I’ve been musing a lot about the beliefs we hold lately. I’m tempted to call it existentialism, except I’m not confident enough in my understanding of the word to use it, yet.
It all started with a conversation I had recently with a friend on free will.
We are both determinists (i.e. free will doesn’t exist), so the main argument centred around whether it mattered if it existed or not.
Here’s my thinking on the matter: If we have free will, that implies we are responsible for our actions; we should think of the happiness of others as influenced by us, and we should accept punishment for when our actions cause harm.
Obviously these are just a few aspects of having free will, but I’m summing up here.
Even if we DON’T have free will however, the world still behaves (to us) as though we do. Kind of like if Neo was told he was in the Matrix, but never got a convenient red pill to wake him up.
Let me clarify. Our actions still appear to have consequences that come from us, and different actions still ’cause’ different consequences. It’s even wise to accept punishment for our actions – predetermined or not – as this can still deter us from repeating our harmful decisions.
However, someone who BELIEVES they have no choice, may suddenly act very differently. They may attach the additional belief that no free will means they have no control over their actions, and so lose their moral compass.
Alternatively, they may believe (as I do), that even if free will doesn’t exist, practicality demands we continue to behave as though it did, since the world is going to punish us for bad behaviour anyway. And hey, unless you’re a sociopath, actions that cause harm to others will still make you feel bad.
In other words, the truth about the existence/non-existence of free will is far less important than the beliefs you draw from that truth. Because only the latter changes how you interact with the world.
This doesn’t apply to ALL truths, obviously – drinking super hot coffee may not change your beliefs, but it’s still a bad idea. #Truth
But many “truths” are basically unprovable – whether the Christian God exists vs the Muslim one for example, or if this life is in fact just a dream we are living out in our heads.
Philosophers and theologians have been fighting over questions like these for millennia, and strong arguments exist on many sides. But from a practical mindset, the only thing that REALLY matters is how the belief you choose will change how you think and behave.
And if it makes you feel like everything is terrible and pointless, should you choose it?
Let me wrap up by suggesting it’s a good idea to think about the beliefs that guide your actions. Your beliefs are not static things. They can be reframed, put in perspective, so you can still see a way forward and not feel helplessly tied down. They define the perceived boundaries of your success.
What beliefs do you hold that are based on a “can’t” mentality, and how can you rephrase them in a way that’s more honest, more hopeful?
Credits:
‘Athletes Running on Track and Field Oval in Grayscale Photography’ by Pixabay from Pexels
‘Content Young Woman Drinking Sweet Fragrant Coffee with Foam’ by Sam Lion from Pexels
‘Person Standing in Front of Fire’ by Adam Wilson from Unsplash
‘Photo of Pathway Surrounded by Fir Trees’ by James Wheeler from Pexels
‘Shallow Focus Photo of Brown Squirrel Photo’ by Tricia Galvin From Unsplash
‘Yellow Medication Pill on Someone’s Hand’ by Sharon McCutcheon from Unsplash