The sole characteristic that makes us what we are, human beings, is our ability to ‘get out of our selves’ and to make decisions as if their outcome didn’t matter to us. In other terms we are able of cold blooded reasoning.
I don’t say this is easy – it involves quieting down our emotions – nor that everybody is able to do it. In fact almost nobody is able to do it consistently yet here we are, all the better just because of this particular ability of ours.
I find it extremely strange that some of us, in fact too many of us, are willing to give up this special ability, for different reasons.
Some try to introduce self driving cars, in the name of safety and to increase the capacity of existing highways. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-03/the-problem-with-self-driving-cars-they-dont-cry
Some others came up with software to grade students essays. http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/automated-essay-grading-software-stirs-debate/d/d-id/1111035?
Not even the stock market is immune to these developments. “High-frequency trading practices” – robots, that is – have become widespread enough as to create concern. http://www.aboutschwab.com/press/issues/
As you’ll notice if you read those articles there is no clear majority as yet, for or against this phenomenon. Pros are carefully weighted against the identified cons and then advice is given by the authors. Unfortunately none of them distances himself far enough from the brouhaha to notice the somber fact that by allowing so many automatons to take over our lives we not only basically give up our individual autonomy but also we give up more and more of the opportunities we have to exercise our capacity to decide for ourselves.
It is indeed increasingly safer and more profitable, in the short term at least.
But is it really good for us? For our ability to cope in unforeseen/unforeseeable circumstances?
nicichiarasa 
If we think that we decide for ourselves, it means we are deceiving us. No we are
not deciding for ourselves.Always somebody else decides for us, such as God or
the Universal Power, or those more powerful than us(in different forms: financially,politically etc )
So the notion of deciding for our self is just an….. illusion.
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So you think that our life is set out in front of us, by others.
Who chooses what pair of socks are you going to wear each morning? Do you pick randomly or you do take into consideration the color of the trousers you are going to put on? The loafers maybe?
Or do you seriously believe that it is God, or Ben Bernanke, that somehow influence your decision about the socks?
Leaving the joke aside yes, our decisions are indeed influenced by the powerful figures around us, God included, but the ultimate responsibility for our actions belongs to us.
Because it us who perform those actions. We can always say no. Sometimes we have to pay a price for that but nobody can really force us to do anything against our will.
Now you’ll tell me that most people will do almost everything if the ‘right’ amount/kind of pressure is applied on each of them. True, but before starting to do what they were asked to each of them would have first convinced themselves that ‘it isn’t worth the sacrifice’ and only then accept to do as they were told to.
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