Destiny: We Both Can and Can't Control It

[Big-Cat]

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This has been on my mind for a while so I thought I'd share my thoughts with anyone interested.

Destiny. Everyone has one and we often question what our destinies are. Some people believe that everything was predetermined by higher power (God, Allah, the Universe, etc.) well before you were even conceived. Others believe that there is no such thing as destiny and that you have total control over what happens in your life. Personally, I believe in a middle ground. What's past is prologue, the future is uncertain, and the present creates the future.

So what's my middle ground belief? Well, I believe destiny works like a tournament bracket, but in a bizarre sense. For simplicity's sake, I'll provide an example with a traditional tournament bracket where two people go against each other. Anyway, in this example, you start at the winner's spot. From there, your life is at crossroads. Do I take route A, or do I take route B. These options were predetermined by higher order, but you have the free will to decide which path you'll walk. After that, the chosen route, the written part of your story, leads you to two more options. This repeats until you meet the one road we all must take: Dying, regardless of the method.

To make things more complicated, I believe that certain roads taken will provide more options and that certain options will appear regardless of the road taken sometimes. This would then mean that a higher order is trying to push you to a certain destination. The destination may be the same, but the path you take will vary on what prior paths you took and that path can affect your options in the future.

So you're probably wondering, why did I come up with all this? The reason is very simple. Right now, I'm at the age where one is trying to find their place in the world and learning how comfortable I am with myself and who I'm meant to be. I find my belief appealing as it provides me freedom while providing me a sense of direction in my life.

 

[Falconv1.0]

You can't choose to do everything at any given time without sometimes ****ing up your life=/=there is a higher power is really what I got out of that.

You're free to **** up or not **** up unless you live in some piss *** country then I guess you're free to die trying to fix that country. There's really absolutely no reason to look for meaning in that.

 

[Zook]

Everything we do is predetermined, though not necessarily through a 'higher power.' Everything you do is a part of a chain reaction.

That's what I think, anyway.

 

[¯\_S.(ツ).L.I.D._/¯]

Last summer I thought a lot about destiny and eventually came to the conclusion that believing that your actions are predetermined is ****ing stupid.

 

[Flutter NiTE]

Victory... Is my destiny, *turns away*

 

[Zook]

^^ lol

Last summer I thought a lot about destiny and eventually came to the conclusion that believing that your actions are predetermined is ****ing stupid.

How come?

 

[¯\_S.(ツ).L.I.D._/¯]

I just think it's stupid, because I don't like the thought that nothing I do matters as my life has already been planned out for me. The thought of it makes me feel as though I don't have any real choices, as the actions I take have already been predetermined. Therefore, I reject the idea of destiny and like to think that my choices do matter and I can do whatever I want.

 

[Flutter NiTE]

The whole, "predetermined" thing is a mind****.

"Hmm, instinct, I WANT to turn on the tv, but i'm NOT going to do that, but maybe it was planned out that i wouldn't turn on the tv... So maybe I SHOULD... But maybe it determined that I would... So maybe I SH--"
*BOOM* Head just exploded.

 

[Alien Vision]

I believe destiny is how we preserve the overall chapters of our lives, and how we choose to manifest the future when it becomes our present. It's how we approach the place we stand at that given time, that determines how we can accept the outcome of our journey that is now our past.

 

[Fatmanonice]

I don't believe in destiny mainly because of the infinite universe theory that says that there are an infinite number of alternate universes that represent every possible action and reaction that could have happened in the timespan of the entire universe. These universes are basically created after every atomic reaction which literally means that there are an infinite number of universes. Destiny implies that our futures are custom tailored for us by some outside source while, in truth, our futures are both in and out of our control as we can sometimes control what happens and sometimes we can't. There's also the fact that there are an immeasurable number of forces beyond our control that act upon us that are determined by forces that act upon them and so on and so forth. In the grand scheme of things, our lives are the end results of chain reactions that started billions of years before we were even born and the specific way our lives turn out are largely the result of cosmic dumb luck. In short, it's so random that I would be extremelly hard pressed to call it "destiny" as if "something" planned out the trillions upon trillions upon trillions upon trillions upon trillions of actions and reactions that occur in our lifespan that have some sort of effect on us.

