Why is Everyone so Different?

Have you ever had those moments when something you know to be so wrong and unethical seems completely fine to another person? And have you ever wondered how something so basic and obvious seems to slip past their comprehension? Then welcome to the club. One of my oldest quests in life has been to understand why people do what they do and think what they think, and this has been one of the glaringly indecipherable aspects of human nature to me. Why do some people think it's okay to kill other people? Why do some people not care about animal cruelty? And why do some people not believe in, if not actively advocate for the equal rights of every person and creature on this planet? There are so many dimensions to answer this question but one that I found most convincing is the concept of morality and value systems.

Morality is in fairness, quite a secondary determinant of these behaviors. And by that I mean, it in itself is influenced by various factors which I’m not going to delve into for now. One of the more famous theories about morality and value systems in particular is Schwart’s theory of Values. This theory mainly posits that 10 basic human values are organized into four higher-order groups: Openness to change, conservation, self-enhancement, and self-transcendence. These values are organized into a circular structure, with opposing values located opposite each other on the circle. For example, self-enhancement values like achievement and power are opposite to self-transcendence values like benevolence and universalism. The theory suggests that individuals and cultures prioritize certain values over others, and these priorities can influence behavior, decision-making, and attitudes.

Now, this theory explains so much about how humans differ so much on basic issues such as equal human rights, poverty, climate change, and more! Stuff like why sometimes it’s so hard for people to understand veganism or for that matter, non-veganism. Why there are so many debates about issues like abortion, gender equality, and fair representation? This provides a framework for exploring the core motivations that underlie individual and societal choices and preferences. And it also explains why we experience cognitive dissonance on such a phenomenal level at our age. This is one topic that has so many facets to it that I can’t even begin to cover them or I’ll just keep going on. But I hope this article made you think and gave you a direction for further exploration into the topic!