Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site azure.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!teklds!azure!chrisa From: chrisa@azure.UUCP (Chris Andersen) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Hurting the other by a "no" Message-ID: <386@azure.UUCP> Date: Sun, 4-Aug-85 01:11:07 EDT Article-I.D.: azure.386 Posted: Sun Aug 4 01:11:07 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 31-Jul-85 05:31:27 EDT References: <5557@cbscc.UUCP> <591@unc.UUCP> Reply-To: chrisa@azure.UUCP (Chris Andersen) Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 46 Summary: In article <2483@ut-sally.UUCP> pooh@ut-sally.UUCP (Pooh @ the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen) writes: > >But you are still claiming, when all is said and done, that >people can choose whatever they are feeling. I say this ^^^ >is a crock of manure. Even you have experienced emotions recently >that I know you would not have chosen willingly. Note the emphasis above. The word is "can" which means that people have the ability to do so, it does not guarantee that they will always be succesful. I believe that emotions DO originate in ourselves. The spark that sets them off however is external and basically beyond our control. But once the emotion is sparked (a purely reflex action which no human can totally over-ride) from then on it is TOTALLY and COMPLETELY up to the individual to decide how much that emotion will affect them. Now this could be good, or it could be bad. If a person chooses to steel themselves against emotions then they become a "cold" individual, never really feeling what is going on in the world. However, if a person chooses to accept ones emotions as purely human and natural, then s/he can then learn from the experience how to better prevent harm to themselves AND OTHERS when in the future that emotion crops up again. >People do not *own* their emotions like a suit, cannot choose >them like a pair of socks. They *are* their emotions. >We are all creatures who react to stimuli. Perhaps we are arguing more over definitions here then we are over theory? I seem to be arguing from the viewpoint that one can control what one does with ones emotions (which is far different then saying one CAN CONTROL those emotions). I totally agree that we do not have complete control over our emotions. However, I cannot agree that we are JUST creatures who react to stimuli. We do react, but how we react is up to us (whether we react badly or not). Life, Love, Laughter, and Hope, Chris Andersen -- tektronix!azure!chrisa