In the book “VALUE(S): building a better world for all” by Mark Carney, the author connects values that represent principles and judgements such as integrity, trust, fairness, transparency, respect, sustainability, compassion, and reason to creating matters of value that have economic and social importance, worth, benefits, and usefulness.
Making values return value is an individuals’ collaborative responsibility as well as the result of solidarity with others on the common interests. That is, the weave of the individual’s values and the community’s culture can reflect, positively or negatively, on how societal crises such as climate change (atmospheric heating), financial decline (rising inflation), and health threats (pandemics) are addressed.
Carney explains the link between values and value by pointing out that while values cannot be priced, their returns can still be economically profitable. For example, the value of species being lost forever in the Amazon rainforest cannot be priced but exercising values such as integrity, sustainability and reason can play a pivotal role in saving the rainforest and the planet. Similarly, the author uses historical writings such as “The theory of Moral Sentiments” by the father of economics, Adam Smith (published in the year 1759), to evince that some values can be exchanged for monetary value. Smith revealed that humankind form moral judgement by wishing to be loved and to be lovely. Indeed, being a lovely person is not enough quality to motivate others to create long-lasting value and build a better world for all; however, a lovely person is likely to inspire and motivate others to make exceptional contributions to the betterment of the world.