Neuroscientists say that we are always being conditioned. Our whole lives involve conditioning of some sort. Freud had the idea that we are socialized in a way that creates guilt when we do things that are not acceptable to the society we live in and that this guilt, when we are very enmeshed in our culture, affects the thoughts we have. We can become so efficient at functioning in our Western society that we will even feel guilty about thinking things that are not acceptable. I am positive that we all feel this way at times. Sometimes it gives me a feeling of imprisonment. The privacy of mind is there but is also so heavily affected by what is expected of us, whether we realize it or not, accept it or not. Furthermore, grief is another aspect of human life that creates a great feelings of guilt at times. We inhibit ourselves from smiling because it might mean we don't miss that person. But what we must remember is the miracle of human resiliance and that we were created to smile. A smile is a universal symbol of happiness or pleasure. It goes a long way. Which reminds me, Neda and I have been meaning to watch Pay It Forward. Until then, I will brood and hopefully look as awesome as Freud does in his cigar photo.
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