I feel that our lives are determined for us even before we are born. From who our parents would be, to what genes we would inherit. In addition, we have no choice on where we are born or who our siblings would be. We may feel that we have some sort of freedom to keep us sane, but in reality, we have no freedom. Freedom is choice, which in my opinion we don't really have. What we may feel that is a choice is really not one, because there are limitations from what you can choose. Choices should be made freely without limitations, but there are always limitations. Example: You live in a poor country that has only water and bread for you. You have a choice between the two, but honestly, you would rather eat meat. You have a choice, but there is a limitation on it because of where you live. Which to me, that shows that your life was already predetermined.
I understand part of where your coming from. There are choices, such as where and who we're born to, that we could not choose. But, I have a contrasting opinion to yours on freedom. The poor man you mention still has choices, and choice is freedom. He could leave the place he was born in,where he is condemned to bread and water for the rest of his days, and find his own opportunity elsewhere. Limitations may exist, but there is almost always a solution. The ability to break through the limitations lies in the determination, will, and ability of the person who wants to change the circumstances life has thrown at them.
ReplyDeleteI see your point of view on this subject (U.S. and most countries), but what about the people who are born in a third world country that is poor? They do have a choice to leave, but what about the circumstances that keeps them there. Here are a few reasons: #1 they have no money to move because they come from a poor family.Which gives them no choice but to stay in a poverty area. 2# they have no money for education to get a good paying job, so it keeps them in poverty level.They can walk on foot to leave that area, but without the finances, will their life be better elsewhere? I would say most people in that situation would be determined to get out. My concern for that is, what if they can not get out because of certain circumstances they were born into.Example: poverty. Would that be freedom of choice, or choices that were already determined for us? I do not doubt that we have choices; I just believe that our choices are sometimes limited, because of where we were born or which family we were born into.
DeletePersonally I believe there are choices. You are right in that we can not choose who our parents are or where we are born and so on, but the predetermined genes I have don't determine things such as: what I'm wearing today, or what I will eat for dinner. They also do not determine what kind of job I will have or who I will marry. This was a good topic to write about and I applaud you for taking a stand for your side. I guess on that spectrum we discussed in class, I stand more int he middle.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe we have choices on what we wear or what we eat, but that is because of our life determination was to be born in a country that has less poverty. Yes, you and I can afford clothing so we can pick what we want to wear, but it is because our life determination to come from a family that is not poor. If we came from a poor family that only could afford one outfit for each child, we would have no choice but to wear that one outfit.Our life choices depends on the situations we were determined to be in. One example, if we came from a family that had more money, we could afford education to choose the type of profession we would want to be in. We could also choose the types of foods we wanted to eat. In contrast, if we came from a very poor family, we might not have a choice on what clothes we want to wear, or what type of profession we can be in. Without money for education, our choices are limited on what we can do. On the topic of genes, genes can not control our choices, but it can control how we look or what type of genetic abnormalities we might inherit. All of these examples I feel goes back to where we were born, and what type of family we came from. This is a choice no one can make. I understand how you feel about being in the middle.At first I was in the middle too, but as I started thinking about it more, I am leaning towards determination.
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