Do you think a persons's life tends to be the way it is due mostly to circumstance or conscious choice?

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Answers

circumstance. Making plans has been all well and good, but every time I really count on that something happens to turn my whole life upside down. I've learned to stop making iron clad plans and to just sort of nudge things the way I want to go.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

It's conscious choice. Frankly, the choices people make often baffle me.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Uh, how about unconscious choice. Many of the choices I've made in my life baffled me at the time.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Choice with chance thrown in to make things interesting. The choices you make direct the chance that happens. Not every aspect of life is planned and by choice, but the major decisions, those *should* be choice.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Thank you guys for answering! I've been mulling it over myself and agree with everyone (lol..). I think there is some conscious choice, a lot of unconscious choice, a hefty dash of chance and getting the fallout of other people's choices... but that there is also always a choice in how we react to those things that are chance (or the result of someone else's choice beyond our control)...

Still mulling.... (and supposed to be working, so...)

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Yeah Lynda, that's exactly what I was thinking. Sure life may throw us some curveballs, but there are always options. In dealing with these curveballs we do make choices, and determine our life's direction. The choice so many choose to make, however, is not to make any hard choices... ;-)

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Well, I'm going to go with option three. Most people's lives are governed by unconcious choice. It isn't what happens to them, but it isn't quite a thinking process either. Lives on cruise control. Thinking is hard. I mean, who thinks about every cigarette they smoke, every stupid sitcom they sit down to watch, every morsel they stuff into their mouths. What we are we were years ago. Pray for us, Lynda.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

I'm going to cast vote for the combo. Some things are obviously, if not chance, at least beyond your control. They may be consequences of other people's choices, but they're wholly out of your hands. Some things are the result of your patterns and behaviors that are just part of your nature. And some things come by individuals intentionally taking actions.

I think some people can grow skilled at understanding why they do those unconscious things that they do, and nudge them from unconscious to conscious choice, but I doubt anybody can do that 100 percent.

Ultimately, we have choices in how we react, how we view and how we handle what we're handed.

Michael Hardy

Baker Street

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

I think it's all about choices.

Maybe not your choices, but how other people's choices affect you. Though...would you then call that circumstance?

That's a lot to think about.

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

>Maybe not your choices, but how other people's choices affect you. Though...would you then call that circumstance?

I think maybe the distinction comes in how involved you are in the life of the one making the decisions. If someone makes a choice knowing it will affect you specifically, I wouldn't call that circumstance. But if someone chooses to drive carelessly and hits you, that probably is circumstance. Yes, it's the product of someone else's choice, but it's not a choice made deliberately with the awareness of who it will affect and how.

Alternately, maybe the distinction is in whether it's a deliberate choice on the other person's part. Someone who deliberately leaves a five-dollar bill on the sidewalk out of generosity knows that someone will pick it up and benefit in a small way, even not knowing who. While someone who is just a bad driver may cause a wreck without really consciously choosing to, say, shift lanes too quickly.

That's maybe putting too fine a point on it, though.

Michael Hardy

Baker Street

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2000

Both.

A good example is how I began teaching secondary school (before you all say anything, I love it). I had decided to start teaching in 1993 (my second career), but I received some test results late and missed out on a strong support program, I turned down a job to teach Middle School. In early summer of 1994, I had looked into teaching again and decided I could not afford to quit my current job, just before I was going to inform the district about my decission, I was given a 30 day notice that I was being laid off, I walked in a week later, told them Friday was my last day (two day notice) and I started a training program on Monday. I was able to collect unemployment until I started teacher.

So, I say both. I can also give other examples.

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

Sometimes the choice you make is to take a chance... Sometimes the chances you take determine the choices you have to make...

And the wheels go round and round....da...da..da...da....da....

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

*applause* perfect - I think you've said it best, jo!

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

Aw, if I knew we were being graded, I'd have tried harder.

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

Gee thanks, Lynda!

The whole idea of how moments of chance can constantly influence and change lives fascinates me.

An author who endlessly explores issues of life and chance is Paul Auster...Several movies have been made of his books...perhaps the best known movie is Smoke, with Harvey Keitel...

-- Anonymous, June 11, 2000

Speaking of grades and Choices or Chances: last week of instruction this week, finals next week, grades are due in two weeks.

-- Anonymous, June 11, 2000

Well, there ya go, Jim - a perfect illustration about how we have to make choices without fully understanding the circumstances that will effect them! ;)

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2000

AFfect. Affect affect affect. dammit.

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2000