Spinoza on the Futility of Remorse, Guilt, Shame, and Repentance.

While we believe we are free agents with free will so we will buy into remorse etc. Dropping our addiction to the idea we are free has the strange effect of freeing us from destructive emotions.

Repentance is pain accompanied by the idea of some deed which we believe we have done from free decision of the mind. The Ethics, Spinoza

You might be surprised to know that many people are afflicted with regrets, guilt, shame, and the need to repent of previous actions. These are curses on the human race and make a hefty contribution to the misery in th…