 

[Alien Vision]

When a person believes in a specific leverage. The outcome of the aftermath is based primarily on that very leverage. Destiny is an element we added to life just like everything else below. IMHO

Luck​

If a person were to find money on the ground. He would instantly believe that luck is the culprit behind his finding.

If a person were to lose money, they would instantly blame it on (bad)luck.

God​

If a person loses a friend, they will believe that God knows what he is doing.

If a person won a free car, they will underestimately defy the sins of gluttony and account their break as a word from God.

Drugs/Illness​

If a person got a terrible score on a test while they were just remotely sick, they will blame it on their illness/pills they take.

If a person were to forget something incredibly important such as someone's wedding, they wouldn't relate it to themselves, but the drugs, or current mood they're in.

Destiny​

If a person were to find a loved one through the many days of our lives, they would instantly believe it was destiny. Even though there are plenty of factors that could've lead them to where they are--that their actions, and all of the decisions that they made, is why they are where they are now. They still will say it was destiny that brought them there.

If a person were to never find a girl, they would say that they are destined to be alone for their entire life. Even though they will grieve on/off about how they need somebody in their life. (Or, possibly even become gay)

Lag​

If a person was playing a game with lag, they would always blame the lag everytime they mess up.

If a person was playing the same game that requires hand-eye coordination with a very fast engine to see who can get the highest score with somebody--the person without lag will complain that the other player is winning because the lag helps him see things that are too fast for him when they reach level 20 or so, even though the player with the lag is actually a much better player.

Others​

People will use other people as leverages to suffice their mistakes. A person who messed up at a game will yell at his friend for ''talking'' because they lost, even though the friend only responded to the player because he talked first.

A father may come home after getting scolded by his boss for his innapropiate behavior, and will blame everything on his son even though his son has nothing to do with the entire picture.

The General Idea​

The concept of this entire post is to shed light on a possible theory that could shed light on how everything above truly works in our life. If you have further questions about what I have aforementioned--please let me know.

 

[frotaz37]

Feelings of destiny are just echoes of the desires of those who really control us. The ones that got away...the ones that not even those who control the laboratory in which our universe is contained in can find.

 

[Shorts]

Wow. Fatman sort of took the words right out of my mouth. Glad to know I'm not the only one who believes in the infinate timeline theory.

I believe in destiny, in the sense that there is a number of factors that can be changed, but simply are out of your hands. For example, right now, if someone on this site decided that shortiecanbrawl is a no neck chump who deserves nothing more than to rot in a hole and puts a hit on me, I have absolutely no power over that. I canno't control other peoples actions, and I certainly cannot control a course of action that has been predetermined for forty years and is now finally coming to full term. There are things that are changeable, that I myself cannot change. That's the definition of destiny that I use. I definitely don't see destiny as when I was born X is what was planned out for me and is the owhats going to happen. I do believe that there could have been a sitution where I was born into cicumstances that could only lead me down one path, which is death. But this path was not predetermined for me, just set in motion before I was born, thus me being unable to avoid it.

So in a sense, I believe that there is a non spiritual destiny for some, like a child born into a time where all babies were demanded to be drown or something crazy like that. But other than death itself, your life is pretty much open to your path taking. Amy Winehouse wasn't destined to die, she chose the path she took which lead to her untimely death. Mehhhh :'(

 

[frotaz37]

It's funny that I see so many people talking about how death is inevitable when scientists are actively working on making death a thing of the past.

While we may not live to see it... if things are allowed to continue as they are I assure you aging will one day be curable.

 

[¯\_S.(ツ).L.I.D._/¯]

Wow. Fatman sort of took the words right out of my mouth. Glad to know I'm not the only one who believes in the infinate timeline theory.

