@Anna — I would respond by saying it’s only by your choosing do you let the past control you today and tomorrow. As LJ mentions, and as I state earlier in the comments, the past influences where we are today, OF COURSE! :)

The past has taken us to the present moment, but the intent of this piece is to say that if we hang on to the past and it prohibits us from moving forward in the present moment (and on behalf of tomorrow) that we are doign ourselves a disservice.

Disagree whole heartedly.

Our EMOTIONAL past doesn’t have consequence on our present lives, however, decisions I made as long as 5 years ago (failing to finish high school, not going to college soon, having a young pregnancy, and moving across the country twice) are now limiting and controlling how I live my life now.

It’s never to late to try and change things, and we can take control now, but that doesn’t go against the fact that the past does and will continue to control us.

I believe we must be grateful to our past and not blame it. The choices we made are what has brought us to where we are now. The lessons were necessary and growth is not designed to be comfortable.

I completly agree with this passage.

Thank you for the compliment and recommendation. I’ve actually come across Kundera’s book before, either seeing it on the bookshelf or checking it out online, but have yet to read it. Thanks again!

I think this is my favorite piece so far! You should read Milan Kundera’s “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” for a completely different perspective on why we shouldn’t let the past define us. What he writes is deeply philosophical and has to do with the idea of eternal recurrence, but I think you would enjoy it.

Just to clarify:

When I said the concept of “Bad Faith” was uplifting, I meant that the conclusion, the extrapolation, that we, as human beings, are radically free entities and that our choices are not governed by historicity was, to me, encouraging. Obviously the concept of relinquishing our free will doesn’t particularly appeal, haha.

Thanks for the compliment and recommendation. I’ll definitely check that out!

D

Great entry Dave!

You should, if you haven’t already, check out Sartre’s concept of “Bad Faith”. I think its one of the more uplifting, and truly human perspectives that he builds.

Keep it up, hope the book process is coming along. I’ll check back soon.

I am greatly enjoying the ongoing discussion about this post on social networking websites, especially Reddit.

Many are concluding that the past does indeed define us, insofar as what has happened in the past has decisively influenced who we are and brought us to the present moment. This is undoubtedly true and is even asserted in the piece: “…the past has heavily influenced who we are and who we have become…”.

However, I’d like to remind readers that the intent of the piece is to say that the past — one’s personal history, what has influenced, happened to or affected someone before the present moment — absolutely does not limit someone’s potential: “…[the past] does not define, limit, or restrict us and who we choose to be.”

In other words, while our individual pasts have brought us to this moment (who we have become), we are not slaves to what has happened because the past does not limit our unlimited potential of what we can become, what we can dream, and what we can achieve.

Dave