As a conscious being, I am burdened with negative thoughts, with thinking in general. Why is this the case? It is the curse (or blessing) of being alive, I maintain. When we are adolescents, we often hear about the concept of personal freedom — of free will. (1) I can, ultimately, decide what I want to do with my life. This is initially tempered by the authority figures: our parents, our family, and our teachers, to name but a few. We say to ourselves, soon we will be independent, free, and able to throw off these shackles of control. Not true, unfortunately: as we age and gain more experience in life, our options and possibilities are increasingly limited by the choices we have already made or those that have been thrust upon us. I am a certain sex, born into a particular family with a level in society, I have a given intelligence and I have studied distinct subjects at school, etc. These are my unchangeable givens at this time. (2)  

That said, beyond this if we learn to be thoughtful, to think critically — and this is an acquired skill — we are always presented with options. Some of these are not always good alternatives, unfortunately. An increasing exposure to the world gives us access to its perplexing forces — an Internet-created range of endless possibilities. These are thrust upon us in incessant waves. This flood may give us prospects that are not always positive but may, in fact, be pernicious and sometimes downright evil. If I believe in the embodiment of a free will, they are necessary. I must be capable of making choices. An example: I find a tremendous amount of money on the street. I am most certainly tempted to retain it, and tell no — it will most certainly improve my physical life, at least in the short term. The long-term moral consequences are much more difficult to deal with, however.  

I believe that we possess an innate sense of right and wrong. When we abrogate or go against this feeling, we are eventually greatly troubled — though we may trick ourselves in the short term. Socrates (469-399 BC) tells us that we cannot knowingly commit an evil act. (3) I think this is probably true: sociopaths and psychopaths often fool themselves and act against the moral tenets of the society. The trials after the Second World War (1939-1945) are startling for you have a whole group of people who believed that they acted in the correct way, (4) — very, very troubling.  

For most people, nonetheless, to be faced with negative thoughts is to face the dichotomy between the hopeful and pessimistic aspects of life. These confront every self. Most individuals make good choices and learn to grow spiritually and psychologically. One of the most important aspects of negative thinking is to reflect on how it affects my own life. Whether I believe it or not, I am, fundamentally, in control of my life, my thoughts, and my actions. I am entitled to live a happy and productive life — avoiding the vices of the Big Five (alcohol, drugs, sex, money, and power) that limit my growth. I do this by learning to understand my negative thoughts — ultimately overcoming them and moving to a more transcendent dimension. St. Paul (5) leaves us with a thought from Romans 12:21 — Do not let yourself with conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.

A closing thought: I would rather be bombarded with negative thoughts, fears and apprehensions than having no choices at all. This is true for every human being, I am sure. The sad truth is that many people allow their negative voice to overwhelm them. They can only cease its chatter with mind-altering activities. These are, regrettably, only excuses — barring mental illness — to leading a productive life. The sad truth that confronts any lifestyle of addiction is that only the adherent can change its pattern. Our mandate as a human being is to live a unique and rewarding life. The choice is simply up to each of us. Controlling our negative thoughts is the beginning of any constructive journey.   

To sum up: This week we spoke about understanding our negative thoughts. 

To be noted: from George Orwell (6) — He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future. 

Just for fun: Budapest Klezmer Band

For reflection: Aristotle’s 3 Types of Knowledge and Its Relevance Today

This week, on your exciting walk, please ponder how you control your own negative thoughts. 

Every day look for something magical and beautiful. 

Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great! 

Quote: Freedom is inside each of us. 

Footnotes: 

1) Free Will

2) Man shining flashlight at starry sky in mountains

3)Socrates’ claim that nobody does wrong knowingly – Essay

4)Department of History

5) The Life of Paul the Apostle FULL DOCUMENTARY

6) LITERATURE – George Orwell