Finding Peace in Acceptance: "Let It Be" and the Locus of Control
Blog post description.
The Beatles' "Let it Be," a song tinged with the bittersweetness of impending farewell, resonates deeply even decades later. This enduring appeal can be attributed, in part, to its reflection of a fundamental psychological concept: locus of control.
Coined by psychologist Julian Rotter, locus of control refers to the extent to which individuals believe they have control over their lives' events. People with an internal locus of control attribute outcomes to their own actions and choices, while those with an external locus of control perceive external forces, like luck or fate, as the primary drivers of life's events.
"Let it Be" embodies the philosophy of acceptance, a key tenet of Stoicism, a school of thought founded in ancient Greece by Zeno of Citium around 300 BC. Stoicism emphasizes rational thought and emotional control in the face of adversity. As Epictetus, a former slave who became a prominent Stoic philosopher, famously stated, "It's about understanding where our influence ends and accepting that some things are beyond our control."
The song's lyrics, "There will be an answer, let it be," echo the Stoic belief in finding peace by accepting what cannot be changed. By acknowledging the limitations of our control, we can focus our energy on the things we can influence, such as our own thoughts, actions, and reactions.
This message of acceptance resonates deeply because it offers a path to inner peace in the face of life's inevitable challenges. Just as the Beatles found solace in accepting their impending separation, individuals facing difficult situations can find strength in acknowledging what is out of their control and focusing their efforts on what they can influence.
In conclusion, "Let it Be" transcends its origins as a farewell song, becoming a timeless reminder of the importance of understanding our locus of control and finding peace through acceptance, a principle central to Stoic philosophy. By embracing this message, we can navigate life's uncertainties with greater resilience and clarity.
After UCLA College of Letters where I obtained PhD is Philosophy, Psychology and Religion I got a teaching job at the University. I felt uneasy teaching. I applied for a job in the mental health field; I got many offers and within two years was running the mental health center where I worked, supervising psychologists and psychiatrists who have been in that field for many decades.
Eventually, I felt bored by the job (of been executive director...I was barely thirty two years old when I was the executive director of the largest mental health agency in the city where I lived) and quit and tried doing other things.
Nothing I tried worked out for me. So, I did other executive director jobs but eventually wound up quitting and returning to college teaching until I felt that teaching is too easy for me; I felt unchallenged being a college professor (I filled my time writing on assorted subjects that interested me).
Eventually, I realized that I have a destiny and fate. My normal routine is to read until I go to sleep (although there is a huge TV in the house, I seldom watch it) and get up around 5 AM, think for a while, and then go to my computer and type the thoughts that I just had in my sleep.