Concerning one's choice to be unhappy – part 2

a. This is the second part of my largely unsuccessful attempts to reflect on one's choice of being unhappy.
b. So -far in the previous posting I have suggested to the kind reader that
b1. faced with a crises one may choose to accept one's situation and find a way out of it (arguably through downgrading ones style of life), or to transport the blame (and solution) to third party;
b2. opting for the second choice he/she inevitably chooses to be unhappy (extrapolating important choices to third uninterested party tends to produce that result)
c. There were several suggestions of to why this happened with the ex-workers of Kremikovci, including
c1. cultural explanation suggesting that the ex-workers either have no capacity (should I say habit) to prioritize their expenses, or their expenses are social norm from which they may not escape
c2. psychological explanation underlining the concept of “freedom run”, where people prefer not to take responsibility, because there are afraid of the unexpected results.
d. Anyone with critical viewpoint could argue that I am over simplistic by actually suggesting direct link between unhappiness and expenses
d1. to those readers I would like to point out that the ex-workers demands are monetary – jobs and subsequent salaries, hence in this example the connection is unquestionable
d2. furthermore I am over simplistic
e. Now lets try to answer the question.
e1. the definition of unhappiness in this post does not suggest that individuals can not take certain pleasure – hence I could suggest that all ex-workers are hidden masochists ; though convenient I would pass this possibility.
e2. the cultural explanations also suggest that one strives to be like one's roll model (middle class citizen). This is possible, but the ex-workers were not at the top of the ladder while working, nor is the Bulgarian social landscape so uniformed. Should I remind the poverty of pensioners and the underdeveloped regions? Those are my arguments to suggest that there is no so strong social element to push for the unhappiness choice.
e3. therefore I will look closer in the psychological explanation, to remind they were
e31. non-linear rationality patterns prevent them from realizing the choice hence they can not act on it
e32. they realize a psychological need to be victimized and feel morally superior
e33. “freedom run” where the ex-workers are uncertain what they should do and leave union leaders to take decision, so they would not have to.
f. I will rather promptly dismiss the latter two (e32 and e33), without much of arguments.
f1. the freedom run is important, but the unhappy history of the labour union negotiations and government aid, plus the aggravated financial situation of Kremicovci make me feel much more sceptical about the chance that anyone would trust this could be viable solution (hence does not comply with the choice description in the previous post)
f2. the victimization of the ex-communist factory workers were carried out for about a decade and after all that time one needs to be fed up being morally superior and wishing being on the winning side for once.
g. I am ready to proclaim a winner in the contest of most ridiculous reasons – the non-linear rationalization. Lots of you (and I) though may not be entirely certain what that may mean.
g1. let me start with rationalization – usually it works like that: action A, realized in environment B will lead to result C, where A, B and C are explicitly, coherently and empirically connected in causal line.
g11. naturally miscalculations and wrong expectations may occur, usually due to incorrect valuation of factors (such as human irrationality). However the linear rationality is calculable and omissions are explainable.
g12. however there is an attempt to put the action in its context and predict the outcome, including through considerations about the others' motives and behaviour.
g2. non-linear rationalization on the other hands suggests that action A` will lead to result C`, without taking into account the environment. Such behaviour is observable in quiet many cases (unfortunately enough in this blog as well)
h. Well now I suggest that all the ex-workers have chosen to be unhappy because their logic pattern tends to make short cuts from action to desired result without evaluating all data at hand. Please note that this is quite cynical view since with one brash-stroke I diminish them as intelligent individuals and appropriate this to their free choice.
i. I do not know how comfortable I feel with such a conclusion, but it is a fact and I will let the kind reader make his/her own morals.
k. Thank you for taking the time and reading this post.