# What leads you to your values?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-leads-you-to-your-values/138409>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 23, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-leads-you-to-your-values/138409 "2002-11-23T23:39:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Siemsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Siemsi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siemsi)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-leads-you-to-your-values/138409/21 "2002-11-26T18:12:38Z")

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erislover

Well, if you have bad parents, and by some stroke of genetic mutation & luck, you could possibly overcome those odds and do what is right in life (i.e. have good, wholesome values).

Generally speaking, if you have asshole parents, you more than likely will be one yourself.

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**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-leads-you-to-your-values/138409/22 "2002-11-26T19:38:35Z")

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Who is foolish enough to claim that identical twins have the same environment and experiences?

Two people living together in the same house have only superfically similar environments, and their experiences are almost necessarily different.

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**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-leads-you-to-your-values/138409/23 "2002-11-26T20:05:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Well, if you have bad parents, and by some stroke of genetic mutation & luck, you could possibly overcome those odds and do what is right in life (i.e. have good, wholesome values).

Yes, **Siemsi** , but that begs teh question: what are good wholesome values? If we get our values primarily from our parents, how do you know that, in fact, your parents were good? Wouldn’t they always be, by definition?

For me, sure, my mother influenced my values in some ways. I don’t know how I could argue with that at all. But I don’t really consider her the source of my values. She may have pushed me in some directions, but I think it was largely my social interactions that made me who I am today (for better or worse).

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**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-leads-you-to-your-values/138409/24 "2002-11-26T20:09:19Z")

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> [@](#):
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> My values come from television

Me too. After school specials mostly . . .

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