Choice is an illusion? LO4369

William J. Hobler, Jr. (bhobler@cpcug.org)
Wed, 20 Dec 1995 21:02:13 -0500

Replying to LO4319 --

I have been quietly watching this dialog, for choice seems a critical success
factor to environment in which learning can blossom. Starting with brief
excerpts.

>Because I am the prisoner of my paradigm and know it, it doesn't mean I
>can escape any more than a real prisoner can will himself out of a real
>prison.

>We cannot choose what paradigm we will believe.

Which drew these responses:

> I asked myself, do I want those limitations? My answer was no.

>* I can and have escaped from paradigms I had which didn't serve me

>* I have chosen what paradigm to believe

>* I have not "willed" myself to understand something differently, but I
>have cleared my mind of my current "reality"

>"Mulligan, Margie"

Thank you Margie Mulligan.

I believe we all have great freedom of choice. Moreover, I believe that
we are not at all limited by the models we hold of our world. What limits
us, or at least what has limited me is my own fear of the consequences of
one choice or another. For me the fear is founded in my desire for some
goal or reward.

So, a choice places the goal or reward in jeopardy and I am immediately in
a time of uncertainty and transition. The Buddhist's word for a period of
transition is 'bardo', and they see in it an opportunity. It has been my
experience that the opportunity is to create something new and better than
the existence before making the fear filled choice.

In fact in looking back on the period before the choice it is always a
period of unrest. My mind was distracted and unable to make the
connections essential to creative work. The Buddhist's philosophy also
teaches that one must detach from the goals and rewards of life to clearly
perceive reality and make good judgements. It, detachment from temporal
rewards and goals, is also a precept central to Christian thought. What
imprisons us is the model that money or power, or any of the other
currently popular reward, makes us more or less a person.

What frees us to use our creativity is the confidence in our own value.
Then we are limited only by the categorical imperative, that we can
recommend our choices and our actions as models for everyone. This
freedom requires that we be responsible for the consequences of our
choices, and where they are unjust to other people we must make other
choices.

I am on a soap box for which I apologize. But in joining groups of people
who act without regard for the rewards, and with sensitivity for others I
joined the most rewarding learning experiences of my life. This is one of
the attractions of volunteer work, there is no payback but improving the
lot of other people.

Altruistic? yes, spiritual? yes. Soft stuff? yes. Hard to do? you bet.
Worth doing? yes. Makes for a powerful group of people all pulling hard
for a purpose. Call them a high performance work unit. Now, figure out
how to establish the necessary environment in commercial, governmental, or
non-profit enterprises. It is easier in the non-profits.

I selected Buddhist's thought in this Christian and Jewish season for we
often neglect all of the richness our Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist's (and
others) friends bring to our lives.

A happy season for all and thank all of you for your contributions here
and in your work throughout the world.

--
Bill Hobler
bhobler@cpcug.org