We have all known people that do things, well, because! That’s why!
If you were to ask them why they did X, they would say, “Because I wanted to…” do X. There’s no reason–it was on a whim. I don’t find this to be a problem unless the decision affects me in some way, like at work. In that case, I typically don’t get an answer, but if I were to ask, my bosses would surely not explain themselves and give me a because I felt like it. But maybe that’s not really on a whim.
What do you think about making decisions on a whim?
If you think about it, no one ever does anything that they didn’t want to do. Consequenses of actions can be unforseen. But a specific action? Yeah, one wanted to, for whatever reason/justification, or one would not have chosen so.
After reading this book, I’ve come to the belief that no one knows why they do what they do. What we do is invent cool stories. Without the stories we tell ourselves, everything would be a scary, nonsensical place.
I’d much rather people say, “Because I felt like it” rather than come up with some convenient after-the-fact justification. It’s frustrating, but at least it’s more honest.
It depends on what the whim is. One of my clinical instructors was an EMT who quite literally went to school to be a respiratory therapist on a whim. Basically she said it seemed like a good idea at the time. Twenty years later she’s still doing the job and still loves it.
I am in the same program totally on a whim because I hated the program I was in at a different college and lungs are freakin’ cool. I am (hopefully) about to successfully finish my first year in the 2 year program. I am more in love with the subject now than I was a year and a half ago when I applied for the hell of it.
Some whims, on the other hand, are really not such a good idea and it would have been much better if the person involved had thought about it.
For instance, my sister calling my mother in the middle of a nor’easter and saying, “I’m getting married in half an hour. If you can get here before then, you can stop me.” wasn’t such a good idea. She spent a few years married to an abusive alcoholic who kept them homeless because he felt like it. Then again, without that ass, she never would have met her second husband so she wouldn’t have had her wonderful daughter and without her second husband she never would have moved to Virginia so she never would have met her current husband (she and the ex are still the best of friends as well).
So maybe it’s not our place to judge another person’s whims. Maybe it’s up to us to support them in what they choose and hope it works out for the best in the end.
Wow. I get really philosophical when I’m avoiding my case study. :smack:
Back when I had a room mate, every so often he would get a wild hair up his ass and decide on a whim that WE needed to do some deep cleaning right this very minute.
I had to explain to him on more than one occasion that I’m happy to help out with some spring cleaning but it will have to be on a predetermined date agreed to by both of us.
Work is a place where structure leads to profit but creative risk can lead to even greater rewards. As long as the risk is reasonable and the experience can be used to make better decisions later on, its all part of the process.
Now, after work is a whole different story. Some people enjoy planning ever detail of their lives like their very soul has a “.xls” extension. Others enjoy living life in the moment and derive great pleasure in spontaneity.
After work is the life which people choose to live, however, and one size does not fit all.
When people make choices “just on a whim”, especially your bosses, and it affects you (especially in some way unpleasant to you), a very common reason is they’re just making a point of showing you just WHOM gets to jerk WHOM around and DON’T you ever forget it.
ETA: This is big among bureaucrats too, as if you didn’t already know that.
About the biggest thing I do on a whim would be to go and buy a $200.00 power tool that I want but can’t really justify. I have friends my age (65) who go out and buy expensive motor cycles, cars, boats etc. on whims and then regret it later but will seldom admit it.
The true story behind a whim decision might be that I was feeling very badly about myself and the thought of owning this new thing just made me feel better as I saw it changing my life. You will never hear that reason even though it might be the real reason.
Wow, that is deep. I read this and realized my whims correlate to my situation at the time. I have been having bad times lately, and just said F it, I am going to buy concert tickets. It kind of gives me something to look forward too in my life.
Thinking back, something traumatic usually happens right before I go and make a crazy purchase.
Last November, my Mom passed away. I went and bought expensive theater tickets for me and my family. I took the little amount she had left in her account, and thru a pretty damn good memorial lunch for her. My siblings were not to happy with me spending the money, but I was like F you all, open bar for everyone!! I also bought almost $1000.00 of flowers for the hall.
My Moms dog, which I now have, is sick. The vet has him on 3 different meds. The first night I found out how sick he was last month, I reserved a cottage in New Hampshire in July.
No wonder I am so damn broke all of the time. My life is too stressful.