Western society believes doggedly in freedom of choice thus making it hard to question mental constructs around ‘choices.’ There is a strong view that everybody has free will producing a resistance to the possibility that situations and events occur regardless of ‘choice.’
Could successful ‘choices’ take away the choices of others? For example, a person succeeds in their application for a job denying the choice of countless other applicants pursuing the same job. The other applicants desperately wanted the job. Has the rich businessmen on a huge bonus scheme, who drastically cuts his work force to maximize profits taken away the choice of his employees, who wish to keep their jobs?
Is the notion of choice emerging from the very centre of self-delusion? On reflection, many ‘choices’ seem bizarre since some were mistakes, foolish acts, or leaving the chooser desperately unhappy.
- Who would choose to be miserable?
- Why can’t the chooser choose to be happy every day?
- What sort of choice is it when the consequences of the choice end in tears?
- Was it the person’s choice to weep over the outcome?
- Can you choose not to make any more choices?
Politicians, business, educators and advertisers have drummed belief in choice into us on daily basis.
What does the experience of being in a hurricane, falling totally in love, insomnia, feeling depressed, suddenly bumping into an old friend or a profound realisation have in common? All these experiences arose without our making a choice for them to happen.
Choice? What Choice?