Thread: Voice of Reason

I have had a few experiences and thought I'd share them with you and see what you thought. I'm starting to believe that each person is created with a "voice of reason". Not simply a conscience, but a part of you that will tell you what is right and what is wrong. It may be a stronger or altered form of the conscience, who knows?

At any rate, when faced with a very tough (usually moral) decision sometimes I decide to do something even though I know it's wrong. In many of those cases, it seems to me that I am being spoken to rather forcefully. I won't go into detail as these are personal in nature and I ask you not to guess, thereby altering your view towards myself.

-Case 1. When I was about to do something, I sensed something telling me, "No! It's wrong and it's only going to harm you," to which I replied, "But it's something I want to do." "You're only going to regret it. Don't be stupid." "But..." "No! It won't do anything for you!" "But I want to." After several minutes of this debate inside my head I made my decision and the VOR simply told me, "Fine. Go ahead but don't say I didn't warn you." In the end he was right.

-Case 2. Different situation but I'm still about to do something against my morals. In this case, the VOR seemed to have a more pleading tone but again I didn't listen. Met with regrets.

-Case 3. On Tuesday, having not finished a large assignment I was considering ways of getting out of it. In my condition (worried almost to the point of being sick) the thought flashed in my head that maybe I could make my teacher sick for a day so I wouldn't have to do it. Immediately I dismissed the thought and chose not to think on it again. However, the VOR deigned to address me saying, "You should not have had that thought in the first place."

So, what are your thoughts? Do you think that a person faced with a decision can be met by an almost audible entity dwelling within the person?

-Amé

I do believe some people have a voice of reason that consists of their subconcious sending them messages. I think a lot about what types of messages are received is probably due to the way the individual was raised as a child along with how that person now lives their lives and what they believe to be right and wrong. Nowadays though people are gradually changing morals in order to allow themselves to do what they want without having to hear that annoying voice in their head telling them that what they do is not right. Perhaps it may even have some effect on whether an individual or group of individuals accepts responsibility for the results of decisions they might have made. Whenever I make a bad decision, like you have AmethystStar, I know almost immediately whether the decision is right or wrong. The difficulty comes when there is no message given so one isn't quite sure of which decision is the right one (or maybe there is no right or wrong answer).

No one wants to hear consequences which is why people tone out their voices. They don't want something telling them I told you so. I like to listen to my voice though. I think the more I listen the longer and better my life will last.

listening to your voice of reason means no fun go out live alittle its only a dream

Originally posted by Gargen
listening to your voice of reason means no fun go out live alittle its only a dream

Well, if you hear a voice in your LD maybe, but in real life, your VOR, or conscience, is certainly something to heed. Like your gut. It usually doesn't let you down.

yes, i definitely agree with you Ame, i have this voice all the time, and at times it can be very emphatic, but i always listen to it, it's usually when i don't heed it something goes kaput.

I sort of agree with you. I knwo this sounds very stupid, and its probably going to make me soudns like a waco, BUT, I hear voices in my head all the time. There are usally 3 distinct different parts of me. and we will have conversaitons and agruge about hwats ogign on and what to do. I'm not scitzofrnic(well im still 17, so who knows jk) and I think maby everyone has these voices to a degress, but which of the voices are right? None of them are, you have to compromise and sort of all come together after debating. btw, does anyone elce have these vocies? Ive had them my whole life, and they actully haev ben quieting down more than they were a few years ago...

I agree with you there Ame. Sometimes the VOR is so soft that I can only hear it by becoming still in prayer or meditation. At other times the VOR is screaming and almost making me physically ill.

I have suspected that some people had this VOR and am happy to see that I was right.

I wonder though, do those we consider deviant or sociopathic have a Voice of Unreason?

Another question to ask is this. Is this voice of reason something that is naturally in us as humans or is it something that is learned throughout life?

I tend to think that it is something that is learned and has evolved over the years. For example, look at your average toddler. Theirs is a world of GIMMEEEE!

Everything is about them, their VOR tells them, "I am hungry, feed me" or "I want this, give it to me" they never stop to consider the consequences.

Likewise look back a couple of hundred years. The VOR at that time told many that is was perfectly logical and acceptable to keep other humans in slavery.

Look back a few decades, everyones VOR was telling them that homosexuality was a deplorable condition and that anyone practicing such was deviant and should be persecuted. Thank god, the world is slowly getting past that one!