The Case for Change (or Is Change Really Possible?)

Great Debates
1

OK, I’m rather new here, so forgive me if I’m posting this in the wrong forum.

(Please don’t disregard this question because of the Christianity in it. I am simply speaking from my perspective and experience, not to exclude people. I believe there are intelligent people out there who don’t believe what I do and I am interested in their input as well.)

Anyway, let me start with a little background. I’m a mid-30’s guy. Happily married with 4 kids. I am active in my church (volunteer Youth Director), and consider myself to be a religous person. (By this I mean that I believe in God and conservative Protestant Christian doctrine.)

Also, let me say that I don’t think I am having a crisis of faith. I don’t doubt what I believe, nor do I doubt God’s existence or power.

Now, to the meat of the matter.

Is change really possible? Not in a detailed level. I’ve personally switched from “regular” soda to diet and back and forth enough to know that in the minutiae we can change.

What I’m getting at is real, deep down, core of the being change. Personality, essence, root attitudes.

For example, the Apostle Paul. Before his conversion, he was a persecuter of the church. The root there is what may be called a fanatical devotion to what he believed was right. He honestly believed that he was doing God’s will. Then he was converted. After his conversion, the object of his fanaticism changed, but he was just a fanatically devoted. The core, the essence of who he was didn’t change, it was simply focused differently.

If someone is a jerk, will they always be a jerk, or can they change? What about the poor women who seem to constantly be drawn to abusive relationships? What about the things I want to change about myself?

So, what is change? What causes change? How can someone really change (can they)?

What say you good people?

SCCajun
aka Carolina Cajun

2

Your example of Paul is a good one because I think it does show that people, in general, change the focus of their passions, but not the fact of them.

I think personalities rarely change. Someone might become a bit nicer or a bit meaner, but their core personalities are what they are. Attitudes toward specific things can change, but the way of seeing the world–positively or negatively–rarely does.

Why? Because we can’t change where we’ve been. Everything that happens to us shapes us and can’t be undone.

3

Rarely. But in general, no.

4

Well, a nasty brain injury can seriously change someone’s personality, though probably for the worse. Amnesiacs, having lost memories, change in “personality,” & some people have become highly antisocial due to neurological damage.

And of course children become adults, who sometimes become mad old men.

So, really, what do you want?

5

Yes, I believe it is possible to change one’s fundamental personality (which is how I’d characterize the question). Possible, however, does not mean likely or commonly. Furthermore, there may very well be bounds as to how much one can change.

There are an awful lot of ways to approach this; as jsgoddess points out, is a switch of focus really change? I’d tend to say not, at least not in the way that I think your question is meant.

Here’s the way I see it: we are, to a large extent, the product of our experience (but not exclusively!). To some degree, we are plastic – that is, malleable – and some moreso than others. By noting things we want to change, we have the ability to focus on them and choose a different path. As our experience with this grows, we get better at it and it becomes part of us. However, it’s hard. I believe it not only takes a (relatively) long period of time, but also more concentration and discipline than many people are willing to grant.

6

Thanks for the replies guys (and gals).

Interesting thoughts. I would be interested in what you guys think as to how this relates to religious experience. Generally, although I haven’t asked, I would suspect the folks in my Real Life ™ circles would say that “REAL” change is only possible through God. However, as I sit back in my pew and watch the world revolve, I don’t see it.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some changes that we do see. People give up addictions, and the like. But, and pardon the jargon, but to see someone going from reserved to “sold out” fanatic doesn’t happen. I mean, the deep down root change, and what is it that makes it possible. I don’t know exactly how to describe what I’m thinking, but maybe a few examples will help.

So, the Preacher/Evangelist/Motivational Speaker delivers a stirring monologue. It moves your heart, and you agree with the points presented. You decide that you want to change; you want to be more committed to God. Back at home, you may do somethings different for a day or two. You may even drop a bad habit. What would it require to make a permanent change in your life.

Or, you read a book that is very motivational. It inspires you to become more civil oriented. You want to be a better citizen; spend more time improving your community, rehabbing politicians, what have you. What do you do in order to modify your life?

So, I guess what I’m getting at is what different changes are possible, and what is required for each type of change.

(For what it is worth, foolsguinea, I was thinking more along the lines of a voluntary change, not medical or physical.)

Carolina Cajun

7

My family in Germany knew many people who had a strong devotion to Hitler and the Nazi cause before and during the war, yet fully realized the error of their ways later. That is undoubtably a special case, however, brought on by the immense shock when the truth about the Nazi regime was brought to light.

I guess what I would say is this. Change is possible, yet one shouldn’t underestimate how difficult it is.

In trying to provoke major life changes, false starts are very common. A lot of recruiters for charity organizations focus on college-aged people, because they appear to be most adaptable to sending their life in a new direction, but I’ve witnessed many instances where it failed to work. You take a new recruit and at the start they have a huge amount of raw energy to direct at their work. But after a few months their enthusiasm fizzles, they stop showing up on a regular basis, and eventually their entire dedication to the cause collapses.

My older brother was a rather self-centered person as child. Somewhere around age twenty, something caused him to re-orient his life towards aiding others. He’s traveled to Guatemala to work in a medical clinic for the poor, done Americorps work with immigrants in several states, and he’s still at it after six years. But off the top of my head I can’t think of anyone else I know who’s totally revolutionized their life successfully.

Excellent debate topic, by the way.