23 Mar Deciding right! Really?
Who decides – by the way! Let us make it simple!
Throughout every day in our life we are constantly face choices. The choice we make is sometimes influenced by instant demand and other times by a sense of responsibility. Many a times it looks like a routine performance.
It seems that the finest tools of the decision science, some acts might prove to be incorrect or unjustified.
Thus why get so involved with the outcome if we have an ethical and positive intent?
It is a vacillating mind that compounds the problem. The mind is like a wayward child who loves to push us to the ice-cream tray ‘just this one more time’. It conjures all sorts of excellent rational reasons and explanations for that moment’s indulgence. But like the Mephistopheles, the act unforgivingly assaults the conscience with strictures that tend to dwarf our self-esteem.
Result : Our life inevitably becomes a see-saw that alternates between God & Mammon, pleasure and pain and between self-reprimand and achievement. Most of our decisions are intertwined with short-term implications; could be that the stakes are not very high at times. An indulgence like eating more ice cream may at the most punch the heart a bit. Expressing with brutal candor, we may say that it might have just advanced the happening of what is inevitable.
The decisions we make, could alter the course of not just our lives but also influence the lives of others. With rising stakes, human mind becomes a prey to indecision or hesitation. The head and the heart seem to grapple with each other for supremacy. The feeling of being in total control while making a decision is an illusion. This is because our decisions are based largely on circumstances. The circumstances are usually beyond our control, whatsoever extensive could be the matrix of options.
The empiricists might laugh at it. But let’s take a look at some accepted principles. “Heisenberg’s theory of Uncertainty. Gödel’s theory of incompleteness. Einstein’s theory of relativity.”
We are a part of the Universe and the Uncertainty looms large on its face.
The left brain keeps a strict debit and credit account of every alternative. The right brain pops up with very intuitive suggestions. The ego shows a red flag of what “the others” will say. The nonconformist within, suggests the absurd. Within this situation of dissonance, the voice of the soul often gets hushed and consequentially unheeded. However, one’s body feels a subtle discomfort if the decision is apparently incorrect; let’s pay heed to that. It is not a work like a soothsayer. But it might help.
The voice of the soul or the inner voice needs closely listening to. Let us not leave it for posterity.
Quite often it provides an optimised option. The voice within is the ‘unspoken expression’ that helps one to blend reality with dreams. In other words it is a universal mix of practicality and possibility. But unfortunately it often gets discounted by ostensibly saner considerations, but isn’t wisdom always in retrospect?
Typically a decision is essentially a way out of the maze of options that presents outcomes in the future. Our life experiences tell us that this matrix is totally unique in all circumstances. Buddha says ‘no one can bathe in the same river- twice’.
Like ‘Koans’ in Zen Training, will it be a better option to mull over and learn to play with the uncertain outcomes while holding ‘principles’ firmly.
Logically we cannot design the maze as per our choice. ‘What is likely to come out’ influences the situational maze within a very thin bandwidth of ‘options’ generated from umpteen parameters.
Many express or covert conflicts arise from taking pride in achievements. Seems quite tasty fare but the credit in all likelihood, is not due to the unique individual efforts or ability to take a decision.
So why not be strong and enjoy the roller-coaster of life?
You may have different tale to tell!!