The Examined Life Ruth Taylor - How do we develop better cultural values?
Jun 4, 2025
Ruth Taylor, an expert on values and culture change with the Common Cause Foundation, dives deep into how our cultural narratives shape societal beliefs. She reveals the 'values perception gap,' where individuals prioritize intrinsic values despite feeling others lean towards wealth and status. Discussing the power of narratives, she highlights how cooperation can benefit community well-being, especially in the wake of COVID. Ruth emphasizes creating 'glimmers' of alternative living aligned with deeper values, inviting listeners to reflect on what truly fosters collective happiness.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Intrinsic Human Values vs Society's Focus
- Humans are intrinsically wired to value connection with others and life on Earth deeply.
- Yet, society emphasizes different values like wealth and status, falsely promising happiness through them.
Power of Deep Cultural Narratives
- Deep cultural narratives, like "growth is always good," shape how we see progress and climate change.
- These unchallenged stories limit imagining alternative futures and responses to crises.
The Values Perception Gap
- People generally value intrinsic things like community and equality but wrongly assume others prioritize wealth and status.
- This "values perception gap" undermines collective action and fuels cynicism.
