"As human beings we possess "free will", or more accurately "freedom of choice". We have, at all times, an absolute personal power to choose between this or that action, thought, emotion, etc. And as Nature shows us clearly, for every action there is an equal reaction; or in this case, for every choice taken there is an equal consequence. And to the same degree that we are responsible for choosing, we are equally responsible for the consequences of our choices. There are no choices taken without consequences for which we are personally responsible."
There are indeed arguments that can be used to say that humans don't have 'free will', of course - conditioning, genetic make up etc. - and these are to a degree important, but the point here is simply to say that we choose to make the decisions we do. I'm not sure about other people, but I know with me that there are plenty of times when I consciously choose to, for example, stay angry, although it sort of seems not to be a choice in a way. But it is at these moments of choice, these gaps between impulse and action, that we have the power to change ourselves, change our lives and the lives of those around us, for the better. Just think about it. Be honest with yourself and think of all those times you consciously decide to do things to hurt others and the such. Even if it is somewhat subconscious, or seems it, there is often a subtle agreement in your mind you refuse to acknowledge in your mind to act a certain way. It is in this awareness that our power to change the world lies.
7 comments:
Hm. It's all very difficult, and seemingly impossible to find an answer to. But I put this here for the sake of, perhaps, my own peace of mind (while thinking of others beliefs and values that may or may not be true). So, what I'm saying is in line with my current beliefs, and is thus impossible to argue with someone that has different beliefs.
Of course actions are determined by everything that has ever happened, but i am basically thinking of interjecting when you know that you're making a decision to hurt others, and chaning that.
i'm really unsure about anything, so all i can say is the biggest point to lifeif nothing else matters, seems to be in helping others. Or at least that gives me something.
In conclusion...Love!
Bob's right in many ways. There are things that we don't choose. There may be a higher aspect of ourselves, that choose something, such as to be gay or your preference in music, but its also majorly reliant of the world thats been presented to you, how you connect to your past. People do re-evaulate their pasts all the time, and allow for greater exceptions in their own personality, but i think thats not what you are getting at.
"we have the power to change ourselves, change our lives and the lives of those around us, for the better"
Often, these decisions, don't effect things. You will act how you act in these split seconds, and even if you do undergo something different, such as refuse to let yourself be angry at a person, thanks to the unreliability of life, the lack of the negativity could lead to pain ans suffering on their part. The old saying "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions" often stays so true.
"It is in this awareness that our power to change the world lies"
You cannot change the world. You change your world. Your perspective. What you see as the world. Yes, treating people nicer, being less angry, are things i encourage (if done properly), i applaud. But the only thing you are changing is your own world. Often, you have spoken about these things, not allowing yourself to feel sad because its worse for the world, and yes people around you are influenced. Yet, your nice treatment, as much as i hate to say, stays as permanent as ice in summer, and fades without you to constantly renew it. Many people who are suicidal, or even depressed, do not take a new lease on life, nor feel better from one single act of kindness. To help others, to make your decision, go help people. Find the cause of their problems, help them if you can.
Back onto what i was trying to say.
How does any persons ability to recognise when they are feeling negativly, and then decide to let those feelings either be subverted or dismissed give them power over their lives? Or even to just accept a pattern of thought? I could sit here, and agree, allow myself to agree (which i've been doing), and yet i see differently, have thought differently and feel differently about the thoughts of choice. If i were to allow myself to just accept positivly all aspects of my life, then in what way am i different from anyone else who does the same? How am i an individual?
And People's genetic make up, their conditioning, their experiences of past and present do make them feel and think the way they do, no choices involved. Its going to sound weird comming from me, concidering you dumping me recently, But you can't just choose to feel love for me again, because that would make the world happier? You couldn't just choose that you don't need to experience the companionship of friends and family, or to deny the enjoyment of reading and learning? These things make up who you are now. You can't Change these things. Or, i should say YOU can't decide to change these things. Change is important.
My point is simply that perhaps we are more responisble for our actions than we sometimes like to admit, and all these things you say perhaps are excuses. Yes, they're true to a degree, of course. It's a lot to do with context and conditioning and all that, but when you act in ways you think are wrong or bad, ways that are not in line with your view of how one should act, but you think you can't help it, maybe, just maybe, you're choosing that. For example, all those times when you get angry, and you sit there stewing in it rather than looking around you at the beauty of the world and letting it dissolve away, and hating yourself for feeling and acting that way...Perhaps this feeling is no more 'real' than any other, no more real than if you chose to get over your anger and be a more helpful force in the world. For who is to say which feelings are real? If you are to gague your life and actions by their effect on others, then it would be benficial to chose to get over such things. But that's of course just one way of looking at things. You might believe in nothing as real or as a viable reality other than ones own emotions. It all just depends on your aims and perception.
Yes you can go on forever about the influences on the choices we make, but I'm really just talking about each on e of us acting in the way that we think is best, rather than doing things that make us hate ourselves.
