Choice - a short essay to provoke debate - Nigel Fawcett's Blog

<p>It is tempting to say that life has been good to me, only that would consign me to the human condition; our ever present need to absolve ourselves of all responsibility. But what am I saying? After all I am human and therefore constrained by those very conditions that define and limit our humanity, or at least, our humanness.</p><p>Actually, I do not believe this, because I resist the opening paradigm that seems to depict a sedentary approach to life in which we observe it as it rushes headlong towards us and passes us by – oh, how many times have I heard that phrase used as justification for intransigence, for existing when we should be living?</p><p>But do we not have a choice? And what is choice?</p><p>For one thing it has definitely been the subject of many a good debate; fate against determinism; goal led against goal driven; the human privilege to exercise choice against external direction – or a higher direction. And here I begin to build my case against another travesty of the human condition that constructs a trap for us at every turn – the conjurors’ primary device; Hobson’s choice. The appearance of choice, presented in such a way that we are conditioned, or channelled, down some predetermined path. And the deception drives still deeper because, not only does it present an illusion of choice, it also reinforces the impression that we can only choose between one of two possible outcomes; that is, if we do not choose <em>a</em> then <em>b</em> will surely follow.</p><p>Now, suppose there exists an option <em>c</em>? Why stop at <em>c</em>?</p><p>Well, the amazing thing about <em>c</em> is that <em>c</em> is any and every other possible outcome that you can imagine – the choice that allows other choices to exist.</p><p>So, you can do nothing and just let your life pass you by, or you can move forward through life and deal with whatever you find there, or you can create the life that you choose. You can let a beautiful garden come to you through the pages of a magazine, or you can go and walk through that beautiful garden, or you can create a beautiful garden that is yours.</p><p>In the workplace, you can simply execute the tasks you are given, or you can actively seek those tasks that need to be performed while observing the written and unwritten rules of the operation, or you can challenge those unhelpful rules, those unhelpful beliefs, and those unhelpful structures (which only serve to shackle your colleagues and shackle your business) and, in so doing, create a better and more successful organisation.</p><p>Do not be deterred by obstacles that appear to block your way, they only exist if you allow them to. Remember, nothing has any meaning except the meaning that we choose to accept.</p><p>Finally, do not take the path of least resistance; don’t drift through the doors that are obviously open, just because they are there; choose those interesting doors that appear to be shut – you will find they easily open. And, if at first they seem to be stuck, do not worry, it is just an illusion aimed at driving away those without determination – if we only do what we ever did we can only expect what we ever got. So, shun the materialistic clamour to obtain whatever you want, and acknowledge the altruistic acceptance of whatever you choose, because the things you want are always just out of reach or require just too much effort, while the things that we choose have already moved from dream to reality.</p><p>We may not be able to choose the things that happen to us, but we can choose how we feel and react to them.</p>

Derrick Burton Date: 12/5/2008 5:37:00 PM we are not on some college campus some where, the smart people like the ones from the last administration in the united states think they always have the answers, or you love the sound of your own voice, every time smart people run the show we seem to crash as a society, and im not stupid but i try not to ever be too smart, thats boring and loved by old conservitives, when i think about it u look old [wink] Login to Reply

Barbara Gorelick Date: 11/26/2008 2:54:00 PM Didnt see a write from you today..me either..to busy with the turkey thing. But my best wishes for a loving day tomorrow. BG Login to Reply

Crystal Smith Date: 11/25/2008 11:38:00 AM You are quite the writer Niguel. Im learning off every sentence and i would just like to thank you for that as well as your comments on my poems. Im honoured as well, knowing now that you are such an inspirational writer. Crystal Login to Reply

Vince Suzadail Jr. Date: 11/24/2008 5:27:00 PM I'm not into deep thought. I kind of look at it like we make decisions based on faith, fear, experience, dreams, etc. If we stay in our comfort zone, we'll never know what we could have achieved. If we choose out of fear, we are pretty much designing a mundane and uninteresting life. The most successful people seem to be those who have also known great failure but have put it into perspective and went on from there. There will always be obstacles. How we percieve them will determine how far we will go. Sometimes the littlest things frustrate me. Then when I look back I wonder why. Attitude also determines much of how one handles crisis and challenge. I'm still amazed at what radical religious beliefs can do. The title "Holy War" is an oxymoron. People have taken human lives in the name of "Holy Wars." Basically, good, decent people choosing to kill. Thought provoking blog. Vince Login to Reply

