Saturday, March 11, 2006

Illusion of free will

Destiny.
A concept not accepted by many because that would mean that man is not in control of what is to happen to him. It would mean we have to accept that there are many random forces acting on you in many ways that make you steer in the directions, not necessarily of your choice...like a leaf in the wind.

I believe that I choose everything with respect to me.
Although, I admit, that of late, that belief is getting shakier. I ranted and raved in this very blog of inertia and time being ripe for changes that would take me to the next level.
What I didnt see coming, in my expectation for a staircase, was hundred floor elevator that moves at the speed of light. Now, although rising high is a good thing, the ingrained paranoia wonders "is this too much of a good thing?"
While still battling that, the next surprise rolls in, hardly giving me enough time to even take it all in. Oh and this one is a good thing too. And yeah, they are mutually exclusive.

Decisions Decisions...
pro-cons analysis, SWOT listings...all that funda still falls short when its time to take a step in any of the 2 ways.
Then you realize what you knew all along; there was never any choice. Ever.
You only go the way that is for the greater good, a popular choice of the ones you care about.
This cannot be termed sacrifice, for you cannot say for sure if you'd have struck gold if you had gone the other way. Also, there is a good chance that the path that your people are urging you to tread in may be the one path that leads to your personal destination.

This is the point where I lament, and todays theme is : "Why do good things come in mutually exclusive pairs" or "Why can't I have the cake and eat it too?" [what is the point of the cake other than eating it?]

A new phase is starting, the one I chose with the illusion of my free will. I accept the consequences. It will literally be a new world removed of anything I find familiar.
I am brave or I hope I am. I will face things the best way I can.
If I am a pawn of destiny then I will act with the thought that I am destined to be the best I possibly can be. Still human enough to be scared of new things, but not enough to be deterred by them.

Fighting for control of my life,
Rain

PS: No, I am not getting married.

7 comments:

Phoenix said...

Good luck...often you don't get mutually exclusive things that you want your way, so have a blast !!

Anonymous said...

way to go my friend!! loved this post!!!

Braveheart said...

Rain, people have little imagination with regard to others' matters; specially when the matters are so personal. Good luck :)
-- Akshaya

Roopesh Chander said...

Fear of predestinedness is probably what made Matrix a cult. Scariest thing ever.

I bet you have a preference between the two, disconsidering rational analysis. You should probably pick that, and stay selfish. That's been one of my philosophies: if you're both selfish and intelligent, it always turns out to be for the greater common good.

May the force be with you.

Rainbow said...

Phoenix,
Yeah. Have been lucky (perhaps too lucky!!)

Divs,
Thanks :)

Braveheart,
??
THanks for wishes, Need it.

Aarthi,
Very interesting. Markov, is a throwback to my college days :)
THink it comes with AI...

Roop,
bang on target. Utter lack of control is a scary thing.

Enchanted Mind said...

Just loved the post, as it put down my thoughts into words !!

Tx...

Anonymous said...

hello there,
i guess this is one among the many famous debated topics......yet my discoveries till date is that, like how a man cant e defined with the help of women, and vice versa,... the same as the free will and destiny....or i shall give a closer example.....freewill is like your action, and destiny is your reaction.

hence to te best i know the debate can rest in peace.
www.gosay.tk
gosay