Choices

Let us assume-as some believe-that choices are wrong, not only to decide one way or another, but simply to have. To even be able to choose between "homo-" or "hetero-" sexuality, between using or not using drugs, between this or that religion, all these "choices" are inherently, intrinsically, and irrevocably wrong-according to some people. If we do not have the choice, however, how can we know? How can we know that we are doing the "right thing" if we are not allowed to make a decision, if we can do only one thing in any situation? Even outside how boring it would be to have only one option to follow, how can we be educated or informed people living our own personal lives if we are not given the opportunity to make "mistakes"? Everyone has to come to their own conclusion about who they want to be and what they wish to do; that is freedom, and I don't find too many people arguing against it these days...which may be an indication of another problem, but we can discuss that later. Can we truly even make an 'incorrect' choice? Every time we make a decision, we are choosing from all the information we have at the moment, our "best guess". This is because we cannot wait our entire lives to study every aspect of a situation, to analyze each bit of information, indeed, to collect all available information every time we make a decision. We will make 'mistakes', but they are not evil, they are what teaches us directly what we should avoid, as well as why, an important aspect I will return to momentarily. When we make a 'mistake' and are hurt (physically or emotionally) we are operating from a fallible-but correct-standpoint, in that we are choosing correctly for us, at that time. The worst thing to come out of not having a chance to choose is that one never learns those lessons that lead to success; without the failed romantic relationship(s) in high school, one is left without a guide or goal to lead one to the proper love in life. Many times without failure, we don't know where to hunt for success. Thomas Edison made over a thousand attempts at the light bulb before he succeeded, each time learning another thing not to do! Most people will experiment with something in their life-and come to the conclusion on their own that it is not best for them, not because someone else tells them, but because there are negative consequences. What a person is arguing for when they say we should not have the option to make our own decision on whatever issue, is that we should not have the information, the opportunity, and the experience of learning what it actually means. Humans are very much keyed to learning through mistakes, by experimentation-indeed many respected (often revered) historical figures are remembered by sayings which indicate that they knew people need to make, and are better for making, mistakes-often by modelling that behaviour. Whether something turns out the way we want or expect it to is irrelevant, having and making that choice is the key. Otherwise, we are simply automatons running a program; not only is this a dismal and joyless prospect, but it makes no sense given our abilities, both cognitive (the ability to learn and analyze) and physical ( movement and the senses which allow us to examine our surroundings).