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Gamerace on 18 March 2008
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fkusumot said:
Gamerace said:
 

Auron is right we're getting into changing actions as well as beliefs, but yes, you can change your beliefs on a whim as long as you have a desire to change it equal or greater than the benefits of maintaining the current belief.

The reason people don't usually change their belief is they have something either pleasure inducing or pain relieving associated to that belief.  IE: The belief that a relationship is wonderful to have will lead to having a wonderful relationship - a pleasant experience (or so you believe).  Now if you just got out of a painful breakup that belief may change.  Now if you want to change it on a whim, then you can do so by convincing yourself that relationships just lead to painful breakups, prior to having one - this belief would be pain relieving then.  Why on earth you would want to is beyond me, but for arguments sake, yes, it's doable.


 That's not changing your beliefs, that changing actions based on a punishment/reward system. It's just a behavioral explanation. The belief system becomes a justification for the actions. You're giving an example and then proving the point by manufacturing an outcome that proves your point. It's not very convincing.


 

That is changing your beliefs.  In the given example you no longer believe that relationships are wonderful.  Which is a detrimental belief BTW. 

Every single belief you have your subconscious mind has adapted because it does (or did, people often maintain belief system long after they stop serving them) bring you into pleasure or avoids pain.  All I'm saying is - Yes it's possible to alter those beliefs consciously as well.  

Now someone will argue, that people believe they are powerless to (for example) get out of a abusive relationship and that belief isn't going towards pleasure or away from pain.  But it is - It avoids a greater fear of change.  Change is more painful mentally or emotionally than staying the in the abusive relationship.  This is a belief should be changed ASAP.

Fact is people do change their beliefs all the time, but normally because some outside occurance or information prompts them to do so by making the old belief less appealing than a new one.