NPR - Making Choices II

We all make choices many times throughout the day, and all to often not much thought goes into the choice we make at the moment. That's because many choices are simply made without requiring much thought at all, but are simply choices we take for granted as part of who we are or what we do. Some of these choices need to be rethought now and then we discover there are other options or things change which makes the choice obsolete.

And we all make the choices that requires a lot of research and thought, and in the end, we still frame our choices within our own view of reality and our life, the concept of bounded rationality. And sometimes we choose to eliminate all but one and go with that. Huh? We all do that when we make a decision, but not often when we reduce the choices to one then make it our only choice as a non-choice.

So what's the point? Well, I'm arguing against those choices some people make and later say it wasn't a choice. There are some life decisions that some folks will argue that it was the choice or death - meaning it wasn't a decision but something so buried in their being, choice wasn't an issue and that not making it would have resulted in something as bad as suicide.

Well, it's hard to argue with some who believes it wasn't a choice. They simply believe with all their heart, mind and soul. And while you can argue til you're blue in the face, they will simply deny choice was an issue. They often argue it was life or death, the decision or suicide - meaning that if they didn't make the decision to act they would be dead.

I've discussed this with professional therapists, and some believe it's true. But I have a hard time understanding as conscious, thinking human beings, we limit ourselves so much it's a life or death decision. I'm not discounting people with mental problems whos brain and mind simply don't function normally, they are a different situation. I have problems with the rest of us, because we choose to make it a no choice.

And that's my point, subconsciously or consciously we make the choice of eliminating all the other choices in front of us, so it becomes a nobrainer as they say. In some instances I can accept this because our innate being sometimes has an overpowering control of our feeling and thinking, and thus subconsciously removes the choices where there is only one for the conscious to see, and then choose.

My argument is with the life or death folks. Why? Because it's not death as the other choice. Talking with them and hearing their lifestory I don't hear the depression up to the point of the decision that's necessary for a life or death decision. For something to be a choice of life or death, death has to be there in the thinking and feeling, and it's not in their lifestory or their decision process.

It's always after the fact choice to make seem like it was. And I'm being cruel? No, because their lifestory doesn't have depression or thoughts of suicide in it until after the decision. It's used, in my view, as justification than a reality. While I may agree with the decision, I argue it was a choice among many, so make it one you feel good about than the fear of something you don't know.

I know there are people who argue this, and I can accept their view. After all this is just my view of life. I will always accept the responsbility of my decision and the consequences of my actions. I won't put something off to an unknown because it's a handy excuse. And that's cruel? No, I've been there in the deepest point of life enough to know.