Nigel Fawcett Date: 11/24/2008 2:27:00 PM I am very interested in the comments that Patricia makes because they are akin to a scientific way of looking at good/evil and the whole universal purpose thing. In the book Shantaram, one of the characters takes the approach that the universe is in state of ever increasing complexity and that its final purpose is ultimate complexity (he even says this could be an explanation of God). Consequently, anything that we do to slow down or interrupt increasing complexity is scientifically a bad/evil thing and vice versa. Login to Reply

Nigel Fawcett Date: 11/24/2008 2:17:00 PM Fred raises several arguments very eloquently and is clearly more of a philosopher than he admits. I have never actually thought of either fate or determinism as having their end points as simply heaven or hell. So, I think for the purpose of this discussion, I am more interested in the choices we make that affect us while we are living. Fate does allow for choice because it is an end position that does not care what happens along the way. Determinism does not allow for choice because it believes that whatever decision we make was the inevitable conclusion of the events that preceded it. Login to Reply

Nigel Fawcett Date: 11/24/2008 2:07:00 PM The question that Sharon raises is a toughy. What I would argue here is that sometimes the A, B, or C labels get a bit mixed up. To explain: the picking up and going somewhere you always wanted, isn't choice C it's choice B and fits the Hobson's choice that I refer to in the blog. B seems too impossible or painful to take so, by default, one takes the status quo of A because it is more comfortable. C would be any one of the many things that could take you a step closer to B without fear/pain. In many/most cases it is not practical to get where you want in one step. Login to Reply

Nigel Fawcett Date: 11/24/2008 1:51:00 PM As Christie says, fear is certainly one of the biggest factors in making choices. Everybody's natural state is to move towards pleasure and away from pain. No matter how hard we try to pretend that we make decisions with our heads, ultimately, all decisions are made emotionally. Consequently, it is difficult to choose B over A if B smells of fear/failure while A is not what we want but smells comfortable. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. But we know by example that it is possible to be so driven by belief that it becomes stronger than doubt - Brian mentions Arthur Dove in his persistence blog, with other notable examples being Edison with his light bulb and Sanders with his KFC. They each stared failure in the face hundreds of times before finally succeeding but never lost their self belief. Login to Reply

Carrie Richards Date: 11/24/2008 1:10:00 PM Wow...where was I when all this conversation began?...I'm getting in on the tail end, so whatever needed to be said, has been said. But this is one of the most interesting blogs, and discussions I've seen here. You stirred up a hornets nest of different angles of this question. But I do believe we have to take better control of our lives in most situations, and better control of our actions and our reactions. But, as Sharon said in the earlier blog...sometimes we have to take in so many other factors to made our decisions. Sensibility ...plain ole' common sense, really does matter! Login to Reply

Danielle White Date: 11/24/2008 10:53:00 AM OH, NIGEL: YOU MADE MY HEAD HURT! Login to Reply

Sue Mason Date: 11/24/2008 10:00:00 AM Sorry, Nigel. No debate from me. I agree 110% and I can do anything I want as long as I'm willing to pay the price because there is always a price ... wether it is a positive or a negative and, as you say at the end, I can choose how to feel about that outcome. The only thing "wrong" with life is that it is too short ... LOL ... Login to Reply

Nigel Fawcett Date: 11/24/2008 9:19:00 AM Wow! When I posted this blog, In thought it might just wither on the vine, but the response, and the thoughts/arguments expressed have been fantastic. So many great points have been raised. I will have to choose a few and then play Devil's advocate by throwing back some challenges and observations. Login to Reply

Sharon Winter Date: 11/24/2008 5:29:00 AM For example Nigel, how do you literally pick up and go somewhere you've always wanted to go when it is very far away and do something you've always dreamed of doing when you have an elderly parent to take of and there is no one else to cover you? Is this really an option for anyone with a heart and soul or conscience? This is a debate that could last hours you know. Especially with Wilfredo around ~lol~ who makes some great points along with Christie. Love, Shar Login to Reply

Nigel Fawcett Date: 11/24/2008 12:36:00 AM Thanks for your response, Shar. I am glad you threw up some challenges, because I was hoping to stimulate as many arguments against as for. I actually agree with you, but would add a couple of points. Choosing A or B is as valid as choosing C. Many barriers are based on beliefs or values that no longer serve us but which we unquestioningly cling on to. Love, Nigel Login to Reply

Sharon Winter Date: 11/23/2008 4:09:00 PM Well Nigel, after reading your blog, it seems you have truly taken your philosophy to heart, which is indeed admirable. A part of me wants to say, yes, you are so very right, and another part of me says easier said than done. The last line I most definitely agree with. But as far as option C goes, it really all depends on, for example, responsibilities. Obstacles do exist, and not because we want them to. I understand the step out of your comfort zone and go for your dreams concept, and yes, we should always try. Great conversation. Great blog. Love, Shar Login to Reply