Are we in control of our own actions?

Question

The present is a result of the past. The future will be a result of the decisions that we make in the present, but we make those decisions as a result of what we've experienced in the past. So are we in control of our actions?? If all of our actions are just a result of our past experiences then what, if anything, are we in control of?

Some might say we are in control of making the choices that affect the future but if you think about it there is a reason that we make those choices.
I hope I explained this well enough..
So my question is.. What, if anything, are we in control of?

The present is a result of the past. The future will be a result of the decisions that we make in the present, but we make those decisions as a result of what we've experienced in the past. So are we in control of our actions?? If all of our actions are just a result of our past experiences then what, if anything, are we in control of?

Some might say we are in control of making the choices that affect the future but if you think about it there is a reason that we make those choices.
I hope I explained this well enough..
So my question is.. What, if anything, are we in control of?

Yes, we do make our own decisions.. but there is always a reason that we make those decisions.. the decisions are made based upon thoughts, which surely cant come out of nowhere.. we think the way that we do because of all of the things that we have experienced in the past.
Im having a really hard time explaining this, I hope some of you are getting what im trying to say.

Yes, we do make our own decisions.. but there is always a reason that we make those decisions.. the decisions are made based upon thoughts, which surely cant come out of nowhere.. we think the way that we do because of all of the things that we have experienced in the past.
Im having a really hard time explaining this, I hope some of you are getting what im trying to say.

Answer 1

We are in control of our own actions...........we just don't always make the right choices.

Update:
Yes, our actions, decisions, and everything we do, are influenced by the past... BUT, I believe if we don't like what we are doing, or we aren't happy with our actions, or we just want something different out of life than where we are headed as a result of our past, we have the power and ability to consciously change our own "habits". And we have the power and ability to change our own thoughts, which can result in a change of the whole direction and outcome of our life. In changing the way we think, act, react......we also change what would have been the results of the past. Change is what it's all about.

We are in control of the way we act upon our past experiences. I'll use an abusive upbringing as an example, since that is what I am familiar with. My husband grew up in a family of domestic violence. The children of the family watched their father beat their mother violently all though their childhood. In adulthood some of the siblings have been violent and abusive in their own families. My husband is not abusive with me and my children. That is an example of different people making different choices which leads to different outcomes. Some chose to continue and carry down that lifestyle in their families. Some chose to take controll and concsously change the outcome of their lives. They all grew up the samie way. The difference is in the choices each one made, and each one had the power and ability to make their choices and live by them affecting their own lives. Their choices weren't made for them by the past. Their choices were individual. Every one of them could have made different choices which would have changed their own results in life.

That is only one example to try to make my point. You don't have to follow what was laid out in the past. We are in controll of our actions, and we can make changes in our lives totally contrary to what our past laid out. Our actions are the result of the choices we make according to the direction in life we choose to go.

So, are we truly in control of anything? Yes, we are in contol of our own actions and reactions. If we don't take control, we are only using our past as an excuse.

Answer 2

Well, slightly too analytical for me.

However, I'd like to say LEARN from the past, LIVE in the present, and DREAM for the future.

Now for your question. Not every future decision is made from YOUR past
People learn from the past of others (*like history, a book, science, ANYTHING really)
at the time you learn that it IS YOUR present
and when the future comes (which will be YOUR present)
you can make a decision on YOUR PAST (even though it may have be learned through someone else)

You have control over the actions, since you have control of what you learn and can base your decisions, opinions, goals on

Everyone is responsible for their own actions no matter what

Answer 3

Absolutely- we have control of our own actions, provided we accept the responsibility. The fact that most people don't does not change the fact that they could.

By choosing to blame our parents, past or society for what we do now we make a choice to not accept the responsibility. That is the control point, and it is frequently abdicated in preference of blaming others for our personal feelings and behavior.

Every individual is responsible for everything they think, feel say or do. The fact they don't know how this works or how to take charge of these things is a lack of understanding, not the absence of the power to do it. This is very unfortunate, for nothing else I know of is more valuable in life.

