1. Drake’s Bay
Disastrous Values are one of the key concepts which Jared Diamond uses to explain why some societies have made disastrous decisions. The societies examined in class are Easter Island, the Maya, and Ankgor Wat. Drake’s Bay is being used as an example of a current value conflict in American society. Both sides in the dispute accuse the other of among other things the wrong values.

2. The American “right values” as described in 1939
Robert S. Lynd wrote a book in 1939 called “Knowledge for What?” He described what he considered to be the “outstanding assumptions in American life.” But what he actually did was to describe 20 value positions that American culture tolerates. These value positions will be presented one at time. The task for students will be to share their opinions of which of those value positions are still valid.

3. 1. The United States is the best and greatest nation on earth and will always remain so.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

4. 2a. Individualism, “the survival of the fittest,” is the law of nature and the secret of America’s greatness: and restrictions on individual freedom are un-American and kill initiative.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

5. But
2b. No man should live for himself alone; for people ought to be loyal and stand together and work for common purposes.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

6. 3a. The thing that distinguishes man from the beasts is the fact that he is rational; and therefore man can be trusted, if left alone, to guide his conduct wisely.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

7. But
3b. Some people are brighter than others: and, as every practical politician and businessman knows, you can’t afford simply to sit back and wait for people to make up their minds.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

8. 4a. Democracy as discovered and perfected by the American people is the ultimate form of living together. All men are created free and equal, and the United States has made this fact a living reality.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

9. But
4b. You would never get anywhere of course if you constantly left things to popular vote. No business could be run that way, and of course no businessman would tolerate it.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

10. 5a. Everyone should try to be successful.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

11. But
5b. The kind of person you are is more important than how successful you are.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

12. 6a. The family is our basic institution and the sacred core of our national life.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

13. But
6b. Business is our most important institution, and, since national welfare depends upon it, other institutions must conform to its needs.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

14. 7a. Religion and “the finer things of life” are our ultimate values and the things all of us are really working for.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

15. But
7b. A man owes it to himself and to his family to make as much money as he can.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

16. 8a. Life would not be tolerable if we did not believe in progress and know that things are getting better. We should, therefore, welcome new things.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

17. But
8b. The old tried fundamentals are best; and it is a mistake for busybodies to try to change things too fast or to upset the fundamentals.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

18. 9a. Hard work and thrift are signs of character and the way to get ahead.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

19. But
9b. No shrewd person tries to get ahead nowadays by just working hard, and nobody gets rich nowadays by pinching nickels. It is important to know the right people if you want to make money, you have to look and act like money. Anyway, you only live once.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

20. 10a. Honesty is the best policy.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

21. But
10b. Business is business and a businessman would be fool if he didn’t cover his hand.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

22. 11a. America is a land of unlimited opportunity, and people get pretty much what’s coming to them here in this country.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

23. But
11b. Of course, not everybody can be boss, and factories can’t give jobs if there aren’t jobs to give.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

24. 12a. Capital and labors are partners.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

25. But
12b. It is bad policy to pay higher wages than you have to. If new people don’t like to work for you for what you offer them, they can go elsewhere.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

26. 13a. Education is a fine thing.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

27. But
13b. It is the practical men who get things done.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

28. 14a. Science is a fine thing in its place and our future depends upon it.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

29. But
14b. Science has no right to interfere with such things as business and our other fundamental institutions. The thing to do is to use science, but not let it upset things.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

30. 15a. Children are a blessing.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

31. But
15b. You should not have more children than you can afford.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

32. 16a. Women are the finest of God’s creatures.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

33. But
16b. Women aren’t very practical and are usually inferior to men in reasoning power and general ability.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

34. 17a. Patriotism and public service are fine things.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

35. But
17b. Of course, a man has to look out for himself.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

36. 18a. The American judicial system ensures justice to everyman, rich or poor.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

37. But
18b. A man is a fool not to higher the best lawyer he can afford.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

38. 19a. Poverty is deplorable and should be abolished.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

39. But
19b. There never has been enough to go around, and the Bible tells us that “The poor you have always with you.”
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

40. 20a. No man deserves to have what he hasn’t worked for
20a. No man deserves to have what he hasn’t worked for. It demoralizes him to do so.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

41. But
20b. You can’t let people starve.
Valid today
Yes No
C. Uncertain

42. Assessment
Are some of these value assumptions disastrous?
Yes No

43. Assessment
Are most of the value dualisms still valid?
Yes No