In Huxley's Brave New World chapter 17, page 234 Mustapha Mond mentions this: "One believes things one has been conditioned to believe them. Finding bad reasons for what one believes for other bad reasons-that's philosophy. People believe in God because they've been conditioned to believe in God."
I have always wondered "What if I was not of Mexican descent? Would I be Catholic? What if I was conditioned to believe in another religion?"
Now I realize that all of the visits to church on Sunday were part of the conditioning that has now become a habit. Reserving one hour of my time of Sundays for God is now a habit. I do not complain, because I have known no other rituals.
I have been conditioned for the past 12 years. The school districts have conditioned me to do school in hopes that I actually learn in school. I was conditioned to think that I had a limited amount of time to learn and master something. The bell is my ruler and I do not complain, because it has always been that way.
Society has conditioned me to think that I should weigh as least as possible, that I should buy their products and play the roll of the consumer (the one I was born to play).
I have been conditioned in many ways, but like Helmholtz I refuse as much as possible. I do not refuse just so I can be claimed a rebel, but do so that others may be able to see through our blinding world. Of course I cannot always refuse I can sometimes be as vulnerable as Bernard, but I sure am persistent just like the savage.
