The value of life

Society still hierarchize the value of life. I would like to propose that this "societal policy setting" is a direction at the root of several human pains and evils.

While most of us agree that in general we should not attribute a hierarchy to life, we all know that when it comes to loved ones we will do everything to support them. It is a noble human trait in itself at an individual level, so that one gets the best available environment for our loved ones.

The problem is when a society applies the same policy setting.

We are making progress in this respect as we are working toward eliminating racial and sexist hierarchies: the time is unfortunately not gone yet of putting more value to a specific race or sex but we are improving in terms of society.

\However, still present is societal hierarchy applied to other attributes.

Case in point:

As a society we still prioritize functions: more energy will be invested to save a president than a construction worker.

We still prioritize productivity: by investing more energy to save a middle-aged man than an elderly person.

We still prioritized those who do what we hold as appropriate: by investing more energy in saving a non-obese or on-smoker than an obese or smoker respectively.

And let's not forget the wild card, we still prioritized one with money.

The impact on the individual self-esteem (and consequences thereof) are enormous: the knowledge that society as a whole cares more or less depending on certain attributes is of tragic consequences, either as an unhealthy driver or as the ultimate deprecating power.

I would like to argue that a societal policy without a hierarchy of life value would solve fundamental lack of trust in individuals which ultimately drives a long serial of urges such as lust of power, abuse, materialism, competitive meanness, etc.