Ego Depletion and Freewill

If freewill exists, then cause and effect are not in succession—and the past does not determine the future. You are messed up all by yourself.

It would be poor judgment to say that the force compelling a bad choice is deterministic, whereas the force countering it is free.

Free will supports culturally valued behavior. Such behavior often requires a personal sacrifice for the sake of the collective. This position implies that selfish behavior is intuitive, primary, and easy, whereas socially responsible behavior is only won by a successful struggle against the unfree forces of self-interest. Contrary to this view, recent research suggests that culturally valued cooperation often comes easily and intuitively, and that, in fact, selfish behavior is the most often the result of deliberation.

When we look back on the important choices we’ve made in our lives, it is likely to think we could have chosen differently and had a different outcome. This would be incorrect.

Ego depletion refers to the idea that self-control or willpower draws upon a limited pool of mental resources that can be used up. When the energy for mental activity is low, self-control is typically impaired, which would be considered a state of ego depletion. Glucose plays a big role in maintaining our normative self, or the societal self.

Imagine trying to make a rational decision with the all-seeing eye holding a hammer over your head? It would get tiring, hence the hypocrisy of belief in freewill. Every decision depletes energy. Every resistance to perceived temptation does the same. Eventually glucose wears down and you are charged with sin, the inability to continuously resist two opposing forces you never initiated.

Mermaid cave art

Advertisement

Happy Co-dependance Day

Another beautiful day of choosing sides based on a propaganda and belief. Seems Americans (the whole world) just can’t get enough of each other, but in the realms of endless polarity, should we expect anything different? If you want to know peace you must have discord—and if you cling to belief without understanding the nature of truth vs human cognition? My respects to the whole world—we’ve done it. What is the best way to confront nature, anyway?

This HERE from a front-line climate activist. (5min read)

And HERE for a expert rebuttal

There is no 12 step program to decontaminate the dialogue, but one bold one. Has it ever occurred to anyone, that the president is fighting because you are? Has it ever occurred to anyone that everyone is wrong because the questions are?

In christianity there is a principle (although they don’t know it) that confessing they are a sinner, whether it’s even “sin” or not, is exhilarating because in this one moment of life they know with absolute surety they are right about being wrong—and now have a benchmark to measure any success because of the failure. And realizing one is completely wrong is about as accurate a statement as can be mustered.

In order to be effective, a doctrine must not be understood, but has rather to be believed in. A doctrine that is understood is shorn of its strength—If a doctrine is not unintelligible, it has to be vague. If neither unintelligible nor vague, it has to be unverifiable—Eric Hoffer

The Source of Morality

Forging more self discipline and restraint than any supposed morality dispensed by god, humans refrain because of what others will think—and will even claim to believe in god for the same reason.

Morality among mankind is nothing more than consensual dance of personal opinion inside a framework of what societies are collectively willing to tolerate, evolved into fairness bit by bit through trial and error, cause and effect, fear of exclusion (and indoctrination, of course)

Skirting religions own morality, “sin” is still committed in private as it always has been, where few reveal what they do alone (in the sole presence of their god) proves they really don’t believe any of it.

Not to place any blame on them for being human, but for pretending to be much more obedient than they are—because of what their fellow believers might see of what lies below the superficial piety and smiles, while inside the anxieties of endless failure eats away at their soul.

The church has quite a racket going, for who can change their consciousness without even knowing what that is, especially by way of commandment and threat? Revolving door repentance, penance, payments and guilt never cease the failures of an artificial morality no one can meet?

Autumn on the mount 8/28/19

Integrity Signaling

Being saved doesn’t make you a decent person. The very idea that salvation comes through faith is a sure-fire road to an ill-potentialed [sic] life of self-excuse. In evangelical circles, sinners celebrate their weakness, often publicizing their sin as some sort of faith virtue. I’ll call it “integrity signaling”. Drawing attention to yourself, aligning to a groupthink attempt to appear human.

Remember Jimmy Swaggart, the Assembly of God televangelist “I have sinned” confession. “I have sinned against you,” he said, looking directly at Frances, his wife of 35 years, and then turned his apologies to his son Donnie, daughter-in-law Debbie, his parishioners and his God. “I have sinned against You, my Lord, and I would ask that Your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God’s forgetfulness.” His audience, plainly moved by his copious tears, wept with him, interrupting him twice with standing ovations. It is part of evangelical culture.

This type of sinner virtue born again belief is a disgusting display of false remorse, but a badge of honor to release your guile publicly. Somehow this integrity signaling is supposed to make you a decent person. It doesn’t. Good behavior and personal responsibility is what makes us all tolerable. Look here, pretending justification by pretending to be forgiven doesn’t make our problems go away. Sometimes it takes a little effort, and we all could use some of that.

Psychological Fact; Casting Away Your Burdens Works

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭55:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Several years ago after a painful divorce I was going through a very rough time. It was bleeding over into my work and my trouble coping had reached a point I didn’t know what to do. I went to see a psychologist. He was a family therapist and had a good reputation. The very first visit, he had me write down all my problems on paper. He told me I have only one hour a day to deal with it in an efficient manner. the rest of the time was off limits. Then, after my time was up I was instructed burn the paper. Then, as issues arose, I could write them down the next day on a fresh piece of paper so I wouldn’t forget, then deal with them again in the next allotted hour.

I only had to do it once. This ceremonial and symbolic gesture is a way of releasing your burdens, and sending them away, back into the universe or wherever they go, or essentially destroying them from your psyche.

Enter the church. The churches play on your human psychology to cause a release of burden and troubles that can be accomplished easily in a routine therapy session, or even on your own if you know the technique. First, be convinced you are worthless and filled with sin.

1. Confess all your sins or troubles

2. Write them down (during the scrutinies)

3. Shift away the burden in a symbolic gesture or absolution. Allowing “Christ” or the priest to take away your troubles.

In the Bible the same principle applies using a scapegoat, in which an animal is ritually burdened with the sins of others is then driven away. The concept first appears in Leviticus, in which a goat is designated to be cast into the desert to carry away the sins of the community.

When you do this inside of a church doctrine, in a counselors office, or privately at home, the troubles you are facing leave you feeling freedom from what ails you. It simply works.

It is the same reason I burned all my religious items and books when I left the faith. I walked away and never had an ounce of remorse about the decision one time. -No lamenting needed. When someone feels the burdens lifted in a ceremonial confession, it is not a god that is relieving you! It is you, ridding yourself of unwanted trouble and walking away. Nothing more. In the Catholic Church, priests have become overburdened with reconciliations turning into counseling sessions. For those that use it, it becomes addictive. Humans are fairly complex creatures. I am not sure about the psychology of how in the neurons this works exactly, but the churches have mastered it and use it every single day. Get it all out! Confess regularly, cast your burdens to the lord and it makes you feel good. Nothing has actually changed, but it is a mental correction that affects us in a positive way and people swear by it. In the LDS, confession is a regular occurrence in the bishops office, and that works as well.

Save yourself 10% and cut out the middle man. You got this!