Consider when and where you were born. Now think about your body—your physical abilities, your genetics, your health. These factors influence what you can or can not do, and they were not chosen by you. These variables and many others play foundational roles in shaping who you are and what you believe.
A Series of Binary Decisions
Each decision you encounter is a simple binary choice. Yes or no. This or that. Left or right. Decisions feel complex, but each is another decision in a series of binary decisions, influenced by the countless experiences, beliefs, and circumstances that have come before it.
These binary decisions did not just start when you entered this world. This goes back billions of years. Imagine the world before humans existed, before life itself. Around 14 billion years ago, after the theoretical Big Bang, the universe began with three basic elements: hydrogen, helium, and lithium.
From those three ingredients, the universe began to evolve. Hydrogen atoms collided, split, and fused, all based on a series of simple interactions, essentially binary choices determined by physics. As time went on, stars formed, elements were forged in their cores, and eventually, planets and life came into existence. The entire process was driven by a chain of binary decisions— interact or do not, fuse or not. It’s the same process that eventually led to you being here today.
Every decision you make is part of a matrix that began 14 billion years ago, through the formation of the universe, evolution of life, the development of human consciousness, and finally to your present moment. You are part of a web of interactions and decisions that started long before you existed.
Understanding this can feel exciting if you are optimistic about the future, or overwhelming if you are not optimistic looking forward. Simply acknowledging that we are part of this grand matrix can spark a deeper awareness of how we make choices within life's constraints. It only takes one moment of insight or inspiration to shift from feeling trapped to reimagining your potential, and this realization could be the turning point that transforms everything.
Examples of Mechanisms of the Free Will Illusion
When and Where You Were Born - You didn’t choose the time or place of your birth and it shapes your worldview and opportunities.
Your Body - Your physical abilities, genetics, and health were not choices you made, but they determine what you can and cannot do, affecting every decision.
Your Environment - The culture, society, and neighborhood you grew up in shape how you see the world and what possibilities you believe are available to you.
Nurturing - How you were raised—whether loved or neglected—deeply impacts how you handle life’s challenges and view opportunities.
Challenges - The hardships you have faced shape your resilience and mindset, influencing what decisions you think are possible for you.
Biological Needs - Hunger, fatigue, and other physical needs drive actions without conscious choice, directing you in ways you can’t always control.
Perceived Luck - Random life events—good or bad—can drastically affect the course of your life, from career opportunities to personal challenges.
Mindset - Your attitude, shaped by experiences and the stories you tell yourself, affects how you approach decisions and opportunities.
Belief Exposure - Your beliefs are shaped by what you have been exposed to—family, culture, education—long before you could think critically about them.
Media Consumption - What you watch, read, and listen to subtly molds your perception of what is possible and valuable, often without you realizing it.
The Concept of Free Will Itself - Just believing you have free will guides your decisions. This concept creates a narrative of autonomy, even when your choices are shaped by external factors. The belief itself can lead you to act as though you have control, reinforcing the illusion.
Saying you have no choice does not erase the consequences. You are still accountable for what you do, and the choices you make—even when influenced—still have real effects on your life and those around you.
Embracing this perspective allows you to see each experience as an opportunity. You do not control every factor, but how you respond, adapt, and grow is within your power.
The concept of the MECHANISMS OF THE FREE WILL ILLUSION is being developed by Will von Bolton at Becoming Conscious.
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