Choice

[wlotus]

Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without.
~ The Merovingian, Matrix Reloaded

Feel free to discuss.

I deleted the off-topic comments, even though they were amusing. This subject is burning my brain heavily enough that I need to keep the commentary on-track.

Comments

Re: Thinking Out Loud, Rambles a Bit

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond. I've been overwhelmed by my own processing in the last few days.

I think that your initial example of the cake is only about power and deception, not about "choice." One of the things that makes choice meaningful is being aware of the consequences of a choice. Since this woman had no idea what would happen if she ate the cake, she can't be said to have chosen an orgasm. She chose cake, not orgasm.

In your situation, you do have a choice, but it's a choice that is being made within an unjust system, one in which your "freedom" to choose is rendered less meaningful because of the negative consequences of you choosing to do what you actually want to do.

I think that you hit the nail on the head when you differentiate between choice and justice. Ideally the two go together, but I still believe that choice exists even within an unjust situation, so long as the consequences of the various options are reasonably clear. I'm not saying that we should be happy to have the ability to choose between two less-than-ideal options, but I do think it's important to affirm that we retain free will. That does not let the abusers off the hook, or make the injustice okay.

Re: Thinking Out Loud, Rambles a Bit

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying that we should be happy to have the ability to choose between two less-than-ideal options, but I do think it's important to affirm that we retain free will.

Where I went wrong, it seems, is in thinking that just because I have a choice, even if the choice is between less-than-ideal options, I should feel happy/thankful/understanding, not angry.