Choice ?
Do we choose our emotions and thoughts as many teachers want us to ? Is it possible and what does it mean? The whole concept seems to contradict the approach of "flow" which was a concept in some decades ago promoted by psychotherapists. As we let things happen we obviously do not "choose" but we trust the process ( for example in creating art or caring for children etc )- we "react" positive to the needs of the moment. It always seemed contrary to me to make "longterm plans" when I lived by the principle of "being in the moment" ,which was brought to me by eastern philosophy and others teachings when I was a teenager and travelled the world as well . Today I find it far more attractive to have rational and organised thoughts, aim at goals which are meaningful and to be able to define specific moral values to live accordingly. Does that mean that I "choose " my thoughts? Not really, but I realise, that I can master a few things and are not prone to live by reacting to an ever changing environment. To sail the boat more as a captain and less as a mere passenger. I do not even think, that this comes with age as this is not part of the collective development usually. People in the West for example tend to give up duties more the older they get. This does not hold true for me. We cannot "control " the world, but we can understand it better, learn more( yes, the older we get we should learn even more ) and may be this is a choice in itself. Not to stagnate, but to grow- to be in the moment AND have longterm plans and goals and stay somewhat humble about all we can still activate and become better at.
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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
thank you Claus Herzog-Reichel
thank you William M Reynolds, PhD
author, translator, lecturer Author, translator, lecturer
7 个月Thank you for your wise worda. It would be interesting to pot the tenets of free will to the test, as the "flow" you mention, leaving psychoanalytic theories aside, seems to be closer to it than the mandates of teachers and parents, lassumed to spring from our Superego at later stages (also according to psychoanalytic theory). That's another discussion, of course, but somehow related to this one. In the eve of my life, it marvels me how much there is to learn, and how much I won't have the time to even glimpse. Curiosity and the will to learm leep is connected to reality, to the vast worlds of imagination and, most importantly, to our inner selves.
thank you Marta Merajver