Fixing Erasmus Problems

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Sometimes during Erasmus, you can find yourself in two minds about choosing the best option because obviously, judgement is so subjective...

Let's not enter into the archaic debate about the relativity of good and bad, like God said to Joan of Arc: "Who are we to try to discern between the two ends of the spectrum when they are so similar? "

Our topic of conversation is much simpler than this. By general rules, a normal situation (let's call it situation X) ends with two options, 99% of the time.

Option A, and Option B.

What criteria can we judge the situation against in order to choose the better option? Do we ever actually choose the right option?

I don't think so. We are comfortable human beings, naturally idle, cowardly, and lazy.

Facing a problem, the first solution we process is the easiest one, always.

Then, according to self-control processes and our mental capacities, we process one more option, but to get from here to the best option... it is a far stretch.

The optimists would say that even this is a positive thing. It is from unfortunate choices that errors are born and then, it is these errors that, in the end, lead us to more knowledge and self-awareness.

I don't believe that either. Man is the only being stupid enough to tread in the same pile of shit twice. And that's that. You only need to paint the shit a different colour or give it a different name: Big Brother, God...

So therefore, I think that the criteria we use in the moment of making a decision is as simple as comparing the level of ease with which we can execute each option. The easiest, and therefore the most probable that we choose it. The one thing that can restrain us, or even prompt us to decide on the other option, is the concept of "moral guilt". That is, the sensation of needing to do what is right, and not what we want according to the parameters of our "society's" standards.

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Practical example:

Situation X: Sound the alarm-clock.

Option A: We turn it off and continue sleeping (we would all choose this option in a hypothetical perfect world).

Option B: We get up and start our day, keeping in line with our duty and therefore maintaining universal equilibrium (Option A would lead to world-wide chaos).

In conclusion, we never choose the best option, because simply put, the best option does not exist. Human beings are naturally illogical, even after all the logical games that we have created (paradoxically).

And, as a gift, for those of you who have managed to read this extensive and complicated diatribe, I give you a flow diagram about General Problem Solutions.

I know that you are eager for the next part of this endless series of interestingly rubbish articles that have nothing to do with the topic... Great! Let's continue with them.

Until next time,

If you have any doubts, or suggestions, or whatever, you can comment them below.

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