Caution: Philosophical thoughts inside

[Diamond Sun]

Okay, I have a question. Self Fulfilling prophecy. Do you think that it's true. Do we condition ourselves to do what we think is expected.

For example, if as a worker you are always notified of your mistakes, and never of your accomplishments, does it stand to reason then that you will just make more mistakes because that what you are being conditioned to do?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[peapod]

There sure is alot of internal work going on here I will have to do some thinking on your post. In the meantime all the Philosophical digging reminds me of a monty python song.

Philosophers song


Immanual Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable

Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table

David Hume could out consume
Schopenhauer and Hegel

And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel

There's nothing Nietzche couldn't teach ya
'Bout the raising of the wrist
Socrates, himself, was permanently pissed


John Stuart Mill, of his own free will
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill

Plato they say, could stick it away
Half a crate of whiskey every day

Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle
Hobbes was fond of his dram

And Rene' Descartes was a drunken fart
"I drink, therefore I am"

Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed
A lovely little thinker
But a bugger when he's pissed

 

[Haggis McBagpipe]

Okay, I have a question. Self Fulfilling prophecy. Do you think that it's true. Do we condition ourselves to do what we think is expected.

For example, if as a worker you are always notified of your mistakes, and never of your accomplishments, does it stand to reason then that you will just make more mistakes because that what you are being conditioned to do?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I just don't know about this one. I personally don't think so, yet I do think if a person feels very very strongly about something then yes, the belief can influence the outcome.

I think internal input, things you tell yourself, is far more powerful and more likely to be self-fulfilling than external input. Yet, there are periods of vulnerability in each of us, when we are highly susceptible to absorbing a negative view into our very character. It does not really become who we are, but it will seem so.

Humans are inclined to believe a negative view of themselves more readily than a positive view, and if someone is told something negative at a vulnerable emotional point, ie 'you're ugly' or 'you're stupid', it will carry great weight and stay, sometimes for the rest of that person's life. Children are particularly susceptible to this.

I think when a confident adult is constantly criticized, they have a window of opportunity to flee such an unhealthy environment before they eventually and inevitably start buying into the view themselves.

Medically, a patient who is told he only has six months to live can so thoroughly accept this news that he can die pretty much on schedule. On the other hand, a patient can so thoroughly reject the news that he can live many years past the projected date of death.

 

[researchok]

Well, it seems to me that to a great extent, we author our own destinies.

The efforts we extend, the energy we devote to our goals and ideals, without a doubt weigh heavily on our past, present and future.

I agree with Haggis when he says that we tend to have a negative view of ourselves. believe that is a result of that human condition. 'looking for the shortest distance between two points'. We see in others that who we wish to be or have see in them that which we wish to accomplish.

We want to avoid the mistakes, pitfalls and mistakes we all make-- yet we also know, instinctively that we must work for our goals and ideals, to walk before we run.

It is akin to trying a new cuisine-- first, we're not sure- will we really like this? Shouldn't we stick with what we know?

We tentatively try and taste new foods, experiencing new tastes, textures and combinations and then we come to appreciate the new sensations, and as well, our own capacity to appreciate what we've never known.

As that dinner progresses, trepidation becomes anticipation as each dish arrives and finally, the last cup of coffee in an entirely new light.

We always take risk to grow. The confidence in ourselves, our efforts and our willingness to balance looking forward with looking back, all helps to write our own destiny.

 

[Diamond Sun]

Haggis and Research you both have some excellent thoughts on this.

I was just thinking about it the other day and wanted some other thoughts on the premise of self fulfilling prophecy and whether it was inevitable, or if we truly could fight it.

So, once you've started into the circle of becoming what others are conditioning you to do, how do you realign your life to your abilities rather than what is expected of you?

 

[Haggis McBagpipe]

Haggis and Research you both have some excellent thoughts on this.

I was just thinking about it the other day and wanted some other thoughts on the premise of self fulfilling prophecy and whether it was inevitable, or if we truly could fight it.

So, once you've started into the circle of becoming what others are conditioning you to do, how do you realign your life to your abilities rather than what is expected of you?

Good question. Personally, I think it helps to take a sabbatical, even if it is only for a week, to be 100% completely on your own. This allows you to really discover yourself, I think. Aside from that, time and age alone help to realign your life to your abilities. The best thing of all, though, is to make sure you place yourself in a situation where you are acknowledged for the good you do. This is the step you have the power to make, always.

 

[Lisa]

That monty Python song is great! I have heard it before, so funny.

 

[researchok]

So, once you've started into the circle of becoming what others are conditioning you to do, how do you realign your life to your abilities rather than what is expected of you?[/

quote]

You know DS, you've asked the question we all face at one time or another- whether we need to truly realign our lives or are just facing another one life's inevitable 'batting slumps'.

Seems to me, we reach down into our resevoir of 'free will' for the moral inspiration and then start from scratch, a little bit at a time, one foot ata time.

All journeys begin with the first step.

 

[American Voice]

Let me rephrase the question--

Do we adapt to the needs of others, and so internalize those needs as an expression of our own? Yes, absolutely. The old admonition: choose your friends carefully, you become like the people you hang around with, is very true. The French have an expression, when a man is seen by his friends to be behaving distinctly differently: "cherchez la femme?" Which translates "where is the woman?" or "who is the woman?" I notice how my Dad's personality has undergone extensive change in the five years since my Mom died--they'd been together fifty-seven years. My personality has changed since my Mom died.

Yes, DS, the answer to your question is a very definite YES.