Have To?

Have to?

Many people say they "have to" do certain things. As "have to" is another way of saying "must", as in compulsory, I'm thinking that the "have to" card is a bit of an exaggeration.

There are very few things in this world we absolutely "have to" do, where no alternative action exists.

No one "has to" eat at their mother in law's on Saturday night. That is clearly a choice, regardless of whatever hassle that might result from failing to show up.

Most things people claim they "have to" do: make the bed, edge the lawn, go to bed at ten, etc, are simply choices. There's no need to express these choices as immutable obligations.

Granted, there are some things that it's in our better interest to do, regardless of our actual desires, because the results from not doing so can be unwanted or unpleasant. It's in our best interests to work, stay off the golf course during a thunderstorm, and so on, but strictly speaking, we don't "have to" do these things.

From time to time, I've said, "The only thing I have to do is die". Inevitably, someone will immediately say, "And pay taxes."

To which I reply, "No, you don't. You can go to jail, instead. But when it comes your time to die, you can't pick going to jail instead. You have to die."

I wonder how many people would pick going to jail instead of dying if that were possible?