Autonomy: A serious matter
I started to write something else.
I started to write something lighthearted about making choices, then the world changed and I realized — there’s nothing lighthearted about autonomy.
The freedom to make decisions and carry them out is the fundamental marker of human well-being. Self-determination is the first casualty of any relationship gone toxic, personal or political. The compulsion to control, belittle and exploit belongs to the bullies of the world.
On the other hand, reasonable autonomy is the goal of healthy relationships, personal or political. We admire individuals in leadership who make wise decisions. We appreciate serving with committee members who show initiative. As parents, we work to help our children become independent agents, capable of exerting positive will within their spheres of influence. We want our grandchildren to grow up and do the same.
Most of our daily decisions are so effortless, we don’t even think about them. We choose when to get up, what to eat for breakfast, when to run errands, how to flavor our coffee, whether to eat in or eat out. On a larger scale, we choose where to live, the job we want, and how to spend or invest our money.
Then circumstances change and we suddenly find our choices limited. Illness and treatment dominate our daily schedule. An injury makes us dependent on others to run errands. Forces beyond our control dictate the options open to us in our professional or financial lives. Decisions aren’t so effortless anymore.
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