November 14, 2007

Choices

The choices we make in life determine who we are, or will be.

Does it? Really?

Are we the product of wise or poor decisions? Do we really have a choice of who we are or will become?

Free will is a popular topic on the Dilbert Blog. He contends that we really don't have free will, just the illusion of free will and in the end the the choices we make have no effect on who we are, or on the evolution of the human race or the planet. It is who we are that effect our choices.

I have to agree with his theory. There are many views I have over the years that effect who I am, and there is no way I can change this just be willing it.

I wish I was an extrovert, they seem to be much happier than introverts like myself.

If I could, I would have faith in a supreme being and an eternal place for our salvation, then I could have better peace of mind. (Most religionists don't have faith, or peace of mind either, so I'm not talking about conforming to some religion.)

Do we choose to love someone, or is that connection or preference for another person pre-wired into us?

I could go on about how certain people would choose to be someone else, or have a different lifestyle than the one have, to make their life easier. Pretending to be something you are not, ruins lives, and causes internal mental and emotional damage. However, accepting and being who you are can create much hardship and turmoil from external groups and the society you have to interact with on a daily basis.

You could say that I used free will to create today's post. Well, if I didn't, would my view on the subject be any different?

Song Post: A Murder Of One - Counting crows

2 comments:

Mauigirl said...

Nick, interesting topic! I tend to agree with the idea that "Character is destiny" (Plato or Aristotle or somebody like that said that). I think who you are determines what choices you make, and that you can't change who you are. That said, it is important to be the best you can for who you are, and to treat others well. So we can try to go against our natural tendencies sometimes to improve ourselves (e.g., if a person knows they tend to be selfish, they could make the effort to help someone else). So there is a happy medium. But in the long run, it's very hard to change one's personality completely.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm...I'll have to think on this one. I would think it to be a combination of the two. Who we are is partly based on the choices made by the people who nurtured, or abused us. Then, often our choices are based on their choices. If we have a strong enough will, or self esteem, we make better choices than those we've been taught, influencing who we will become.

That's just confusing. I think we have free will and the power to make our own choices and change to a degree. I don't think we all have the TOOLS to make good choices to better ourselves though.