Locus of Control

[floppit]

I'm not sure this counts as philosophy, although it has a deep impact on individual understanding of life. Locus of Control is the term used to describe how much people see their lives as controlled by themselves or outside forces, religion being one of the forces that is definitely outside self, but then perhaps a belief in prayer offers people some perceived influence over what they would otherwise feel unable to change. It's not just religion though, a belief in luck, unbreakable class boundaries, genetic dterminism, some schools of psychology that emphasise early life, or even the fear of losing wealth, all these things can leave people truly believing their life's course is by no means in their control.

I would place myself somewhere in the middle of the scale, I accept limits to my freedom and believe life is not a level playing field (just being born in the UK gives me huge advantage). I take a game of cards approach, some of life is dealt, but how I respond, what I do with what is here is utterly in my control. I fall a little short of the belief that all emotions are in our control, I've toyed with that idea but ultimately don't buy it - let a person watched their child killed and I don't think they can just choose not to feel the emotions flooding in. That said, I think I am one of the biggest influences over my emotions, I don't feel powerless on a day to day basis, I just find some hurdles a little intractable in reality.

I'm very, very wary of people who see their lives as 'set', who talk about having no choices, who perceive themselves as powerless. I'm not sure that this is a rational wariness or a hangover from a mother that is a walking example of learned helplessness, one who will NEVER accept she chose anything and I think genuinely feels unable to improve her lot by normal means so will often resort to manipulation, will always blame others, and is resentful. I also tend to be a little wary of those stuck the other end of the scale the 'anyone can pull themselves up by their boot straps' sort, usually because they did and they see no chance happenings in life. Again I'm not sure the wariness is rational or just because I sense a deep-seated lack of compassion and a readiness to judge lives they haven't lived with blinding confidence, too much confidence for something which is always complex.

If I had to pick one thing that defines how a person will be, how they will move through and feel about the world Locus of Control would be it. How much do others here think it's relevant?

[Trolldor]

It's mostly fiction.

Essentially, knowledge combined with will is all that's required to 'get what you want', once you have those you're set. You can make things happen. If you are missing one, then that is usually a matter of circumstance. I'd say only at the very "beginning" are there 'absolutes' in terms of control (Being born in the Third World, or with a handicap). Everything else comes down to you.

[floppit]

It's mostly fiction.

Essentially, knowledge combined with will is all that's required to 'get what you want', once you have those you're set. You can make things happen. If you are missing one, then that is usually a matter of circumstance. I'd say only at the very "beginning" are there 'absolutes' in terms of control (Being born in the Third World, or with a handicap). Everything else comes down to you.

I don't get that at all, how does an ailment at birth become chance but an ailment or accident at 20 controlled? Things happen to people throughout life not just in childhood, from burns victims to dementia there's a whole range of chance happening throughout life, nothing confines it to the early years.

[Trolldor]

I never said it 'changed', I meant that you are 'controlled' by a set of circumstances essentially from the moment you're born.
Where you are, what resources are available to you and so on. It may be possible to alter those, but only if you're lucky, or there is a pre-existing 'gap' in those controls.
Obviously a debilitating accident at X age is beyond your control, but a vast majority of people won't have debilitating accidents. Any area where such a thing is 'likely' will also most likely have a whole other series of controls that will inhibit you.