Annie Zhu Q3 Blog #9 - Free Will
Many aspects of my life do not feel like choices I got to make. Born into an academically-driven family and living in the tech bubble which is the Bay Area, everything I pursue (grades, college, extracurriculars) seem like things that are naturally expected of me. As a result, I often forget that I do, in fact, have free will.
Although there are several factors to consider when discussing this term in philosophy, for the purposes of this blog, I simply mean “free will” as in the ability to make deliberate choices which affect my future.
I believe that people always have control over their actions at any given moment in time. Admittedly, while this may not be entirely true, operating as if it is is more empowering for me. As a high-schooler, I often try to squeeze myself down one path in hopes of guaranteeing a successful future: a stable income source, fulfilling relationships, and middle class leisure. The truth is that those things can be actually achieved in many ways, not just transforming myself into an academic weapon. So, if nothing is stopping me from walking away, then why in the world would I stay in situations that make me unhappy? Knowing that there are alternatives alleviates the stress I feel whenever I fail a test or don’t get an A. Some may think that this mindset is irresponsible or poorly-planned, but I think it is powerful. As someone who often spirals thinking about the dreadful futures that await me if I do not do exactly as society tells me to, I appreciate reminders from time to time that I have control over what happens to me. The things I do are for my enjoyment and improvement, and I don’t need to worry too much. Besides, when the choice to walk away is consistently available, I value the things which I do keep all the more.
When we have so much going on in our lives, with school, extracurriculars, and the constant voice in our head telling us we need to do more, it's easy to forget that we have the power of free will to stop and take a break for a second. When you mention that you try to squeeze yourself down a path to have the best future, I find that so relatable. When deciding what you want to major in college, there's so much more to think about than just choosing you biggest interest; you have to be realistic. You have to think about what jobs are in demand, which one will guarantee me a stable income, and more recently, which job will be one of the last to be taken over by AI. You're right in the fact that this ideal, comfortable life can be achieved in many ways; there's no "one" path. Along the journey towards our future, happiness is one of the more important factors we should be considering. If we're not happy when we're doing something, then why are we doing it? Your mindset is definitely powerful, and I honestly try my best to have that mindset myself. Something that worked for someone else, won't necessarily work for me. It's important to remember that.
ReplyDeleteHi Annie! Free will is something we are all lucky to have, and yet something we forget we have. Free will is something we fight for, yet it’s something we for…get to exercise. (Charles Dickens right here). I completely agree with you that as high school students, so much of our life seems to have been already decided for us by “society” to guarantee “a successful future.” We feel trapped inside of chains even though we’re technically free. I think being able to decide exactly what you want to do at exactly the time you want to do it is a prime exemplification of free will that many of us don’t do because of pressure. There’s definitely no single, best path: I recently met a mechanical engineer who worked for 10 years at prestigious companies on amazing projects and transitioned to being a lawyer due to his love for writing and politics. I think that reflects exactly what you said about stopping when we don’t like doing something anymore. In your writing, I really appreciate your sharing of (extremely) relatable anecdotes since they make your blog even more interesting than the topic already is, and your concessions whenever needed successfully help you seem a mix of realistic and optimistic, which is what I believe you were going for. Thank you for a great piece!
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