Can we change what we desire?

[Nakosis]

External influences can certainly change what we desire. That of course is the basis of advertising. To manipulate what you desire.
This is done by causing you to focus on a specific desire. Associating the product with sex, power, fame. Or even causing you to avoid a product/behavior by associating it with an emotion like fear or disgust.

Associating the product with a common desire then focusing on that desire.
We generally have many desires. Can we possibly consciously associate a desire or emotion and then focus on the desire or emotion to alter what we want?

Isn't this what we are attempting to do to change our behavior like to stop smoking, drinking, taking drugs?

IOW, A man can do what he wants as well as change want what he wants.

 

[Tomef]

External influences can certainly change what we desire. That of course is the basis of advertising. To manipulate what you desire.
This is done by causing you to focus on a specific desire. Associating the product with sex, power, fame. Or even causing you to avoid a product/behavior by associating it with an emotion like fear or disgust.

Associating the product with a common desire then focusing on that desire.
We generally have many desires. Can we possibly consciously associate a desire or emotion and then focus on the desire or emotion to alter what we want?

Isn't this what we are attempting to do to change our behavior like to stop smoking, drinking, taking drugs?

IOW, A man can do what he wants as well as change want what he wants.

I think you can do a lot to change the form of the desired thing. Relevant to this forum maybe would be the change from searching for some kind of absolute truth or morality, in religion, to the more satisfying search for things that are true or real in ways that are broader and more subjective, and require a lot more personal engagement. I’m not sure if a person can really change what fundamentally drives them though. Case in point, I know plenty of people who have little to no interest in discussions like this. I don’t think that kind of thing really changes, unless as the result of some major life crisis, perhaps, but even then I think after a crisis we just settle into a different iteration of the same patterns.

 

[RestlessSoul]

We can displace our desires, which I think is the point the OP makes? We can shift our desires to perhaps less harmful objects; for example, we can substitute desire for harmful substances with desire for the chemicals released by exercise.

But we can do better than that, imo. We can dissociate from desire altogether, by focusing less on our material needs, which are never satisfied anyway, and more on our spiritual needs, which become less insistent the more we nourish them. You don’t need to believe in God to do this, btw - before the usual suspects get themselves agitated by the word “spiritual”.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I think you can do a lot to change the form of the desired thing. Relevant to this forum maybe would be the change from searching for some kind of absolute truth or morality, in religion, to the more satisfying search for things that are true or real in ways that are broader and more subjective, and require a lot more personal engagement. I’m not sure if a person can really change what fundamentally drives them though. Case in point, I know plenty of people who have little to no interest in discussions like this. I don’t think that kind of thing really changes, unless as the result of some major life crisis, perhaps, but even then I think after a crisis we just settle into a different iteration of the same patterns.

I think personal crises afford us the opportunity to re-evaluate the way we have been living; after them, we can fall into the same old patterns, sure. Or we can learn from them, change what needs to be changed (the greater the crisis, the more we’ll need to change), grow and move on.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I think you can do a lot to change the form of the desired thing. Relevant to this forum maybe would be the change from searching for some kind of absolute truth or morality, in religion, to the more satisfying search for things that are true or real in ways that are broader and more subjective, and require a lot more personal engagement. I’m not sure if a person can really change what fundamentally drives them though. Case in point, I know plenty of people who have little to no interest in discussions like this. I don’t think that kind of thing really changes, unless as the result of some major life crisis, perhaps, but even then I think after a crisis we just settle into a different iteration of the same patterns.

I think personal crises afford us the opportunity to re-evaluate the way we have been living; after them, we can fall into the same old patterns, sure. Or we can learn from them, change what needs to be changed (the greater the crisis, the more we’ll need to change), grow and move on.

 

[JustGeorge]

External influences can certainly change what we desire. That of course is the basis of advertising. To manipulate what you desire.
This is done by causing you to focus on a specific desire. Associating the product with sex, power, fame. Or even causing you to avoid a product/behavior by associating it with an emotion like fear or disgust.

Associating the product with a common desire then focusing on that desire.
We generally have many desires. Can we possibly consciously associate a desire or emotion and then focus on the desire or emotion to alter what we want?

Isn't this what we are attempting to do to change our behavior like to stop smoking, drinking, taking drugs?

IOW, A man can do what he wants as well as change want what he wants.

I really don't know, but its an interesting thought.

I imagine it depends on how ingrained it is in a person, and how much trouble the desire(or lack of desire) is causing them. On a whole, we don't like to experience pain.

I'm not sure how a person goes about changing it... probably depends on the situation.

 

[Quintessence]

Can we possibly consciously associate a desire or emotion and then focus on the desire or emotion to alter what we want?

Yes - this is part of spellcraft 101. Also, religion 101 even amongst those religions who do not actively practice and encourage spellcraft. Well, maybe not 101. It's even more basic and foundational than that. Causing change in conformity with will. Building one's way of life to reflect who and what one is or wants to be. It's kinda one of the major points of both spellcraft and religion. Self-discovery and self-transmutation and self-refinement. Managing relations with greater-than-human (and also human) others along the way. Reading the currents and going with the flow, knowing how and when to redirect them. Cultivating wisdom.

 

[Banach-Tarski Paradox]

Sometimes I can change my desires by manipulating my beliefs.

I find this particularly useful for mathematical research.

 

[osgart]

There's the reality and the fantasy of each desire. Once one dissociates from the fantasy, or imaginary aspects of the desire, they can begin to look at the reality of the desire, and thereafter using truer associations with what is desired I think the desire can lessen its impact and power.

So my hypothesis is that the power of dissociation and association is critical in how the desire is perceived, and thenceforth changed.

Sometimes desires happen quickly, and a person needs a sober minded thinking through the desire to get at what the reality is.

A lot depends on what the mind dwells and rests upon.

I think desire depends on an interplay of relation associations.

Some women for example focus on image with status, plus power with emotion and superficial attractions are highly manipulative; such as modeling and advertising. So getting past the superficial aspects one needs to get to the reality substance of the attraction.

I coincidentally have thought a lot about this as I've gotten older.

 

[Tinkerpeach]

Could a normal person change to desire something negative such as murder?

If it works one way it must work the other way also.

I think a person can replace a desire with something else but I don’t think they could simply change a desire at will.

I desire watching football games but I can’t wake up tomorrow and suddenly make that desire go away.

 

[Stonetree]

Could a normal person change to desire something negative such as murder?

If it works one way it must work the other way also.

I think a person can replace a desire with something else but I don’t think they could simply change a desire at will.

I desire watching football games but I can’t wake up tomorrow and suddenly make that desire go away.

Can you change your favorite flavor of ice cream, it can change by itself over time but it seems to have a mind of its own

 

[Stonetree]

External influences can certainly change what we desire. That of course is the basis of advertising. To manipulate what you desire.
This is done by causing you to focus on a specific desire. Associating the product with sex, power, fame. Or even causing you to avoid a product/behavior by associating it with an emotion like fear or disgust.

Associating the product with a common desire then focusing on that desire.
We generally have many desires. Can we possibly consciously associate a desire or emotion and then focus on the desire or emotion to alter what we want?

Isn't this what we are attempting to do to change our behavior like to stop smoking, drinking, taking drugs?

IOW, A man can do what he wants as well as change want what he wants.

I don't know if you change what you want....Discipline does rule...but it does not change what attracts someone.

 

[Tinkerpeach]

Can you change your favorite flavor of ice cream, it can change by itself over time but it seems to have a mind of its own

Some people’s brains are not mentally wired to like or dislike certain things so they could never desire those things.