is a dream for most everyone world wide. I think that's why we so many wars and protest globally today. I believe this standard was learned growing up in public schools and being accustomed to doing basically what I wanted to growing up. As I age and I understand more about different aspects of my life, I find that having a free mentality is also important.

2. Religious
Religion is something that has been taught to me growing up. It now seems to be the most important standard in my life. It wasn't always that way however. I think that as people move through life and have different life experiences, it shapes their religious or spiritual path. As a young man, it wasn't that important to me to follow any type of religious path. As I have aged however, I have become more religious. I think I can accredit that to the fact that I have started to care more about my life and after life then the living in the moment type of life style.

3. Patriotic
I think this speaks for itself. Being patriot is something that was taught to me growing up. Thinking critically, I can see how each individual can grow to learn to be patriot and defend his or hers own country. Maybe, that's why we have some many international problems. After joining the Navy, a sense of patriotism is even embedded into your mind more. I think it has to be that way in order to do your job. To be honest, my sense of patriotism has not changed with age. If anything, it has grown stronger.

4. Loving
I think love is learned. It is something that is given to you as a person from another person and maybe even an animal in rare cases. Children are loved and cared for and parents can show attention and love to children. The child then learns and gives love to others. It's interesting though, when people say they love something, there may be different types of love. Saying "I love pizza" is not equal to the statement "I love my wife". Without thinking, people each day make statements about love and they don't consider what they actually mean. I think love grows. Love has to grow with time. The longer you love something, the more you can show other standards. I think love could be the gateway to all other standards. I'm not sure why I think that, I'll have to think about it a bit more. As I have gotten older, I have gained different levels of love for things. I don't necessarily love the small things in life like I use to. I find myself caring more about my wife, child and job. That level of love is something entirely different.

5.Moral/Ethical
Morals and ethics are taught. They're not instinctive like some other standards in my eyes. People tend to learn what is ethical and moral. People know love and religion but they may not know the correct thing to do in some cases. I think morals set the tone for what type of person someone is and what set of life guidelines they adhere to. A personal experience could also determine what someone thinks is okay to do. In society, it seems that the government (through its laws) determines what is ethical. Having good morals are important to me. It gives you the ability to make a good choice in a potential odd situation. Morales can help you make the politically correct choice in a hard situation also. I think with aging comes experience which in turn creates a persons ethical adherence. Everyone changes with time.

Non-critical standards are interesting. They seem to be formed by a way a person was raised or what experiences they went through. These standards listed above are the ones that stood out to me the most. I think if everyone could understand these standards, a person may be able to tell what type of person you are and what is important to you in your life. Being a good Christian, family man and a patriotic man are all important to me. That encompasses my family, church and my country. The standards that I listed go hand in hand with my thoughts and beliefs.