Are we actors or spectators of life?
Are we making choices all the time or things happen to us and we are powerless?
Some people think that we are spectators all the time.
This sounds depressing, why would it if it was just true?
Fine, we are spectators.
What makes us do what we do?
It’s the stars.
They determine what we do.
No? Stars don’t matter?
It’s our genes. We are born with some genes and they produce our behaviour.
No, it’s not our genes, it’s some chemical broth whirling in our brains. It forms our actions.
What if it’s character instead? We are born with a character and that’s why you are irritable or patient.
What a mess! Happily a guy called Skinner came to the rescue.
He made some experiments on mice and pigeons and decided that rewards (he called them positive reinforcements) and punishments (he called them negative reinforcements) are what make us behave the way we do.
Problem solved! Just devise the right sort of rewards and punishments and you will have people behave the way you want.
We even built a society on Skinner’s way of thinking.
He was wrong.
We are no puppets.
Attempts to mould us make us resentful, violent or depressed.
They may even make us desperate and kill us.
Freedom to make our own choices makes us happy.
Why do people believe that our behaviour is the result of manipulation when it is not?
Why don’t they bother to see on their own if this is true or not?
Why did Skinner decide to ignore what he knew, deep down?
What do you think?