457. Shared Intentions

Every intention is the product of a reflective judgment. When I have a concern about something it is because I have reflected on a possible future that I judge will be bad for me in some way. Since this judgment could always be otherwise, the aversion that I have to this outcome is intentional. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ve given conscious thought to the matter. Reflective judgments like this often happen so automatically that it feels like they don’t happen at all.

When I then tell you about my concern, you might also reflect on the matter and form a similar judgment. In this way, my intention is passed on to you, which means we now share the same aversion. If we also become attached to this aversion, then we will suffer from anxiety. In this way, worry can spread quickly through a large group of people.

Desires and beliefs are also intentional entities, formed through the same process of reflective judgment, and just like an aversion, they can be passed on to others. We are typically not as aware that they are contagious, perhaps because we like to think that our desires and beliefs are wholly ours and they cannot be so easily modified.

But desires are regularly passed on to others. When a loved one wants us to do something for them, we adopt their desire without even noticing. Beliefs too are often shared, and we actively promote this kind of sharing because we tend to value social conformity. We give others reasons why they should judge in the same ways that we do, with the expectation that they will come around to sharing our beliefs. Of course, this doesn’t always work, because nothing forces us to judge in any particular way.

The sharing of intentions is beneficial because it helps us build common understanding and solidarity with others. But we must be aware that new intentions can also mean new attachments, which can then produce new forms of suffering for us and the people around us.