Decisions

We make them every day. Consciously or subconsciously. Perhaps unconsciously. Reflexively and mechanically. They influence the reality taking shape around us.

Decisions.

When writing a few days ago about consequences, I knew that the idea I wanted to capture would not be fully expressed if I only wrote about consequences. To do so, I need to look at what comes at the very beginning, many moments before the consequence. Therefore, a decision.

What is a decision?

I tend to think that it is one of the most beautiful manifestations of free will, although it is probably debatable whether we are truly free. External factors have a significant impact on our existence, including the environment in which we are raised. Perhaps, then, a manifestation of free will will be a decision that is completely different from what our environment expects of us. Manifesting existence by adopting a nonconformist stance. The stance of active nonconformity has always been tempting for me. It's not easy, though. It's demanding.

But I'll return to the main topic.

Do we want to make conscious decisions?

I think individual decision-making is linked to responsibility, and responsibility gives us agency. I'm convinced that when asked if we want to be responsible for our own lives, most of us will say yes. However, I'm not convinced that's truly the case. We live in times of comfort unimaginable to our ancestors. Comfort, however, makes us lazy. Besides, we're wired to conserve energy whenever possible. That's how our brains function. It suggest easier solutions. Therefore, I dare say that while we consciously express a willingness to make decisions, we subconsciously would gladly take that responsibility off ourselves. To free ourselves from that responsibility. Besides, I have the impression that we often manifest this, albeit indirectly. We give power to people who make decisions for us regarding our lives in the socio-political sphere. And our decision-making is expressed primarily by crossing out a cross next to our name every few years. We hand over responsibility for our spirituality to priests, who claim to know better what our spirituality needs.

A few months ago, I read one of the most interesting works of contemporary literature: "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. Briefly, for those who may not be familiar with his story, he is a psychologist who survived a concentration camp. Frankl argues that everything can be taken from a person, but the freedom to make decisions cannot be taken away, even under conditions as cruel as those in a concentration camp. It is up to us to choose the attitude we adopt. I must admit that for me, "Man's Search for Meaning," despite the drama inherent in the circumstances of Frankl's experiences, is a glimmer of hope. Returning to what I wrote a few sentences ago, the greatest manifestation of free will is a decision that is inconsistent with what the conditions and surrounding environment demand of us. If a person locked in a concentration camp renounces the loss of his humanity and makes decisions that manifest it, this is the purest source of free will.