Monday, February 18, 2008

Life and Rules

People often seek to have a set of rules for life for obvious reasons. If we can have a set of rules then we can predict our future instead of coping with the uncertainty of results for our actions.

People can often create rules which when viewed by others make absolutely no sense but which they cling to despite evidence to the contrary. They develop a blind spot in their thinking and observations of the world around them.

Rules imply control and a comfort zone for people that they need but at the same time it ignores the interaction between people that changes events or events which are generated by others.

We don't like uncertainty.

Perhaps we need to recognize that life is not about control and rules but about choices in each and every moment. The quality of our life is determined by our choices.

Your thoughts?

3 conversations:

Sandee said...

I've known a lot of folks that have to have rules or they have the hardest time functioning. Often these same folks cannot make an independent decision about anything until they get an okay from someone higher on the foodchain.

I totally agree that life if full of choices and often those choices do dictate our quality of life. I would much rather have a choice than always having to check the rulebook for each and every little thing. There is certainly a fuller life with choices. :)

Peter Haslam said...

I agree Sandee :)

Anonymous said...

I think that our rules helps us to make quick decissions. Just like sterotypes do.