Freedom and Life
William James was a Philosopher in the late nineteenth century during heights of optimism, yet there was still patches of philosophers who thought enlightenment was a sham. This existential disillusionment turned those thinkers depressed and melancholic, with a term later coined to describe it, anhedonia.
Anhedonia /n/ - the inability to feel pleasure
In today's world this phenomenon still exists. About 5 years ago, there was seemingly a height of existential disillusionment across social media. It was extremely noticeable, a large group of people fell into the thought process of "nothing matters we just live on a floating rock"and outwardly struggled with anhedonia because of it.
What is existential disillusionment? Read about it here!
This mindset seems to be reckless and detrimental to people.
It's easy to slip into these existentialist mindsets, and easy to be pessimistic about the world and to realize that maybe "suffering is not be the exception but the rule". (Kaag 30)
However, according to William James there's a way out of this thinking - a type of rebirth for pessimists. In other words, once melancholics hit their low point there's an awakening or rebirth.
I believe this to be true, even if it's not a grand thing. After hard experiences, everyone grows in some way. I think that throughout the past year that I've been rebirthed. I wouldn't describe myself as a pessimist or existentialist, but I did fall into a state of melancholy for a period of my life and I didn't think I would ever be able to be "back" to what I once was. I also don't think it has to be a certain point of rebirth, it can be gradual or instantaneous, or both somehow. I don't think that I had a specific point of rebirth, but it still happened to me. Looking at my life today compared to then you can tell, it's obvious that in some way I'm different. My thinking changed, my life changed. That's rebirth.
However, in Sick Souls Healthy minds by John Kaag, he relates rebirth to somewhat traumatic experiences in a way that's different from my definition of rebirth. He tells the story of John Muir who almost died in the Rockies while on a hike and experienced his rebirth after that. James did admit that just because an individual is reborn doesn't mean that they won't feel like dying again. James admitted that he himself also felt like a nervous soul 'always seeking sedation". This reminds me of myself in ways. I always need to be busy, I hate having nothing to do.Sometimes it feels like I'm seeking sedation from something but I'm not even sure what it would be, I'm just running from it. It also reminds me of my brother, who has chronic severe depression. I just hope that the cycle continues for him and he is constantly rebirthed, and can seek sedation and find solace in healthy ways.
William James's rebirth happened in 1870 after he read Renouvier's second Essais and was touched by his definition of free will "the sustaining of a thought because I choose to when I might have other thoughts". As a result of this definition, it wasn't enough to simply believe in free will as free will was an activity. James later on said that "my first act of free will, shall be to believe in free will"
To clarify Renouvier's views, he thought that an individual;'should will could break the logical continuity of a mechanical series and be the initial cause of another! Thus, free will doesn't only exist in the abstract thought but is brought to life through action and choice.
Read William James letters here! The one regarding Renouvier's Essais and Free will is on page 170!
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Regarding the definition of free will, I agree. Will is the action in the small things, the choice to keep working on school assignments rather than go out or vice versa, going out rather than working on assignments. In fact, I free willed myself into liking sushi! I wanted to like sushi so much as a kid, but the first time I had it I didn't like it at all. The texture was so weird and I threw up, but unlike the usual response of deciding that I might just not like sushi I kept actively seeking out sushi to eat. I kept asking my mom to get sushi and I kept eating it even if I didn't like it. Eventually it worked and I grew into loving sushi! While I have had other instances of free will, I see this as my William James moment. My first act of free will shall be to believe I like sushi!
More on William James and free will here! https://ecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2752&context=luc_theses
Jame's famous lecture "The Will to believe" talks about how belief can absolutely change the path to life! James argued that belief itself can change the believers world such as the belief is validated over time.
This resonates with me quite a bit because I see examples of it in my own life. For example, if I think that my friends don't like me it makes my life worse. I find reasons because I already believe that. However, if I believe that my friends love me and want me to do things with them, I find those reasons and my belief validates itself.
James talked about that example in his lecture through the question of "do you like me" as it was a universally relatable topic. Essentially James talked about how waiting on an answer before taking action leads to any kind of relationship fizzling out. One needs to close their eyes and believe the answer to their question is yes and act accordingly before any type of "proof" could come in.
I really do take that advice to heart, and since reading it I think of it quite often! I find that you really do create your own reality through your mindset, as that determines your actions. The worst thing that can happen is it doesn't go exactly as you wanted it. It's important to put yourself out there!
I found this essay regarding creating your own truth and James's Will to Believe lecture! https://litkicks.com/JamesTruth/
Your embeds are a little wide, need to be shrunk a bit.
ReplyDelete"patches of philosophers who thought enlightenment was a sham" - There are some such, but that's not generally who WJ has in mind when he refers to anhedonia. He means all kinds of folk, not just philosophers and academics, who lack a capacity for pleasure. And most of those anti-enlightenment types would probably deny being anhedonic.
I'd describe those rock-floating people on the Internet as nihilists, whether or not they're anhedonics as well. But I'll bet some of them were just posturing, trying to be provocative. Anhedonics generally are profoundly depressed and spiritually bereft.
"you really do create your own reality through your mindset, as that determines your actions" - Yes. That last clause is crucial, it's what distinguishes the pragmatic will to believe from the New Age kind of magical thinking that imagines we can simply "manifest" reality directly from thought. Not without appropriate action we can't.