Being forced into SOMETHING, why does it HAPPEN?

Let us say there is a task 'X' we don't want to do.

If someone holds a gun to our head to make us do 'X', we still have the choice to refuse. But in that reference frame, we would rather do 'X' than die.

Similarly in most situations

- We would rather do 'X' than get punished

- We would rather do 'X' than be social outcastes

- We would rather do 'X' than deal with drama

We make a conscious decision to do 'X'. We still have a choice to refuse 'X'. But 'X' is not a task we would never ever do. 'X' is merely a task we prefer not to do. We actually want to do 'X' in some circumstances because we don't want the other negative outcomes.

Force is relative because nothing can override our 'conscious decisions'. Nothing can alter our mind to think 'X' is better or worse than punishment or dying or something. These are 'conscious choices' already built into our personal system. One person would rather die than do 'X', whereas others would do 'X' at the slightest chance of a negative outcome. So you see 'force' is purely a matter of very relative perspective based on what our 'conscious choice' options are for 'X' in varying circumstances.

Originally posted by: souro

The day we stop caring about what happens tomorrow, no one will be able to force us to do anything. But we do care, so...

I think 'conscious choices' exist because we care about the consequences tomorrow. What we do or don't do depends on how we perceive tomorrow and what we want it to be. Some people perceive 'force' easily, some never feel the pressure.

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

I think 'conscious choices' exist because we care about the consequences tomorrow. What we do or don't do depends on how we perceive tomorrow and what we want it to be. Some people perceive 'force' easily, some never feel the pressure.

Originally posted by: souro

@Blue: Didn't get it. I thought the discussion is about, 'when someone feels forced to do something against their will, why do they still do it' or something of that sort. So, only when someone feels forced to do something against their will does he become an eligible candidate to be included in this discussion. Whether the person feels forced ten times a day or once a year is something different and might be due to hundred different reasons.

I am attempting to answer the topic question as well.

Why do some people do things despite not wanting to do it?

Because they are concerned about how others will react to them not doing something. People feel forced if the censure of doing 'X' outweighs the pleasure of not doing 'X'. People don't feel forced if the pleasure of not doing 'X' outweighs the censure of doing 'X'.

Originally posted by: goneforever

All of us are forced into something we don't like doing. It comes sooner or later. But, hopefully it doesn't happen often. Whether it is work, personally, or some other thing, have you been forced into something you didn't like to do? Why does it happen?

Please share your thoughts. 😃