NDP 166: Trying to Predict the Future Is Like Living in the Matrix

Do ever joke that we’re living in the Matrix? 

I often refer to the movie when talking about the problems of the world. Sometimes it does seem like we’re living in a computer simulation. Or does it? 

Anyway, I was inspired to do this episode by the idea that the future might be predetermined. Or, more to the point, that we can do anything about the future. 

Many of us seem to think we can. A common psychological error many of us commit is future prediction. Mind reading, catastrophic thinking, and worst-case-scenario thinking are common versions of this fallacy. 

I learned that my anxiety was directly related to this erroneous belief. 

Check this out. I actually thought that my worrying could control the outcome of my future. Seriously. I believed that if I worried hard enough I could create a positive outcome down the road.

Many of us do this and with good reason. We are protecting ourselves from future suffering by trying to understand the possible future scenarios. The worst-case-scenario thing comes up because we believe if we prepare ourselves for the worst we can handle anything. 

Our worry about the future is likely adaptive. 

It probably helped us evolve by being hyper-aware of the potential outcomes. We were likely able to avoid danger and learn from the past. No one is arguing that this is helpful. Except when we create problems now that induce more suffering than any future scenario could.

And maybe it does, but the problem is we spend too much time worrying and being anxious. This is entirely human. It’s something we do. It is automatic. It requires a lot of work to NOT do it.

How do we beat our central nervous system?

The first step is admitting you have a problem. To do this requires self-awareness. Even with self-awareness, the fear doesn’t go away. So we need courage. Identifying and reconsidering our beliefs and values also helps. Often, it is easy to see the error of our ways. Sometimes, it isn’t so simple. 

There are many techniques to help with this. The entire self-help industry exists in support of changing our behaviors and beliefs. The problem thus becomes knowing how to differentiate between the people who can actually help and the snake oil. Again, self-awareness is the first step. Often, getting help is the second.

There has to be a better way. 

Acceptance. Letting go of the need for control. Making room for change. And the unknown. Therapy modalities that help identify and change old and limiting beliefs. Wu-Wei. Being ok with sitting with ourselves in quiet. 

This may be harder for neurodivergent people because our coping mechanisms are often stronger. The stakes are higher for people who are truly afraid of being abandoned or cast out of their family or community.  

Remember, you can NOT predict the future. So why bother trying? More details in this episode.

YouTube version: 
https://youtu.be/Zkx5CdHHeTc

https://chrisburcher.com/science-is-not-the-truth/

https://chrisburcher.com/episode-4-quiet-vs-distraction/

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