This-essay is a7705281.htm which is available at the web-site www.essayz.com. See more notes at the bottom. Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay By-Months By-Years By-Words Webs of Like-&-Un-Like ESSAYS <==> Like-&-UN-Like This-One ========================================================== %VISIBLE OPTIONS 770528 Real decisions are made by selecting one of the available viable options. It is not helpful to focus upon unavailable options, or upon deadly options. It is not helpful merely to say no to non-viable options. It is helpful to identify the available viable options and the full range of consequences of choosing each one of them. Cultural collusions make it difficult to identify available viable options. Cultural taboos may make some viable options to appear to have deadly natural consequences, even though the consequences are culturally chosen to punish the violations of the taboos and collusions. Thus confusion is generated, making it hard to distinguish between punishments and natural consequences. Culture may thus make many viable options to be unavailable---except at a high price in punishment. In such an instance culture causes people to cease to live by forcing people to choose between non-viable, but available, options. The unavailability of viable options may cause people to merely say "no" to their unpleasant situations--- without anticipating the consequences of failing to affirm a positive choice. In other instances collusions may blind people to the perception of some of the natural consequences of a culturally favored option. In a technocratic society anticipation of the major consequences of a choice may become a technocratic exercise delegated to specialists who are unable to view situations holistically. The technocrats will naturally select form among available techniques---ignoring non- technological options which may be more viable. Technocrats' choices thus tend to be deadly choices. Viable options are perceived and recognized with the eyes of love, love which does not exclude objective considerations and techniques. Objectivity and techniques are not the focus of love. Love unites people in intimate relationships, enabling them to give both direction and meaning to objectivity and techniques. Together loving people can recognize their viable options and accept the consequences of their choices, even when the consequences are tragic. They need not fear tragedy, for through love even tragedy can be given meaning. Thus they do not get imprisoned in compulsive efforts to abolish all tragedies, including death. Together they give meaning to their suffering---rather than compulsively try to avoid suffering through caution and techniques. Through love they continue to live together. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in www.essayz.com Search for Integrity and Honesty (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================
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