Free Will

Free Will ... this is something I believe everyone has but, I don't believe it's something everyone uses.  Actually, I believe most people hardly exert free will at all.  Now you might be thinking, "Come on, I make choices every day, all day, and they're mine!"  No, I'm not sure I really agree with that.

I don't believe choice really quantifies free will.  The reason I believe this is because our environment and conditioning dictates our choices 99.9% of the time.  A little thought experiment if you don't mind:

Suppose you just got done running a marathon and the race just so happened to finish in a small town with only four restaurants.  The four restaurants are: McDonald's, Panda Express, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

1. Of the four which one did you choose?  Why?

2. Suppose I take away McDonald's.  Now which have you chosen?  Why?

3. Suppose I take away Panda Express as well.  Now which have you chosen?  Why?

4. Suppose I take away Pizza Hut too.  Now you're left with only Taco Bell.  What's your choice now?  Why?

As you can see, I limited your choices by environment.  Slowly, I made the environment smaller and therefore your choices more limited.  Eventually, I left you with only one choice.  Now... I threw the 'why's' in there because that was a test of conditioning.  Did you choose McDonald's because that was your favorite place to eat as a kid?  Did you choose Panda Express because you're lactose intolerant and can't eat pizza?  Did you choose Pizza Hut because you had bad experiences at the other places?  Finally, I left out the most important conditioning factor of all... hunger.  You just ran a marathon, you're starving for food, and your body is constantly sending your brain signals saying, "feed me".

Now, what does all this have to do with free will?  It's my contention that a myriad of forces are directing your choices.  Your choice isn't so much based on what you actually want but, what your entire existence up to that point has conditioned you to choose.  Seems kind of 'bleh' ... but ... if free will is a gift it only makes sense that you don't get to open it every single day.

You see, to me free will encompasses those moments when you sack up.  Those moments when you go against the grain, fight the fear, or take a bold stance.  Things like telling the truth when it would be convenient to lie, or not moving to the back of the bus when the law says you must and you risk jail time, or sacrificing yourself on the cross knowing full well the pain and suffering you must endure.  Maybe it's even the little things like fasting after a marathon, or saying no to unhealthy snack, or going out of your way to make someone feel better when you could of easily went on about your business.

Going against your conditioning, or rewriting your conditioning, or facing your fears... these are things that I would call real choices.  Step outside yourself, knock down some barriers, be bold, and live.  Unwrap that gift called free will.

/end RANT