"Pressing Buttons" Analogous to Pavlovs Bell

[sakoz]

How do you think of your memory? Like a static filing cabinet or a nest of writhing snakes?
We aren't aware of most of the thoughts flowing in our brain.  For example, if you were routinely criticized as a child, whenever anybody says something negative to you, your "snake-thought-memory" strikes in a knee jerk reaction of self-pity and righteous indignation or hurt because  the statement acts like Pavlovs bell or'pushing your buttons'. "Let sleeping dogs(and memory thoughts ) lie."

Some people take their thoughts as Gospel, while others realize their thoughts  only represent one of many possible ones.
Those that 'lock on' the thoughts in awareness act like they have no clue of the many thoughts in their brain available, etc.

Does a fish in a bowl of clean water see the whole room? The water acts as a filter; if the water is cloudy, the vision is limited.
Metaphorically, let's imagine our head as a fish bowl and our thoughts as the water. Negative thoughts are our "cloudy filter".
How often do you 'change' "thought-filters"? or do you wait for your 'moods' to change ?

[sakoz]

How did Pavlov use his bell?
When you see someone new, and they remind you of someone else; aren't you measuring the new with the yardstick of the past?
Pre-conceptions elicit 'ready-thoughts'. Try using 'ready-thoughts' instead of pre-conceptions  for a while to get a new, fresh look. We take for granted commonly used terminology.
Make sure the 'key' fits.     We're familar with conditioned reactions, knee jerk emotions and behaviors. But do you recognize "conditioned thoughts"? 'Thoughts' are as automatic as emotions and behavior. In humans it's 'thoughts' that are conditioned. We 'ring the bell', that is we are both the conditioned and the conditioner. We  react to our thoughts.(Think of tasting lemon juice till you swallow).  Some times Pavlov left his dogs alone, we always have our beliefs on 'standby'.
Why take conditioned-programmed thoughts seriously;  yours or others?  Juke-Boxes are obsolete, even the name is no longer in the dictionary. We don't delete memories, (yet).
Is it a 'long shot' to consider conditioned-preprogrammed thoughts as substitute instincts? Discardable when no longer useful.
Sometimes we act like puppets of/for thoughts.