MAN'S POWER TO CHOOSE
By Sergio Salotto

According to main stream religions and philosophies, one of the principle elements that differentiates Man from other living species is our capability to think and make choices.

The “element” of Freedom of choice is said to be the greatest power given to man versus other species – or so we believe. If that is the case, then why are we not all living the perfect life we want? The answer must obviously be because we are not choosing to live such a life. But isn’t that absurd?

Who would be so crazy as to not choose to have their ideal partner in a relationship, their preferred job and career etc.? Why would anyone elect to choose a life of pain and suffering if they did not have to? Are we really so dumb as to choose a life of pain and suffering over our preferred ideal life? I doubt it. But we do.

Which means that despite the logic of the argument that our lives are the way they are because we are exercising freedom of choice, given the life pains we are experiencing then clearly something is not quite right. Something about all this does not really make sense—and I don’t want to enter into a discussion of how the “answer” to this paradigm may lie in the philosophy of karma and reincarnation... that is yet another discussion altogether.

So what is my point?

Simply that the argument that we are exercising freedom of choice is flawed, it is missing something rather fundamental. And what is missing is that if we were truly exercising our real freedom of choice, the chances are that we would not choose a life of pain and suffering. That means that we are living a life of pain and suffering because we are not exercising our freedom of choice.

Why are we not exercising our freedom of choice? Because we may not really know what it means, what it refers to or what we are supposed to be choosing between.

Religions and life philosophies provide many varied interpretations or definitions of man’s freedom of choice and how he should exercise this to create a better quality physical and spiritual life. Though each aims to promote a better lifestyle, from what we are witnessing and experiencing all over the world, these institutions clearly have not nor are they very successful in guiding their followers to attain a lifestyle free of pain and suffering. If anything, many in fact are the source of much of the pain and suffering. Of course, we can believe in and justify anything we want for the sake of upholding our religious, cultural and social beliefs. But if these are not giving us a better life, then shouldn’t we be questioning why it is so?

Despite which religion of philosophy you may identify with and follow, I tell you that YOU have a real purpose for your life that has nothing to do with any religious, or social beliefs. This is nothing mystical or esoteric. It is a down-to-earth practical purpose—or vision if you prefer. This purpose is something you have been aware of all your life. You have experienced its effects in various degrees in your life. You have even done things (however small or seemingly insignificantly) out of it without perhaps being consciously aware that you were in fact acting out of it—that is how strong and relevant it is for you. Your purpose is in fact so big for you, that it probably scares you to even think about it—even though the very thought sets your pulse racing. It may also be so big in your mind that you cannot believe in it or even consider yourself as a possibility of fulfilling it. So you find it easier to negate what you really feel about it. This negation however results in your giving up on exercising your real freedom of choice, taking responsibility and being the creator and in control of your circumstances in life.

In giving up on exercising this fundamental freedom of choice, you automatically allow yourself to become a victim of your circumstance and live your life driven by emotional fears and needs—a life of pain and suffering. With the result that you always take decisions based on your considerations and fears of the possible consequences you may have to face as a result of the fear-driven decisions you take.

YOUR LIFE CAN BE DIFFERENT

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