happiness Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 “Every man builds his world in his own image... He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice.” | Atlas Shrugged P3C7 What is the choice he's referring to here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondhander Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 All choices. For example, you can choose to gather food and eat, or do nothing and starve. But you can't escape the need to choose to do one or the other. By doing nothing, you have chosen one of the options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eiuol Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 By doing nothing, you have chosen one of the options. I don't see it as "not choosing is also a choice". It just says one can't avoid the need to make choices in order to exist. You *have* to choose in order to eat and gather food, or act at all. Doing nothing requires no thinking, so it's not even a choice any more than a tree chooses to photosynthesize. However, unlike a tree, not choosing or acting passively will lead inevitably to your demise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondhander Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 (edited) Fair. But I think we are in agreement in substance. Maybe it's more correct to say that what AR meant by that character's quote is that there is a need to make a choice, and if you don't make a choice you will face the consequences of the non-choice. Which is what you basically said. And I agree with that. Edited August 19, 2013 by secondhander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dormin111 Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I don't see it as "not choosing is also a choice". It just says one can't avoid the need to make choices in order to exist. You *have* to choose in order to eat and gather food, or act at all. Doing nothing requires no thinking, so it's not even a choice any more than a tree chooses to photosynthesize. However, unlike a tree, not choosing or acting passively will lead inevitably to your demise. In a literal sense, a conscious human being actually cannot refuse to make a choice. Doing nothing is a choice, as it is derived from the process of not focusing on productive activity, or possibly focusing on not engaging in productive activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondhander Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 (edited) Whichever way is the correct way to parse it, I think the takeaway is that inaction is not neutral for a human (it is for a plant). The way I apply it to my life is to remind myself that there is no such thing as a morally neutral moment of time spent or decision made. Edited August 19, 2013 by secondhander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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