What determines a person’s value?

It dawned on me in the middle of the night that we, as human beings, are ill-equipped to measure the value of another. Valuing eachother is an important part of our existence, but at the same time, why do we feel compelled to attach value to people? A price tag, is it really as simple and as ugly as that?

I have done may things, good things, pedestrian things and despicable things. I have touched lives in special and meaningful ways, I made someone laugh and changed an outcome for another. And I have caused endless amounts of pain. I am a wretchedly fabulous being and I don’t always do my best.

Does this mean I have no value, or even worse, a negative value? We are so quick to label people who seem to flaunt their wealth as successful, a price tag? Is the person who drives the Ferrari more valuable than the person in the Mazda (Midge)? Is your value measured by your bank balance? The simple answer is yes, although there is absolutely nothing simple about this.

So Enzo is by default a much better person than Mitch, the bank statements clearly state that. He is better, he worked harder, he is kinder and more positive – otherwise why would he be rewarded with the good things in life? And who’s counting anyway?

It seems like we’re all counting, and I’m not talking about our blessings. We are constantly weighing ourselves up against the next person. Your ex’ new boyfriend, your highschool nemesis, Suzy at the office, Jane next door. And with social media it gets far worse than that. Are you calculating your value every day? How well do you rank?

Are you a worthless piece of shit or are you telling yourself that your life is so meaningful because you raised a couple of self-entitled sprogs? Your life is valuable because you are happy with your ignorance, because you don’t need more than you have?

Is your value measured by the contribution you make to society or the difference you make in the world? Perhaps athletes and actors or artists and gardeners are more valuable because they inspire and create. Maybe we all have value just because we are alive. Or are you only valuable when someone else sees value in you?

What I’m really asking is; do you have to do something that someone else finds valuable enough to pay you for? And whatever you can negotiate, that determines your value? Is that how it works? What about Mitch who’s worked hard all his life, good honest work, but he just never really managed to live comfortably. He provided for his family, yes, but there was never anything left over for a holiday or any of the small luxuries in life. And then there is Ben, he did alright for himself, he very nearly made it. He made one bad decision, it was bad luck really, and lost everything. What value does he hold now?

There are so many intelligent, talented people out in the world who were not made to swap their skills and time for money. Do they not have any value? Does it really come down to your ability to earn … money? It would certainly seem that way! So how do you show your value if it cannot be measured in cash?

I think it has a lot do to with luck. Some people are adamant that they’ve earned what they have through hard work, and I agree that some work harder than others. You don’t deserve everything you get, good or bad.

What if you can’t express your value. What if it’s only about how you value yourself?

You are so valuable and unique. Just because you are not valued by today’s society, doesn’t mean that you have no value.

True self-worth is the ability to understand in your own mind, that no one and nothing outside of you can measure your value, it is immeasurable. You matter because you know you do and your value will shine through.