By the concept of perception, we can know that people’s behaviours are based on their perception of what reality is, not on reality itself. So that, when we look at a “target”, our interpretation of what we are see is heavily influenced by our personal characteristics – attitudes, motives, interests, past experiences, and expectations. Therefore, the world is actually subjective in our eyes.
Based on that, I want to bring up an idea which is people could change their defect as long as they have the courage to do so. Because not people’s experience shapes our behaviour and personality, but the understanding of experience shapes our behaviour and personality. In addition, the law of causation is not an apodeictic proof on psychology. Therefore, any psychological trauma can be overcome in the world. You might think my idea is ridiculous, don’t worry, I will give you a specific example to explain it.
I have a distant cousin named Tom. He is caged in home by himself. He not only wants to go out but also wants to have a job. He truly has a desire of changing himself. But he has a sense of fear to leave the room. As long as he steps out, he would experience palpitations and rapid heartbeat. It’s like a neurosis. Therefore, even he wants to change his life, he cannot do anything. We all think the reason why he cannot leave the room is due to his past experience. In the growing process, he is a victim of domestic violence. So that he is afraid of human’s interaction, and it makes him scare of leave the room.
By the explanation of determinism, the past experience decides his status quo. However, if it is right, children grew up in a environment of child abuse should all cage themselves in the room. Because the past is the father of the present. If we only focus on the reason in the past, and use it to explain everything for now. We will be limited by determinism and never have the chance to solve the problem. Because the things has happened in the past already decided your status quo and the things will happen in the future. So your status quo is a unshakeable result.
However, my theory is to talk about your “purpose” of your choice. I don’t admit that your past definitely decide your present, but what you understanding of your past is the core issue. Because your understanding of your past is chosen by yourself on purpose. All the traits you have are benefit for you and you choose it by yourself on purpose, although you might not totally satisfied with it.
If we use this idea to think about Tom’s psychologic trauma, we can do a simple backward induction. Tom is not “because of anxious so that cannot leave the room”, but “don’t want to step out so that create the feeling of scare.” His feeling of scared and anxious is truly existed, but all of those emotions are created for the purpose of “don’t leave the room”.
Let’s keep going. Why don’t he want to leave the room? If you are his parent, your child cages himself in the room, what will you do? You would absolutely be worried and think about how to help him. You might rethink your past behaviour of educating you child and try your best to help them go back to the society and concern about him. So this is Tom’s purpose of understanding his past as a trauma. As long as he cannot leave the room, people will concern about him and Tom can gain all of their attentions. They will treat him gingerly. Instead, when he leaves the room, he will become the most usual person. Nobody will take him seriously anymore.
Therefore, when we realize our subconscious purpose under the behaviour, we can clearly find the crux of the matter and face it with courage. For the people who are smart but cannot study assiduously and perseveringly, their purpose might be avoiding failure. If they don’t work to persevere, they can assume all the reasons why they are not success is their attitude otherwise they can success as well. Their scare of the truth of being persevere but still don’t be success is the crux of themselves.
Overall, my idea of thinking about your “purpose” is based on our learning of perception and it is a effective way for use to rethink about ourselves and be a better person. Be courageous to face your life, and hope you can get any benefits from my idea:D.
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Citation:
“CAT.” Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2017.