Subconsciously Motivated Natural Instinct

"He who controls the present, controls the past.
He who controls the past, controls the future."
-George Orwell

Control is such a scary concept. Besides getting here in the first place, the fact you were even born despite the infinity amount of odds working against you (don't ever say you've never won the lottery) there's not much in a person's own life which they don't control partially or entirely (for the sake of this article, let's assume if you're capable of reading this then these concepts pretty much apply - and oh! Look! Your lottery jackpot just got bigger!).

In today's society we've developed, and are forever working towards, ways to control the few remaining uncontrollable aspects of our lives. Aging? Pssht, what of it? Botox is nothing compared to how far we'll eventually take this goal, I'm sure. The Twilight Zone touched upon this concept numerous times, most notably in the episode Number 12 Looks Just Like You. I won't go crazy into details, but essentially it's about a transformation everyone is expected -required- to undergo at age 19 which makes them "beautiful" (a.k.a. like everyone else) and capable of extending their life time by hundreds of years due to immunity defenses. Doesn't sound like such an implausible feat anymore.

Besides these limited control examples, it is greatly debated when a person should be deemed responsible for their own actions, or in control of their own life, but in my own personal experience and belief this begins at a very young age.

According to William Glasser's Control Theory (hey, the disclaimer is right there on the side bar - I told you I feel as though everything has already been written about, so these are just my own viewpoints) the three components that dictate how a person behaves in an attempt to control their life are what they do, what they think and what they feel. I think even that is giving us more credit than we deserve. Cause really, all it comes down to is what we do. Actions speak louder than words (thoughts) and feelings can be indescribable so thought processes reign over feelings (sad, but true. I think it should be the other way around in terms of thoughts and feelings...and maybe that's my basic problem. The Beatles had it right.).

So here we all are, existing in our own worlds that we control completely, and god DAMN is that overwhelming. Everyone deals with this in a different way. They devote themselves to their career. To their lover. They collect 5,760 Rooster statuettes. Or they don't deal at all. Which IS their way. Psychosomatic illness, alcohol addiction and other radical rebellions against our own responsibilities and sabotages of our own thoughts and feelings are synonymous with "not dealing" which eventually results in the illusion of no longer retaining control. Cause sure, maybe that 1/2 bottle of vodka went straight to your head (go figure) and you DID give up your ability to control your actions...temporarily. The next morning, the next week, the next lifetime is still in your own hands.

Which is why I've always had a problem with any type of program based on the 12 steps - The first of which says we are powerless over what plagues us (I don't want to get stuck in an AA mind frame, so don't assume this has to be a substance) and that our lives have become unmanageable. It says when you give up control your life will become easier...but wasn't that the initial problem??? If anything, I think it's when you feel as though your life has become unmanageable, you should STEP UP (sorry 12 step program, no pun intended) and reclaim your actions, thoughts, feelings...and control.