FB Carp 2025-12-22-2
How to identify free will
A rock sinks in water
A feather floats
We do not talk about free will
Regarding rocks and feathers
Because there is nothing to decide
It is inherently in the nature of a rock to sink
And in the nature of our feather to float
There is nothing to decide
We talk about free will in people
Because people have not decided yet
what is their nature
And yet we do not know whether they actually have decided anything
Because they are things that we expect inherently in the nature of people
When people eat when they’re hungry
We do not say they “decided” to eat
Because otherwise they would starve
Similarly, in this age of capitalism
We do not say people “decided” to earn a living
Because otherwise they would be poor
It is only when people do things not expected of them that we feel that they have made a conscious decision
This is why We say jokingly 「自由意志就係開心食屎」
Because it is so surprising that nobody in their right mind would decide to do such thing purely based on inertia
This is the only way we can objectively identify people exercising their free will i.e. by doing surprising things not expected of them
Because we cannot know their internal thoughts
However, subjectively speaking, the only way to realize whether you have exercised your free will is to ask yourself whether you have been authentic and true to yourself
Nothing else matters
Therefore
The rock in its authentic state must have decided to sink;
And the feather must have decided to float
The fact that we can predict their behavior do not negate the fact that they have decided based off of their true nature what they will do
They have already decided
Perhaps since the dawn of time.. Or at least, since we learned of rocks and feathers
But we have not yet decided for ourselves, which is why it feels different. But in fact, the will is exercised the same..
A rock sinks in water
A feather floats
We do not talk about free will
Regarding rocks and feathers
Because there is nothing to decide
It is inherently in the nature of a rock to sink
And in the nature of our feather to float
There is nothing to decide
We talk about free will in people
Because people have not decided yet
what is their nature
And yet we do not know whether they actually have decided anything
Because they are things that we expect inherently in the nature of people
When people eat when they’re hungry
We do not say they “decided” to eat
Because otherwise they would starve
Similarly, in this age of capitalism
We do not say people “decided” to earn a living
Because otherwise they would be poor
It is only when people do things not expected of them that we feel that they have made a conscious decision
This is why We say jokingly 「自由意志就係開心食屎」
Because it is so surprising that nobody in their right mind would decide to do such thing purely based on inertia
This is the only way we can objectively identify people exercising their free will i.e. by doing surprising things not expected of them
Because we cannot know their internal thoughts
However, subjectively speaking, the only way to realize whether you have exercised your free will is to ask yourself whether you have been authentic and true to yourself
Nothing else matters
Therefore
The rock in its authentic state must have decided to sink;
And the feather must have decided to float
The fact that we can predict their behavior do not negate the fact that they have decided based off of their true nature what they will do
They have already decided
Perhaps since the dawn of time.. Or at least, since we learned of rocks and feathers
But we have not yet decided for ourselves, which is why it feels different. But in fact, the will is exercised the same..