Are you sure?


If A and B are both sexual temptations in one event, and are motivated by physiological desire,
And, by the initiation by someone else, focus is on A, and not on B,
And after successfully resisting the temptations,
Are followed by a negative consequence,...

Then the negative consequence can reinforce any dissatisfaction (such as regret) related to not yielding to 'B,' and occurs outside of awareness. If 'A' is associated with trying to avoid spending money, or trying to avoid something illegal, as in the event of prostitution, dissatisfaction with not yielding to 'B' could then be associated with dissatisfaction with trying to avoid spending money, or trying to avoid something illegal, and occur outside of awareness.

Then,

If presenting with a sexual image to arouse a physiological response, which leads to successfully resisting the temptations involved in the event of A and B, and is followed by a negative consequence; then presenting a sexual image could lead a person to be dissatisfied with trying to avoid spending money, or trying to avoid something illegal, which occurs outside of awareness. Pressuring someone regarding financial difficulties, could lead this person to be dissatisfied with resisting a sexual temptation which may have nothing to do with money, and also occurs outside of awareness. Hearing a police car siren, inconspicuously in the distance, could lead a person to be dissatisfied with avoiding something he considers immoral, which may have nothing to do with the law, sex, or money, which again occurs outside of awareness. Also, if any of these situations are followed by a positive consequence; dissatisfaction in trying to avoid spending money, or trying to avoid something illegal, or avoiding something he considers immoral, is reinforced, and again may occur outside of awareness.

Again,

In a movie theater, people are usually focused on the movie rather than the audience, but may start coughing. They may later realize that they were coughing because they heard another cough, but were initially unaware of this connection. If coughing is associated with sexual arousal (both are physiological responses), hearing a person cough could lead to dissatisfaction in trying to avoid spending money, while at the same time remain unaware of the connection.

The extent of making and cueing associations to apparently unrelated subjects seems unlimited, and there seems to me to be at least three possible responses to these which remarkably resemble actions of con-artists:

1. Don't resist any temptation (knowingly become a slave to one's own physiological desires, which can be manipulated by others).
2. Resist temptations, but (unknowingly become a slave to one's own physiological desires which can be manipulated by others).
3. From a Catholic perspective (I'm Catholic):

• Resist temptations, do what you think is right.
• Develop temperance over physiological desires (such as through fasting),
• Have faith in a God who can not be controlled by others, and who guides and keeps you according to his will.

Are there any other possible responses?