Is It Possible For Human Beings To Truly Change?
The concept of change is this basic idea that with every conscious decision that we take as individuals, our ideologies change and adapt to the circumstances presented in front of us. It is a universal truth that we are not the same person we were half a millisecond ago, and through the progression of time we form new mentalities and adopt different response mechanisms to certain phenomena. If we are capable of acquiring minute hints of change, then is it possible that our fundamental personalities and character as an individual can change as well?
The idea of true change is one that is heavily debated between the different personalities: the optimist and the pessimist. The optimist would likely suggest that not only is change inevitable in every person, but people can change themselves and their persona to better match the current environment that they preside in. For example, if someone was historically known for being a bad influence, then with the proper amount of time and exposure, an optimist would believe that they could become a good influence. The pessimist would argue that no one person can fundamentally change, and the values that one has been inscribed with are the ones that they will take with them to the grave. The pessimist would look at the bad influence who “changed” as someone whose nature, although is somewhat better, is not fully trustworthy and still carries the risk of reversion.
Examining each side of the argument further gives a deeper understanding into why each personality type thinks the specific way they do about the extent of change in individuals. Taking a look at it from the optimistic perspective, some people get exposed to life changing events that alter their perspective and viewpoint on their character and decision making. With adequate amounts of time, proper resources, and support systems, people who seek self-improvement may accomplish their goal by changing their ways of thinking and living in their current society. They might adopt new practices, remain in contact with more friends and loved ones, or completely change their persona to match this new perspective. Although this is certainly observed in many types of people, the fact of the matter is that no matter how much someone goes through the effort of changing themselves, there still will be evidence of a past persona reflected in the decision making skills of the controlled individual. That past mindset will still be present when a changed person goes about making decisions with this new persona of theirs, and still is attached to them as a reminder of how all our decisions lead us to commit actions that reshape the definition of our character.
No matter the amount of change we go through, there is still an undeniable proof of who we used to be. This past character in our life serves as a reminder that all the decisions we have made in the past serve as a way of building themselves into the current position we are in right now as of this second. You have made several decisions in this current moment by reading this blog by just taking the time to consider whether it was worth your time to read, and this is based on your past and current judgements which are created on the basis of your character. Think of it as a game show, and the contestant is currently nearing the end of the game where they only have a couple more questions left to win the money. Although they are currently at a point where they have to make fresh decisions, all their past answers have been leading up to that moment to get them to that point. Whether those contestants would like it or not, those previous questions are ingrained in their mind and are pieces of information that will likely stick with them in the future if they ever go on any other game shows.
Now that we know that we can never truly be objective in our decision making, we know that there is no real complete change in an individual since there will always be the shadow of the previous persona left inside the physical body of a person. All the memories serve as a reminder of who we used to be, and how that shapes us now. Utilizing this information, it is still possible to change as an individual regardless of whether or not we are aware of our “un-changed” selves. As long as we apply ourselves in our effort to change and recognize that not every person can change perfectly, then there is still room for major character development. People have the ability to change their outlook on life and apply those new standards simply by committing to this new version of themselves and persisting through the process of renovation. The most important thing is that we are actively aware that change constantly happens with us in infinitesimal ways, and we are also aware that we never truly lose sight of who we are deep down.
