so this seems to be coming up a lot for me lately.
the thing is mostly we think about choices as something we have control over. but in truth choice (and the limitation of choice) are both external and internal. granted most often they are internalized from an outside source. i can think of a particular friend (or two [who are friends of each other as well]) who seems to stand firmly on the side of "you always have choices". as though everything you do is up to you. personally, the way i see it is you have *some* choices... but if you do this the government might judge you if you do that you friends/society/your parents will judge you and if you do the other god might judge you. i suppose then in some way your ability to chose is limited to your beliefs...
as i was walking through the singapore subway thing this there was an add for some cartoon with Johnny Depps voice. the tag line was "why blend in when you can stand out?" what a western ideal i thought. then i thought how contrary to being a person... why stand out when you can blend in?? make the right choices and you pass go and collect $200 make the wrong ones and no one listens to you anymore. worse terrible things happen to you.
in cambodia you can do whatever you want. maybe you have to reckon with god... but for most people the government can be bought and the rest will never know. in singapore you impose rules on yourself. and with every choice no matter who is involved there are consequences. so how do we weigh those?
when someone finally does step out of the rules (self imposed or otherwise) we write novels and plays and movies. who wouldve thought breaking rules could be epic?? "they" would like us to believe otherwise. or rather that breaking rules is for heroes, and who are we?
in the end i guess most things are self imposed with some nebulous threat. but its a big threat and it feels real and its enough to make me do what im told ((at least for now)).
