bias

it's weird how things work, isn't it?

i used to think that fate, et. al. would dictate my life, that i wouldn't have to do a damn thing but sit back and enjoy the ride, but, that doesn't seem to be the case, either...

hmmm...

Your idea is somewhat close to what behaviorists believe. I think that it is only true up to a point, because we can choose to act beyond our biology and environment. We can choose to be moral. We can choose to alter the course of our lives. One act that is contrary to your instincts can change your whole perspective. So, if we occasionally shake things up by acting in a new way, we are altering our reality. Certainly biology and previous experiences will come into play, but if you add a new experience regardless of whether you want to or not, you've already made a new change that will affect all of your new actions. Plus, we don't have total control over our environment. So, if I make an arbritary decision not based on biology/environment and take a different road to go somewhere I could get hit by a car and paralyzed. I took the road not because someone suggested it or because of any impulse. It was random. Now I may react to the paralysis by biology/environment, but I can alter the environment by changing something about it. For instance, I can surround myself with those who pity me or those who empower me. It's a choice, and my life can go either way.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!