Who we are could easily be influenced by our subconscious mind with it's implications focussing on some particular stimuli of our brain. This happens at a very unconscious level and we may not even realise it until we try to accept it. The greatest flaw of human being is assuming we are in perfect control of our mind, such denial in rationalising the methods of our brain only leaves us with arrogant thoughts about everything. Once we observe the choices we made so far wasn't always upto us, we could harness the dynamicity of our subconscious mind affecting our conscience and thus make us a 'being' with tensile psyche.

Good luck

There will be other demons on the way. No one is without them. The greatest sage is not without his evil. He has mastered it.

 

 

ajb, who are you quoting?

ajb, who are you quoting?

 

 

The narrator from "Monkey".

 

It seems quite an adapt quote for this thread, and a good message for life.

We are responsible for our actions. True, there can be fleeting thoughts that come into our subconscious, but we are still ultimately responsible for our thoughts turning to actions. To say that the choices we have made are not always up to us, is a dangerous message. There may be things that have occurred in our lives of which we had no control, that 'SHAPE' our thinking and world views, but we still choose what we do or don't do in response to them.

...but we still choose what we do or don't do in response to them.

I agree in principal, but I also accept that people can when placed in extraordinary circumstances and under pressure do things that would be considered "out of character". A split second decision about some event or circumstance, especially when the mind is already under pressure from other things, can lead to responses one would never agree to in the cold light of day.

They say that the decisions we make in an instant when we are fearful o

I agree in principal, but I also accept that people can when placed in extraordinary circumstances and under pressure do things that would be considered "out of character". A split second decision about some event or circumstance, especially when the mind is already under pressure from other things, can lead to responses one would never agree to in the cold light of day.

Thats fair...but like what? Everyone still has a choice. Circumstances don't shape our lives, how we react to them do.

They say that the decisions we make in an instant when we are fearful oThats fair...but like what? Everyone still has a choice. Circumstances don't shape our lives, how we react to them do.

Maybe we could ask George Zimmerman for an example...

 

 

 

Maybe we could ask George Zimmerman for an example...

 

 

 

I don't understand what this is illustrating.

I don't understand what this is illustrating.

That people do find themselves in extraordinary situations with a moment to decide what to do next. the consequences can be for life. This is an extreme example of course.

We are responsible for our actions. True, there can be fleeting thoughts that come into our subconscious, but we are still ultimately responsible for our thoughts turning to actions. To say that the choices we have made are not always up to us, is a dangerous message. There may be things that have occurred in our lives of which we had no control, that 'SHAPE' our thinking and world views, but we still choose what we do or don't do in response to them.

i guess you don't trust the judgement and limits of your subconscious mind, when in actual our consciousness is in many ways determined by many factors and not just our prudent ignorant conscience.

We are responsible for our decisions, regardless of what drives us to make the decisions. Circumstances don't dictate our decisions. If that were the case, we would see only people with fantastic circumstances making good decisions and leading peaceful lives. Events that happen in our lives can shape our subconscious and we may make decisions based on our worldview but we are still responsible for our decisions. I don't disagree that our subconscious mind carries with it thoughts that may be ingrained say from childhood, etc...and that can affect our decisions.

I don't disagree that our subconscious mind carries with it thoughts that may be ingrained say from childhood, etc...and that can affect our decisions.

And indeed as emotional creatures with very complex thoughts and a subconscious, not all are decisions are based on well founded logical thought taking into account all the possible outcomes.

 

And then we come to the pressures of culture and peers in our decisions making...

And indeed as emotional creatures with very complex thoughts and a subconscious, not all are decisions are based on well founded logical thought taking into account all the possible outcomes.

 

And then we come to the pressures of culture and peers in our decisions making...

yes, I agree with this totally. I think at first, I thought the thread intent was implying that people are somehow not responsible for their actions. This makes sense to me, now.