Are you aware that you are conditioned?

[china]

For centuries we have been conditioned by nationality, caste, class, tradition, religion, language, education, literature, art, custom, convention, propaganda of all kinds, economic pressure, the food we eat, the climate we live in, our family, our friends, our experiences—every influence you can think of—and, therefore, our responses to every problem are conditioned. Are you aware that you are conditioned? That is the first thing to ask yourself, not how to be free of your conditioning. You may never be free of it, and if you say, “I must be free of it”, you may fall into another trap of another form of conditioning. So are you aware that you are conditioned?

 

[Liberalman]

That is an interesting concept that I agree with.

Conditioning is a way to fit into society and act normal.

 

[china]

Good one Liberalman

.......though I think all that we can do is to see that the mind is conditioned and, through self-knowledge, to understand the process of our own thinking. I must know myself, not as I would ideologically like to be, but as I actually am, however ugly or beautiful, however jealous, envious, acquisitive. But it is very difficult just to see what one is without wishing to change it, and that very desire to change it is another form of conditioning; and so we go on, moving from conditioning to conditioning, never experiencing something beyond that which is limited.

 

[Cliffy]

.......though I think all that we can do is to see that the mind is conditioned and, through self-knowledge, to understand the process of our own thinking. I must know myself, not as I would ideologically like to be, but as I actually am, however ugly or beautiful, however jealous, envious, acquisitive. But it is very difficult just to see what one is without wishing to change it, and that very desire to change it is another form of conditioning; and so we go on, moving from conditioning to conditioning, never experiencing something beyond that which is limited.

That is why the creator gave us psychotropic substances - to see beyond our social conditioning. It has been part of every culture throughout history. Without our visionaries, we would still be in the caves.

 

[AnnaG]

So are you aware that you are conditioned?

Yes. Conditioning starts from before birth. In order to not be conditioned in some way or other you have to cease to exist. As soon as you use speech or blink or breath, you are displaying conditioning.
Does being conditioned matter? Not much. Does being conditioned in certain things does matter.

 

[china]

AnnaG

Quoting china So are you aware that you are conditioned?
​

Yes. Conditioning starts from before birth. In order to not be conditioned in some way or other you have to cease to exist. As soon as you use speech or blink or breath, you are displaying conditioning.
Does being conditioned matter? Not much. Does being conditioned in certain things does matter.

Many of your responses to my posts I just simply don't answer cause like the post above ,the don't make sense .

eg.

As soon as you use speech or blink or breath, you are displaying conditioning.

Does being conditioned matter? Not much.

Do you know why you use speech ,blink ,breath .Are these actions necessary (weather they are conditioning or not ) in oreder for the body to function properly?
Perhaps You are right ..

 

[Curiosity]

Hoo Yoo China what an interesting idea for discussion!

When I think of "conditioned" I think of force and demand which perhaps is necessary for survival when we are so young we must be educated in how daily
habits and patterns in growth must be paid attention to - food intake, cleanliness, waste disposal, socialization, result of violence against others, etc.

Still humans must be allowed to understand "conditioning" has to retain a positive
and forward look regarding interaction among others, even to how we act upon our
forming philosophy towards our own behavior in life as it fits into society as a whole.

I have always felt a bit sorry for those far reaching into the dreamy wanderers of the mind who are looked upon the regular group as "different" or "weird", when they may be the future pattern makers for great changes for people in a group...
our inventors, seekers of truth, even the warriors, have all made their mark and somewhere along the life between birth and self-actualization decisions begin to
be played out. Fitting in seems to be the benchmark by which are measured - and to me is a lazy man's way of critiquing another.

Still back to your question: My personal response is "conditioned sounds a bit Nazi" but I am flighty and change often so it could be my own personal "conditioning" which is making me feel negatively towards the word. Growing up in a large family I found "conditioning" necessary but restrictive.

 

[L Gilbert]

AnnaG



Many of your responses to my posts I just simply don't answer cause like the post above ,the don't make sense .

eg.

Do you know why you use speech ,blink ,breath .Are these actions necessary (weather they are conditioning or not ) in oreder for the body to function properly?
Perhaps You are right ..

What's not to understand. As soon as one starts breathing, one's torso and head muscles become conditioned to do that activity. As soon as you start talking you are using the conditioning you learned about language.

 

[Curiosity]

AnnaG

I think I see what you are asking China - breathing etc are autonomic reactions which are instinctive to being alive and staying alive. Not automatic but autonomic.

There are other responses such as reactive ones (or automatic) learned through conditioning in society and our environment (not to walk in snow on bare feet) - common sense interactions with people and weather and learning how to make it in our world.

We have to be able to condition ourselves in order to learn our best way to spend our days for the rest of our lives, while in a continual learning upgrade modality of more complex things (such as where we sit regarding political stuff lol).

 

[In Between Man]

Thank God I know I'm not conditioned!

First of all "I know the truth, and the truth has set me free."(John 8:32).

And second, if one is simply aware of the types of things that cause human conditioning, you better equipped to be objective against it. Things like your family genetic heritage, your specific DNA, social influences around you, habits that have created synaptic bonds and pathways in your brain. And then there's advertising, propaganda, and paradigms. Limiting influences that China touched upon.

 

[AnnaG]

Thank God I know I'm not conditioned!

First of all "I know the truth, and the truth has set me free."(John 8:32).

And second, if one is simply aware of the types of things that cause human conditioning, you better equipped to be objective against it. Things like your family genetic heritage, your specific DNA, social influences around you, habits that have created synaptic bonds and pathways in your brain. And then there's advertising, propaganda, and paradigms. Limiting influences that China touched upon.

You've been conditioned just into believing the stuff in the Bible. Other education is also conditioning. Any habit is a result of conditioning.
Operant conditioning is achieved through reward and punishment to learn certain behaviors.
Classical conditioning is developed through interaction with one's environment.

 

[Cliffy]

Thank God I know I'm not conditioned!

First of all "I know the truth, and the truth has set me free."(John 8:32).

You are a slave to your beliefs.

 

[In Between Man]

You are a slave to your beliefs.

Well, if the sword cuts at all, it cuts both ways my friend.

 

[Cliffy]

Well, if the sword cuts at all, it cuts both ways my friend.

Absolutely. We are all slaves to our beliefs and social conditioning.

 

[AnnaG]

Well, if the sword cuts at all, it cuts both ways my friend.

Actually swords like wakizashi, tanto, saber, falchion, scimitar, etc. are single edged.

 

[Cliffy]

"Lop off his head!"
I always wanted to say that to someone with a sword.

 

[In Between Man]

Absolutely. We are all slaves to our beliefs and social conditioning.

Christians aren't slaves to anything except the truth and Jesus' love.

 

[AnnaG]

Christians aren't slaves to anything except the truth and Jesus' love.

.... and their dogma.

 

[Cliffy]

Christians aren't slaves to anything except the truth and Jesus' love.

Just because you believe something to be true does not necessarily make it true. It is certainly not true to the vast majority of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Shintoist, Buddhists, Atheists, etc., etc.
Oh! And spiritual anarchists.;-)

 

[In Between Man]

Just because you believe something to be true does not necessarily make it true.

That's true. Stick with that logic as you will see below.

It is certainly not true to the vast majority of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Shintoist, Buddhists, Atheists, etc., etc.
Oh! And spiritual anarchists.;-)

But it is true for them if Christianity is true. Remember, the truth is independent of what someone thinks, believes, and feels. So if Christianity is independently true, it is true across the board for everyone, including spiritual anarchists.