A shortcut to what is beneath the plot ..

My answer is No and Yes. Regions of the brain get activated before we internally validate our answer and vocalize it (or express it in signs) when we’re being asked a question, let’s say a simple one like: red or blue? Yes, or no?

• The brain is a computer in that sense, but since we have an “inner dialogue” and the ability to change our mind or unfollow our “intuition” that is not necessarily the best guide, because education shapes what is perceived as truth, and traumas lead to the happening of “associations” triggering in us instinctive reactions to our environment, we can say that “free will” is regained through the process of doubting “the authentic” feelings that we get to experience, those primary ones that move us.

Please read: Beyond narcissism and miscommunication. Can we truly love and be loved? By author Hella Ahmed. Or listen to the Podcast: The merit of the Real, Episode 3.

• Also, we have to negotiate almost everything and being rigid is a barrier to doing that. Free will has to do then with our “consciousness”, and the “cleaner” our consciousness is, the more we are free from what might have brainwashed us, to mentally control us and disturb our capacity to freely choose, to choose without the interference of « imposed guilt« .
• When we negotiate, we choose freely because we take into consideration the big picture, and we decide what to disregard and what to stick to, therefore we are, to a certain extent, aware of what is fair or selfish, and our decision making is based on what we prioritize and our ability to convince others. That being said, let’s not forget that we can be slaves to our « ego » and therefore have a blurry vision, while being at the same time lucid from a « primitive struggle for power » point of view that is compatible with extreme narcissism and selfishness in humans.

Please read: Is it true that everything happens for a reason? About disrespect and objectification, by Hella Ahmed. Or listen to the Podcast: The merit of the Real, Episode 1

Conscious leadership

Empathy and emotional intelligence, knowing that not all brains are wired the same, allow humans to understand that not everyone is made like them, that everyone has the right to think for themselves, that everyone has their own tastes, and that it is not smart to get easily offended by the existence of any difference that does not make oneself the center of reference.

And maybe the “basic free will” has to be levelled up to a higher function which can be described as “conscious leadership”, so leading ourselves can be done in a healthy way, and leading others will mostly positively impact them when we are in a position to lead. Fact is, even though we are not necessarily meant to occupy a leadership family or work position, we are always leading others to a certain degree, because we have influence whether we want it or not. Our expression has echoes, and is impactful whether we want it or not.

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