In this era of social media influencers and celebrities, people seem to place more importance on someone’s social status and material possessions. This led some to think that traditional values such as honor, kindness, and trustworthiness have become irrelevant. I strongly disagree with this opinion.
Nowadays, it is easy to get lost in the noise of social media to the point that people tend to forget what actually matters in life. With the birth of the “hustle culture”, majority believed that success and fulfillment are measured through the zeroes in their bank accounts. However, studies have shown that individuals, despite having had fame and money remain unhappy. Few ears ago, the world was shocked with news of Kate Spade’s and Anthony Bourdain’s, untimely deaths due to suicide. These are well-known, powerful millionaires who despite having seemingly perfect lives have found life worthless. Hence, considering one’s status and assets as their worth seems entirely pointless.
In addition to that, I believe it is important to note that men and women are still being honored for having exhibited exemplary moral aptitude. There are still groups and organizations who continue to promote traditional values through recognizing people that remained honorable despite the challenges. One of which is Maria Ressa, the editor-in-chief of Rappler, who was awarded Times Person of the Year for her dedication to providing unbiased, truthful news to the Filipino people. She fiercely fought against the past regime that peddled fake news in the country even when her own life was threatened. This did not earn her billions but she remained steadfast in her commitment to the truth. She was even hated for it as she is a voice against the majority.
Furthermore, a person’s worth can and must only be measured by one’s self and the people that matters most to him. For these are the only people who have witnessed their character in times of hardships and successes. The people scrolling through a person’s social media page knows only a fraction of that person’s life, and therefore unfit to judge their worth. Similarly, an individual’s place in the social hierarchy and all the things they owned are only a portion of who they are as a human-being.
In conclusion, I stand to believe that a person’s value can never be quantified through his net worth and popularity. Since one’s character is still the ultimate source of fulfillment and honor which makes life of great value.