Posted by pullmarine on November 21, 2000, at 20:00:37
In reply to Re: Free Will,Responsibility, Especially in Depres, posted by B Day on November 20, 2000, at 23:27:16
R. W. Emmerson said (approximate quote): in life you can choose between seeking truth and repose. Choose what you will, you can never have both.
I disagree with this statement. My personal experience and observations both indicate that people are born into those categories, and do not choose them. I think this is true of many things.
Yet, despite this belief in determinism, I live my life as though everyone, including myself, has free will. I hold myself and other accountable. I expect people to have a certain level of self control, and demand that of myself. I think the biggest step forward for me was when my cousin (a shrink at NIMH) said my recovery depended largely on myself.
Nonetheless, I do seem to have severe crises every four years (it's like clockwork), so I'm expecting one in 3 years and six months (while hoping it won't come this time).
With age these existential and spiritual crises seem to get more severe, but I must admit that with each one that I survive, I grow stronger, wiser, and I come out different (which I believe is a natural reaction to any painful event).
Ultimatly, I know that one of these crises will most probably kill me. Such is life. If what I go through is indeed an illness (which i refute), why so much fuss about the resulting mortality? If it is indeed an illness, why not accept the resulting mortality with the same attitude one has for death resulting from any other illness (cancer, or AIDS, or influenza)? I would find it inacceptable to force treatment on a cancer or aids patient, and the day I choose that my time has come, I pray to god that no one will interfere with the natural course of events.
john
poster:pullmarine
thread:2826
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20001117/msgs/3099.html