My articulation here isn't very clear, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. If not, just ask.
Just thought it could be food for thought. Maybe if you pay closer attention, with honesty, you might realise there is a greater element of choice than you have thought.
Take care :)
You've gone on about this before, about turning your feelings towards positives. I understand that. Yet you've skirted around some things i've raised either because you don't want to accept things or your already preconcieved that my thoughts are wrong.
How, if i only turn my feelings towards positives, and then continue to run my life, am i any different from any other individual?
Can you Change your feelings, Like your love, or your preferences for a world that is more positive?
And can you deny that often people, even those like yourself, have little control over what they feel?
"acting in the way that we think is best, rather than doing things that make us hate ourselves"
This is the mandate that most people live kristina. People don't do things to intentionally make them hate themselves. But yet they do them, because they don't understand that certain actions, feelings and the like, do cause harm. My grandmother, chose to let herself deteriate greately, because she believed that if she continued walking, trying to live a normal life, she would deteriate. This choice, however, has led to her recent state. People will choose prosperity and survival over harm and deteriation every time.
Yes, we are responsible for our actions. Entirely. However, we are our past experiences, our present thoughts and feelings. It is what makes us who we are. So these things, infer and change our decision making process.
Your thoughts Kristina?
Perhaps people have little control over what they feel. But it is my recent experience that I have much more ocntrol over the 'negative' things than I have previously liked to admit. I always knew it, but just denied it. But of course, that may just be me.
Additionally, sometimes 'negative' emotions pop up, and you can feel them for a while, but don't overly indulge, instead chose to eventually come out of it.
And I know that I often have acted in ways that I know wil be detrimental to me. i assume the same applies to other people. YOu know what you are doing is going to have negative repercussions, yet you do it anyway. They often do understand, just refuse to acknowledge it or change their behaviour because they think it's best or something. Well, perhaps there's a better way to be, that lies in being aware of choices. People don't always choose prosperity and survival over harm and deterioration. They frequently choose to ignore that what they do is harmful.
Of course our experiences and thoughts and feelings influence our decision making process. But what can I say? I've already said what I mean. Maybe it's not entirely clear. Or it's simply not where you are right now. Either way, I shall repeat/clarify just for the hell of it: all I am trying to do is show people what has been benficial for me, and that is the acknowledgement of the choices I make through day-to-day existence and the consequences I kow they have, and change things at that level to what I want them to be.
:)
In my honest opinion its all about influence and experience.
Some say every person is predictable and every choice predeterminable. In a way this MUST be true, as every human brain has to have the capacity to evaluate a situation and make a decision. The simple difference is the knowledge of influence and experience.
A concious evaluation of every influence on each and every decision would make us unable to act and react in a functional manner, so we push these things into subconcious still keeping a record of our opinion but less so the reason behind it. It's why we sometimes struggle to understand why we chose to act one way or another, why we struggle to understand why we feel a certain way, or dont feel a certain way.
And yes there are somethings that seem predetermined in life but these normally just act as an influence. The example of being born gay is repeated so i'll go with it. A person doesnt have to act upon this. Some people will find themselves attracted to members of the same sex and embrace it, others will reject it, and can continue to do so their entire lives. Even with some things in life predetirmined people still have a choice.
Idealically i believe in destiny. That everyone has something to them that will remain a part of them no matter what happens. We have the option to go different ways, which changes where we are headed, but if you stay true to the part of yourself that has gotten you to where you stand today you cant go wrong. I think we decide to change things about ourselves when we can glimpse into that future life, our destiny, and do not agree with the outlook.
To say people dont make any choices about life because they have been influenced by their experience is naive. There was always that first choice, and always a chance to change.
Sleepy time. Night night -j
This has turned into a big debate hasn't it!
Bob, you say that I'm accusing and the such when this thing is purely subjective. But that is not my intention at all. All I can say is that I am speaking from my experience, sharing what has worked for me. But obviously this is a very sensitive issue for some.
I am not saying that people dont make any choices about life because they have been influenced by their experience. I am simply appealing to those moments in life where you do make decisions. Maybe it's a personal thing for me and I am diferent to you guys. I'm not saying neccessarily that everything is always a conscious choice. I am saying that some things are (maybe more than you think?).
Oh, and I am very sorry if it seems I am accusing/being mean in any way. I guess it may very well come across that way, but I really do not intend that. I was just trying to put forward a way of thinking, as we all are, putting it out there for use as you will.
Of course we are "at the mercy of a ridiculously intricate path of causality" (although I wouldn't put it that way myself, it sounds so pessimistic). But what can I say? Nothing really, because I guess it is true. I certainly can't argue against it. But I just think that maybe there is a better way to view things.
And to Krister, I wasn't intentionally avoiding things you said, just writing what I thought was important, putting it all under the one thing, which seems to have only covered it for me, I guess because I'm in my head. Some of the thing have been answered above.
Toodles all!
Post a Comment