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Risk: Not Just A Board Game
Wednesday, April 20th, 2005 by joelI spoke of Free Will. Now I am compelled by the Magic 8-Ball ™ to talk about its brother in life, risk. Yes, kiddies, no decision you make on your own comes without some element of risk. This is ALSO what makes us human.
Reflect, if you will, on that old Twilight Zone episode with me. You know the one. The thief dies in an attempted burglary. He goes to the afterlife where he can have anything he pleases. In choosing what it is that he wants, the thief exercises his free will. However the problem becomes that the thief ends up GETTING everything he wants. He no sooner has to THINK of a desire before it is granted. It turns out to be his own personal hell. Why…because the thief’s desires were not countered by some element of risk. In desiring something, we face the risk of failing to get it. We face the challenge of actually obtaining it. It is this constant fighting against reality and the risks involved that help us grow and learn.
Now this may or may not involve some deeper truth about the purpose of life, but it DOES shed light on an element of human nature. Risk may appear bad because it involves danger, but for some reason we need it.
