Archives > Opinion > Star Staff
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Simple choices determine the bane or bounty of life
By Doug Smith, Reminders for the Journey
I think we have the possibility of actually making choices for ourselves, though I am not sure it is to the degree that some think it is.
The psychological field of behaviorism, whose hero in the '60s and '70s was the notable B.F. Skinner, was inclined to think that if we just had a little more information, we could predict the choices that people would make with great certainty. This school of thought was that we really don't have the freedom to make choices, as they are actually made for us by genetic and environmental factors that are beyond our control.
As an aside, I find it interesting that we don't hear much about behaviorism anymore.
 |
| Doug Smith |
We all know people whose choices we just shake our heads over as they seem to constantly make decisions that lead to a bad end. We are typically amazed and will exclaim our bewilderment of, "How can they make such poor choices!" However, none of us escape making at least some of our own poor choices, which, if we are honest, we all do.
Abraham Maslow, a psychologist of yesteryear, researched and wrote quite a bit about the notion of self-actualization, which basically deals with the hopeful potential all humans have of making consistently wise and sound choices. Maslow, in one of his books, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature, writes about some behaviors that lead to actualization. One of them has to do with choices. In summary, he says that throughout a day we are all faced with a great number of choices, and that a significant amount of them present a "choice of progression" or a "choice of regression." He contends that in his studies of self-actualized individuals, that when faced with these kinds of choices, they will consistently make the choices that lead to progress or growth, and not regression or decay. Furthermore, their ability to do so ultimately results in positive qualities of life that most can only dream about having.
Simple choices begin with the choice to get out of bed and begin our day, or perhaps to stay in bed and seek to avoid the day. Of course, if one is ill, the better choice is likely to stay in bed. Then we have the choice of eating breakfast or not, which includes what we choose to eat.
Depending on whom you believe, some choices of what to eat are healthy and some are absolutely not. And on and on it goes throughout the day. Probably the most constant choice we are faced with daily includes dietary choices, and with such a vast array of food available these days, most of us are in constant conflict. In fact, some people ultimately arrive at a position in which they say they become "afraid" of food.
For the most part, choices that delay gratification are the better choices for most of us in the long run. However, lives become wrecked at worst, or compromised at least, because of our frequent practice of not delaying gratification. This is not new in our culture, and perhaps is just the musings of the older among us, but it seems that we used to do better in this regard than we do now. Undisciplined lives rarely provide much satisfaction or fulfillment.
Doug Smith is a licensed professional counselor. Reach him at 972-436-6227, doug@ccclewisville.com or visit his website at ccclewisville.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Star Staff «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
