Expectations, or living in the future as how I like to call it, is one of the most prominent features that is fully developed in our human species. By this I mean that it can also be observed in some extent as an instinct in other animals but only in humans as a processed, mostly unconscious behavior. I will try to discuss its origins, manifestations and effects.
As by all other human psychological behaviors and emotions, Expecting is also a result of our evolution in the direction that allow us to survive. Let me first define what we are looking at. I do not mean expectations in the sense of relationships or career or war plan but rather in the more general abstract sense. In the most basic of interactions. When we wake up, when we get dressed, when we talk and communicate, when we entertain ourselves. Our whole language and thoughts are consisted mainly of expecting. When we say something we expect a certain reply. When we press the light button we expect the light to be on. Expecting is both our greatest survival kit and our greatest misery. By expecting and analysing we were able to form a society, to think of plans and draw in our minds a vision of a future and thus trying to work achieving this vision. By expecting we eased the communication between each others. By the practice of such delicate behavior it is now in the realm of subconscious, freeing the conscious mind to have the power to analyse other patterns.
Expecting however, as per my observations, lies in the heart of the cycle of misery; disappointment, anger and sadness. The line of thought usually is as follows: One initiates a talk, expects a certain reply (usually a logical one), to his surprise may not get it, gets disappointed. The degree of disappointment, and thus anger, could very much depend on the psychological magnitude of the initiating action. In other words, depending on how the action's priority is being held in one's mind on the psychological level, the degree of disappointment will be equally proportional. Building on that in a further analysis of the nature of Expectations we can conclude that it is one of the prominent reasons of why we get angry. Because we expect a certain behavior or 'reaction' and it failed us. It hits us deep that our most important survival instinct (it is not an instinct though) has failed. The feeling of power, the will to power, failed us so we get angry. Psychologically hurt.
This kind of psychological behavior interests me because it goes hand in hand with my quest for Reality. Our expectations are usually idealistic. Subjectively idealistic. In some way we refuse to expect something that contradicts our subjective rationality. Our expectations are usually a question of What Should happen. And 'should' is usually a question of an ideal scenario. And here lies the paradox, in which we find that expecting an ideal scenario does not make sense and is just an illusion after all as what truly is real could not be subjective and hence could never be related to idealism.
Which gets me to the point of living in the future. Our mind usually functions in a futuristic mode that it visualises to us what will happen (consequences/expectations) in the future as per one's subjective rationality and reality. This continued to happen, the same pattern is being used to, is being conducted deep down in the mind that it became the norm. It became normal to visualise and expect then it became normal to 'live' in the future. To live in the future that we in a way forgot how to live in the present.
This is not something new. Eastern philosophy is based on the idea of living in the present and by means of extensive spiritual activities they try to reach it. Admirable. I do not think however this is the only way to go. By sheer control and analysis upon one's behavior, one can indeed transcend Expecting. But our time is not helping in that. We value much qualities like 'critical thinking' and what similar thereto that as said before, it became ingrained to lead one's life that way.
"Man is something that shall be overcome. Man is a rope,tied between beast and overman - a rope over an abyss.What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not an end."
"I teach you beyond Man. Man is something that shall be surpassed. What have you done to surpass him?'"
As by all other human psychological behaviors and emotions, Expecting is also a result of our evolution in the direction that allow us to survive. Let me first define what we are looking at. I do not mean expectations in the sense of relationships or career or war plan but rather in the more general abstract sense. In the most basic of interactions. When we wake up, when we get dressed, when we talk and communicate, when we entertain ourselves. Our whole language and thoughts are consisted mainly of expecting. When we say something we expect a certain reply. When we press the light button we expect the light to be on. Expecting is both our greatest survival kit and our greatest misery. By expecting and analysing we were able to form a society, to think of plans and draw in our minds a vision of a future and thus trying to work achieving this vision. By expecting we eased the communication between each others. By the practice of such delicate behavior it is now in the realm of subconscious, freeing the conscious mind to have the power to analyse other patterns.
Expecting however, as per my observations, lies in the heart of the cycle of misery; disappointment, anger and sadness. The line of thought usually is as follows: One initiates a talk, expects a certain reply (usually a logical one), to his surprise may not get it, gets disappointed. The degree of disappointment, and thus anger, could very much depend on the psychological magnitude of the initiating action. In other words, depending on how the action's priority is being held in one's mind on the psychological level, the degree of disappointment will be equally proportional. Building on that in a further analysis of the nature of Expectations we can conclude that it is one of the prominent reasons of why we get angry. Because we expect a certain behavior or 'reaction' and it failed us. It hits us deep that our most important survival instinct (it is not an instinct though) has failed. The feeling of power, the will to power, failed us so we get angry. Psychologically hurt.
This kind of psychological behavior interests me because it goes hand in hand with my quest for Reality. Our expectations are usually idealistic. Subjectively idealistic. In some way we refuse to expect something that contradicts our subjective rationality. Our expectations are usually a question of What Should happen. And 'should' is usually a question of an ideal scenario. And here lies the paradox, in which we find that expecting an ideal scenario does not make sense and is just an illusion after all as what truly is real could not be subjective and hence could never be related to idealism.
Which gets me to the point of living in the future. Our mind usually functions in a futuristic mode that it visualises to us what will happen (consequences/expectations) in the future as per one's subjective rationality and reality. This continued to happen, the same pattern is being used to, is being conducted deep down in the mind that it became the norm. It became normal to visualise and expect then it became normal to 'live' in the future. To live in the future that we in a way forgot how to live in the present.
This is not something new. Eastern philosophy is based on the idea of living in the present and by means of extensive spiritual activities they try to reach it. Admirable. I do not think however this is the only way to go. By sheer control and analysis upon one's behavior, one can indeed transcend Expecting. But our time is not helping in that. We value much qualities like 'critical thinking' and what similar thereto that as said before, it became ingrained to lead one's life that way.
"Man is something that shall be overcome. Man is a rope,tied between beast and overman - a rope over an abyss.What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not an end."
"I teach you beyond Man. Man is something that shall be surpassed. What have you done to surpass him?'"
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