Another myth is that thoughts supposedly speak about a person’s character or intentions, and that some people have a hidden dark side that only finds expression in their thoughts.
Fact: it is known that thoughts have nothing to do with character. Character is shown in the way you lead your life. It’s about what you decide to do or not do. Thoughts are just flashes in your mind. You don’t decide whether thoughts arise or not. Your character doesn’t show up if you don’t have room to make a decision. A thought is not a fact or a statement about you as a person. Character is the decisions you make in life, not something that randomly occurs in your mind.
In popular culture, this myth is often illustrated with sophisticated metaphors. The most frightening examples are those of seemingly perfectly decent people who are overcome by their dark side – whether it’s a metaphor for a werewolf, obsession, split personality, or the case of an innocent man who becomes a killer. Movies like the Exorcist, American psychopath, and Forbidden planet are specifically designed to intimidate people into thinking that no matter how innocent and well-intentioned they are, there may be room for evil forces just waiting to break out. These fantasies feed the false idea that a person’s deepest thoughts are evidence of their true intentions or character, even if they are denied, as if there might be some inner demon that can break out against your will.
Similarly, movies and books about the collapse of society, such as” Lord of the flies”,” Mad Max ” and other post-apocalyptic nightmares, suggest that the instinct of self-preservation can turn people into immoral monsters. They all say that civilization is just a surface phenomenon. If we develop this assumption, we can conclude that uncivilized thoughts are only the tip of the iceberg, and the true nature of a person or his character may not be what it seems.
Interestingly, people often apply this myth only to themselves and their own thoughts. If a friend or acquaintance tells them about wild, disgusting, or absurd thoughts, they immediately begin to convince them that thinking is unpredictable and such thoughts mean nothing, and to assure them that this does not affect their respect in any way. It is not difficult to make fun of other people’s obsessive thoughts.
A restless voice: I have perverse thoughts all the time. Even the children. I’m probably completely rotten on the inside as a person. This happens all the time. Voice of false calm: Don’t be stupid. Everyone knows that you are a good man. It is necessary to get rid of perverted thoughts. They can make you start to doubt yourself.
A restless voice: I try, but they come up again and again. I’d like to know if something bad has happened to me that I don’t even remember, that’s stuck in my subconscious. They say that those who are victims of violence become rapists themselves.
The voice of false calm: Anyone can overcome unwanted thoughts. All you need to do is stay positive.
In this dialogue, both the Restless voice and the voice of false calm believe that thoughts are a reflection of character and, based on this assumption, seek to deal with them. Both of them fall into the trap of this myth.
Thoughts have nothing to do with your character. Character is shown only in the actions that you have chosen.