Are you able to take responsibility for how you react to the world? Do you do it consciously?

No man is an island. Like every human being, I'm heavily influenced by those around me. That being said, yes, I do take responsibility for how I react to the world.

I consciously make decisions about how I'm going to react and I stand behind those decisions. Every human is somewhat "reactive". However, I think I react purposefully rather than randomly or without considering what form or response is best.In a situation where most people get angry, I'd likely get angry as well.

However, if you were to ask me on the spot why I chose to be angry, I'd have a well articulated answer ready for you. I wouldn't be angry by accident. I may react to situations in a typical, "normal" human way, but I'm still constantly thinking and analyzing my behavior.

Of course things that happen to you make you react. I take complete responsibility for my actions as I can turn them on and off as I see fit. I do not let anyone else give me ulcers or take it to close to heart.

I can go out and fight and like a boxer when the bell rings turn it off and go to the corner. In the gym is probably where I picked this up. I can yell and scream at someone and turn around and it's another situation and smile at the next person.

Life is to short to let it stay with you.

I'd say more internal things cause me to do things, I usually don't react much emotionally unless something is off inside. Like.. if I'm hungry, horomonal or tired I can be very unpleasant. I'd say I blame things such as hunger and fatigue far more commonly than other people or external things acting on me.

I'm one of those justified types, if someone cut me off in traffic and I ran into them soon after sure I'd tell them they're an idiot and it was rude to cut me off, because they are an idiot and it was rude. It's a justified reaction. I wouldn't say I'd be angry however, I don't need to be angry or emotional to act.

I find justification, and I act on it. No lasting effect, no emotion, just action.

I agree with jkepler and silverhammer. We can control our reaction to a certain degree, but others do influence our feeling and sometimes we cannot really control it. If a stranger suddenly molest you, you are justified to feel angry and violated.

You don't have to feel bad because you can't control that you feel that way. It is very stupid advice for a victim of terrible crime that they shouldn't let their rapist or attacker make them feel angry because they can control their emotion. Not feeling anger or sadness is not normal and a symptom of repression which will lead to bigger problem.

However, if your anger makes you take out a gun and kill that person instantly, then your feeling has taken control of what should be your responsibility. Also, when the initial reaction has passed, you have a choice of how to deal with it, will you let it eat you personally or not.

While I know that no one can MAKE me feel anything, they can contribute to a formulated response. For example, if a friend gets in your face, yells and pushes you you might laugh and take it as playful interaction. If a stranger did it you might feel less inclined to take it in such good humor - although you could.It's a choice, but what is considered a "normal" response may still rise to the top of the list of choices without much effort.

If you were standing in an elevator with your significant other and your butt was gently stroked you'd smile, enjoy the attention and maybe even get a little excited. If you turned around to smile at your SO and discovered it wasn't them that touched you - you might feel different. You don't HAVE to feel different, but the choice to continue to feel good about it in that situation isn't a choice many would feel comfortable with.

But it is possible, the only difference being personal choice - you already decided it felt good, why spoil the moment? Choice.My feelings are always my choice. They have been since I was about 11.

I've never made excuses for them since that age.My respect for others "losing control" is non-existent because I hold myself to a higher standard - why should they have an excuse? Of course I also don't drink or have taken drugs so losing control was never interesting to me in the first place. Giving up my choice into the hands of others is no different.

Never made sense to me why anyone would enjoy doing that. The law sees some choices as being in our control (like obeying the law) yet allows for situations where people are out of control (punching someone is okay, planning to punch someone isn't), and people look down on others who are able to actively choose their reactions. I think because it makes them feel inferior.

Gandhi was like that, he was killed for it. I do believe that everyone should be held accountable for their choices even if they're gut reactions and not thought through very well. I also like the attitude, "No one pays rent in my head."

I heard that from a behind the scenes interview of a person that a TV show tried to play a practical joke on. They just couldn't get a reaction from him and they finally broke down and told him what was up. When asked how he could be so pleasant and unaffected that was his words to describe his freedom to choose his reactions.

We should all strive for that same level of inner peace and not give up our power to others so readily. Freedom is a state of mind.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.