The Next Person

Beyond blood relationships, to what extent you can choose the next person?

The answer, of course, can only be circumstantial, depending on the context of interactivity.

For acquaintances, one can be very picky, to such extent that one is prepared to be oblivion to the other person's feeling. But given the general nature of acquaintance - fleeting and non-consequential - one tends not to be a miser with greetings and courtesy but tries to be nice, for the sake of leaving a good impression if not genuinely bearing any interest for any further encounter. 

Taking one step forward, for anyone to be considered and, more assuredly, recognized as a friend, one must be judging it worth to invest ones sentiment - not just time and entertainment expenses - somewhat into  such friendship, consciously or subconsciously. Of course, a person may be coaxed or subverted into a relationship by an imposing character or by virtue of peer pressure. It is a choice nonetheless, to the extent that one cares to reciprocate good will or, again, one does not want to hurt others' feeling. 

But it is not in our nature to make enemies for no obvious gain, and we generally do not like to be lonely. More precisely, therefore, one chooses friends to make to the extent that one can bear loneliness.

As such, for courtship - except Adam and Eve - one keeps choosing for the other half to the extent that one is prepared to live a life of solitude - or celibacy. The same goes for marriage, but for the added weight of morality - which one wishes to be immune from but spellbound with. It is a choice after all, to such extent that one wants to live morally. 

Colleagues and bosses are, by and large, all set in a particular company within a particular time, to the extent that you are prepared to hang on to your job. 

Given all self-imposed psychological burden, morality and even economic considerations, in reality, there are often fewer choices than meet the wishful demand of ones free will when it comes to the next person. But then, whether a person likes it or not, he has absolutely no choice but to live with everything about himself for a whole life time. So if one can live with all the ugliness about oneself, why can't one live with the next person - chosen or otherwise? That is certainly a choice.