Answer 4

We are humans with instincts, but what separate us from the animal world is our intelligence. The intelligence is what controls our basic instincts. When we lose control and let the animal out (rage, emotions, blood lust cravings good and bad, etc etc..) The real controller in your life is the subconscious. Which is your personality which was made up from the age 1 to 5 years old. After being born, the child has no personality. The child will pick up certain bits of quirks and perks from everyone he/she meets. When the ID loses control of the personalities, they start to drift and the human becomes schizophrenic as they fight over control or take turns in control. In good health they work in harmony. So now and then the brain glitches and the sicko is loose in the city. Then there is the psychopath which feeds off society with no remorse, but main ambition is to feed their emotions. All in all we lose control and let the emotions run now and then and even listening to the instincts. Wow one can write a book on this. So if you want to observe the human subconscious at work study the body language. The subconscious speaks thru body language.

Answer 5

In my opinion we are not always in control of our own actions. If someone influences us very much to do something, they can have a strong effect on our behaviour. And also, many people with illnesses like split personalities, will have other "people" make their decisions for them. Everyone is in control of what happens to them in the future, however.

Answer 6

Yes-we are in control of our own actions.

Just as we made choices in the past, we will make choices today and in the future. The past does not dictate the future, nor does the present.

We are in control of ourselves, but that's pretty much it. We can't control others or world events.

Answer 7

We are in control-only to a certain extent-of our actions. Our choices now affect our present and our future, and we learned how we want to act because of our past, but you can be re-trained not to do the actions that you learned in the past. Then that sets up a whole different senerio of our new choices and our new future and how everybody elses future is affected by each other. (Its sort of like a domino effect and if one tile is off, the total action changes)

Answer 8

Of course we're in charge of our on actions. We aren't being made to do whatever it is we've done in the past, present or future. Of course the actions we make may be based on some of the actions/things we've done in the past, but it doesn't excuse the fact that it was an action made and you were in charge of it. It's all about the freedom of choice and you've always had it, you have it in the present and you'll hopefully have it in the future.

Answer 9

We have free will, therefore we are in control of our own personal choices. We do not have to repeat the same silly mistakes over and over again. We are supposed to learn from past mistakes, think ahead and plan ahead more carefully. This does not mean that new problems won't arrive, they will, and if we do not get them right, future generations will learn from our mistakes and will get it right. At least that's the theory.

Answer 10

I do get what you are saying and yes in part past actions control our present as well as our future.

An example of what you are talking about... If I formed a close relationship with someone, married, had children, I eventually would have grandchildren. If I did not form that relationship in the past, I might not have gotten married and therefore wouldn't have grandchildren sitting on my knee in the future. This part of future does follow a cascade of events.

The thing you are missing is the option of CHOICE and many times the choice taken was a random event because there may have been no clear winner. Each decision opens new doors that may not have been there had I chose another way. Choice allows me to react in multiple ways to past events to change my present and therefore my future. If the reaction to past events in the present is fixed to one possible outcome then the future is also equally limited. In most cases I can choose to change course no matter what past events were if I overcome fear of the change and if people cannot overcome their fears then they have fewer options in present day choices, their future is then also controlled by past events. In the example above I could change the course of the future outcome by changing my mind and marry later in life, I could adopt, I could take on the role of being a grandfather to a family in need. In this way the choices I make today can guide my future possibilities. They do not make them certain... just more likely to succeed.

If past events made it impossible to change then we would not have recovering alcoholics because past decisions would continue them down a path of destruction. At some point in time, the consequences of poor decisions can overwhelm the fear of change and then the path in life alters to a new course that could be as rewarding as someone else arrived at without experiencing all the past harms. We all have choice just some are more afraid of greater harms to try. If the fear is overcome then the world can be thier oyster now and in the future.

Many people do not posess the tools to make good choices and so their future is also limited. The good news is... anyone can learn to do this successfully. The bottom line is if fear controls your present, your future will be limited. If fear plays little role in your day-to-day life then the future possibilities are endless. It's up to you which it will be.

Another aspect that you do not acknowledge in your thought of cascade events based on previous decisions is the probability of "chance". Sometimes our lives are turned upside down for the better or worse due to events neither planned or forseen.

Examples:
You make up a plan to be whatever you intended to be in life by going to school and training for that particular job. An abrupt medical change to your health forces major change and course in your life totally un-related to any previous act or decision. I.E. you had a stroke or multiple sclerosis changes what you are capable of doing.

Other person's acts randomly affect your life. Example, I was on the beach in a resort area and I get a call from home that there are 3 unsolicited firms competing to buy my business for 2 million dollars cash. Yes.... that changed my whole need to go in a direction I was ever intending. So even if there is events caused by previous events, things still happen at random to change the course of events.

Good question though.

Hope that helps,
Bob