Free Will Foiled By A Red Dress

Here I offer up a personal experience that clearly demonstrates the power of Determinism over the illusion of Free Will.  This morning just before eight,  I pulled up in front of my office on Avenida 16 in Sabana Sur in San Jose, (Costa Rica) and got out of the car.

My assistant had not yet arrived, and  I had a new bunch of keys in my hand. I can handle this on my own, I said to myself and my intention was to match up the keys that fit the locks on the portones (metal doors) so that I could pull into my space.

A simple task and that is what I had decided to do, what I had intended to do and was in the process of doing. It was my decision, free will was already at work at eight in the morning.  Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks.

My olfactory was now demanding my attention and diverting power from my cerebral cortex.  The ancient reptilian part of my brain had taken over and I was no longer in charge.  The olfactory system had detected the undeniable scent of undulating quim in the air causing me to dismiss the task of opening the portones and parking the car for the immediate necessity of finding the source of this female aroma. My biology was bubbling.  My hippocampus was throbbing. Dopamine was rushing through my brain and testosterone surging through my veins.  I became a heat seeking missile intent on plunging into an unknown target.

I turned away from the porton and stepped out into the street facing in the general direction of the scent that demanded my immediate attention five minutes to eight in the morning.  My vision became almost superhuman and I found that I was able to focus on an image just the other side of the street as if my pupils had been replaced with bionic telephoto lenses.  I zoomed in and yes, there she was in red opening the gate to the law office not ten meters away.

Now on autopilot, I began to move in her direction stepping into the middle of the street.  The next thing I hear is a bang, a car horn and the sound of beat up Hyundai pirate taxi accelerating.

I had walked right into a moving car. The passenger side mirror smashed against my arm and pushed me back. More adrenalin rushed through my system.  I was undaunted and continued to seek out the object of my desire.  Her name was Ruthie.

Fuckin’ Ruthie in her red dress almost got me run over just by being there.  Here is just one example of how our biology DETERMINES our actions.