Task 1: House of Values

Value 1: Rational

Rational is being able to make logical decisions or believe that there is a reason for all things happening. I value this because people make random decisions based on nothing. I angers me that people don’t make logical decisions and do something random. I think that rational is an important value for life and any work. Even if you don’t know something, making a rational decision is better than nothing. I think rationality is an important value for myself and others.

Value 2: Reliability

Ever had an assigned piece of work in a group task which you assign to a teammate and they don’t complete it? That’s the opposite of reliability, and something I find quite annoying. I sometime count on people being reliable, of which they commonly don’t follow through. I think that if you are being relied on, you should be the reliable person and do whatever it is. Reliability is an important value to all as it helps others think of yourself as trustworthy, which I find important.

Value 3: Curiosity

Curiosity leads to most of my other values. Out of my 12 core values, it leads to around half of them. Curiosity is an important value. Can you imagine never asking a question? Without curiosity, you would never find out or do many of the things that you have done in the past. Without curiosity, even the simplest things like fire would have probably never been discovered. People having curiosity makes them different from others because their curiosity led to different experiences from different opportunities. Someone without curiosity would be boring and probably too scared to do anything. I think that curiosity is one of the most important value in myself and others.

Task 2: Role Models

Michelle Obama

Q1: What behaviours does this person demonstrate to show that they are healthy?

Michelle Obama constantly displays determination and ambition. An example would be her numerous campaigns to give more help (education etc.) to girls and other children. Michelle had the ambition of them getting more help for others, and was determined to make it happen. She got it done instead of waiting around and it worked in some countries. This is healthy behaviour as she is helping others who need help. 

Q2: What do they look like? Are they healthy? How do you know?

Michelle Obama does look healthy. In most photos that I’ve looked at, she Is smiling in a kind way, compared to unhealthy models, which you can tell are fake smiling. She has that twinkle in her eye and she always looks like she is enjoying herself. Relating to the last point, she looks very grateful for where she is and what she’s doing.

Q3: What message does this person promote? Why is it inspiring and healthy?

Michelle Obama promotes awareness about poverty awareness, education for people, nutrition, physical activity and healthy eating. This can be proven by the campaigns she has made for it. This is healthy behaviour as it promotes healthy behaviour in others which helps them for the better, promoting positive changes. It is inspiring as she is trying to change others’ lives for the better by raising money and is non-profitable. Michelle Obama has promoted healthy changes in others’ lives, which makes her inspiring and healthy.

Q4: Why should young people look up to this person as a role model?

Because she is changing strangers’ lives for better. She shows kindness towards others’ and is the first African-American women Lady in power in the white house. This makes her a great role model as It shows that anything can be accomplished as at the time it seemed impossible for any African-Americans to be able to get into the White House, let alone become Lady in Power. Her values also contribute as she is compassionate and charisma. She is probably more of a role model to young women as she also promotes women’s’ rights. Michelle Obama’s amazing qualities makes her a brilliant role model.

Q5: Thinking back to your House of Values activity, what values does this person demonstrate?

Michelle Obama shows many different positive qualities. Because we used 12 values in our house of values, I’ve decided to use 12 for Michelle.

1. Compassion
2. Empathy
3. Confident
4. Determination
5. Honesty
6. Faith
7. Love
8. Independence
9. Freedom
10. Health
11. Resilience
12. Self-Respect

Vladimir Putin

Q1: What behaviours does this person demonstrate to show that they are unhealthy?

Vladimir Putin is obviously an unhealthy role model. This can be proven by the biggest point, the war against Ukraine. He is greedy, wanting more land and for Russia to prosper while heartlessly ruining innocent people’s lives. He seems to think of some other countries/organisations as threats. This has been seen by his actions towards the expansion of NATO to Russia. Since Putin has entered the Russian Government, he has enforced a law against protesting which demolishes the populations’ freedom of speech. Vladimir Putin has displayed aggressive and restrictive behaviour which shows that he is an unhealthy role model.

Q2: What do they look like? Do they look unhealthy? How do you know?

At first glance, Vladimir Putin doesn’t look too bad until you see the smug smirk or angry/unhappy face. To me, he has the I-don’t-really-care-because-I’m-better-than-you look on his face. He seems like the kind of person who would ignore what you say because he strongly believes in his point and nothing can change his mind. I later found this to be true as his government is a dictatorship (one person controls everyone). His face always looks puffed up which in itself looks unhealthy, like he constantly has a cold. In some pictures he is quite pale while in others he is red in the face. After looking through pictures of Putin, he does look quite unhealthy.

Q3: What message does this celebrity promote? Why is it unhealthy?

Vladimir Putin promotes the greatness of Russia and communism. Communism is one of those things that has a good aim, but isn’t presented in the right way. Communism is about equality. Sounds good, except for a few things like equal pay. Can you imagine a neurologist (treats brain diseases), a life saving person earning the same as a cleaner if they both try? It doesn’t seem right does it. I think that communism isn’t a good system and that promoting it would be unhealthy behaviour. Putin also promotes Russia. Doesn’t sound bad because he cares about the safety of the country. Well what if he destroys and takes over other countries. It doesn’t sound good that way. As seen in Ukraine, he is willing to do that to “make Russia great  again”. Vladimir Putin is displaying unhealthy behaviour by doing this. Vladimir Putin displays unhealthy behaviour by trying to make Russia great and promoting communism.

Q4: Do you think young people should look up to this person as a role model? Why or why not?

I don’t think that young people should look up to Vladimir Putin. People before have been pretty much brainwashed by leaders of country like Adolf Hitler, which we all should know is one of the worst role models to have. His aggressive nature is not something to look up to, really it should be avoided. Some of his decisions are questionable at best. Him being a dictator doesn’t help. Being a dictator means he gets what he wants, when he wants. It’s like being a baby with attentive parents. Most dictators use cruel methods to stay in government, like how Vladimir Putin passed a law on fining and arresting protesters. Who would want a role model who took away people’s power to talk (pretty much). This behaviour could have been influenced by his years as a commander in the KGB (Russian Security Agency). In conclusion, Vladimir Putin isn’t a good role model for anyone, let alone young people.

Q5: Is everything you hear, read or see in the media true? Discuss.

Definitely not. Reporters/writers sensationalise stories, reports and news. Sensationalising something means they make it interesting and exciting, and not necessarily true. They need money so maybe they’ll make that a bit more exaggerated and if someone did something they haven’t truly done, it would make their story better which is more money, so why shouldn’t they. In countries like Russia (mainly dictatorships), news etc it controlled. So it can definitely be changed and misshaped to make the public believe something completely different. It might go from “Vladimir Putin Kills Innocent Ukrainian” to “Ukrainian Almost Kills Vladimir Putin”. Big difference by rearranging words. In conclusion, anything that you hear, read or see in the media might not be true.