I believe in destiny, in the sense that there is a number of factors that can be changed, but simply are out of your hands. For example, right now, if someone on this site decided that shortiecanbrawl is a no neck chump who deserves nothing more than to rot in a hole and puts a hit on me, I have absolutely no power over that. I canno't control other peoples actions, and I certainly cannot control a course of action that has been predetermined for forty years and is now finally coming to full term. There are things that are changeable, that I myself cannot change. That's the definition of destiny that I use. I definitely don't see destiny as when I was born X is what was planned out for me and is the owhats going to happen. I do believe that there could have been a sitution where I was born into cicumstances that could only lead me down one path, which is death. But this path was not predetermined for me, just set in motion before I was born, thus me being unable to avoid it.

So in a sense, I believe that there is a non spiritual destiny for some, like a child born into a time where all babies were demanded to be drown or something crazy like that. But other than death itself, your life is pretty much open to your path taking. Amy Winehouse wasn't destined to die, she chose the path she took which lead to her untimely death. Mehhhh :'(

I don't think of not being able to control the actions of other people as destiny. Other people's actions simply provide you with opportunities to exercise your ability to choose.

 

[Shorts]

I don't think of not being able to control the actions of other people as destiny. Other people's actions simply provide you with opportunities to exercise your ability to choose.

Except for circumstances where you're incapable of making choices, like being an infant in a genoscide.

 

[Alien Vision]

Except for circumstances where you're incapable of making choices, like being an infant in a genoscide.

That is not ''destiny'' by how the term is used. That is called ''being influenced''. A huge difference between that, and ''destiny''.

 

[Shorts]

That is not ''destiny'' by how the term is used. That is called ''being influenced''. A huge difference between that, and ''destiny''.

I don't think so. It's something you cannot control whatsoever, which is more than influential. But whatevs. It's up to interp.

 

[¯\_S.(ツ).L.I.D._/¯]

Being born into a genocide or a wealthy family is the same thing: chance. Also, you do have choices as an infant, they're just extremely insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Alien Vision]

Being born into a genocide or a wealthy family is the same thing: chance. Also, you do have choices as an infant, they're just extremely insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Chance + how you manifest the influence subconsciously.

Destiny on the other hand--is a moment in time where we feel like an otherwordly force lead us to where we are now. Just like Christians think their God lead them there. Just like people who rely on luck think their luck lead them there.

I just /Thread the entire OP, and all of the posts. .-.

 

[Teran]

I have a great destiny, it'll be interesting to see how it pans out.

 

[Alien Vision]

I have a great destiny, it'll be interesting to see how it pans out.

What would that be?

 

[Teran]

Why so curious?

 

[Alien Vision]

Why so curious?

The same reason why ''trolling'' even exists. Humans will always be curious if they wish to see more into something that was insufficiently described.

Simplicity is mere complexity.

 

[Teran]

Sorry I don't take drugs.

 

[Alien Vision]

Sorry I don't take drugs.

If you can share that personal bit, why can't you elaborate what your destiny revolves around?

 

[Teran]

Because that destiny is all mine.

 

[Alien Vision]

Because that destiny is all mine.

Oh really? I feel bad for your ''destiny'' in which you won't properly praise for the vast completion it will soon grant you.

I bet that if destiny was a person, and you were to never explain who they are after you just mentioned them--they would want a say to your neglectance of detail.

How would you feel if your ''destiny'' took drugs? The thought of such a mindboggling feat. is undeniably complex in a form of simplicity.

 

[frotaz37]

Alien Vision, the human brain doesn't stop developing until the mid twenties.
Doing drugs so often at such a young age can mess with your development and cause irreversible brain damage.
So give it a rest, will you?

 

[Teran]

Oh really? I feel bad for your ''destiny'' in which you won't properly praise for the vast completion it will soon grant you.

I bet that if destiny was a person, and you were to never explain who they are after you just mentioned them--they would want a say to your neglectance of detail.

How would you feel if your ''destiny'' took drugs? The thought of such a mindboggling feat. is undeniably complex in a form of simplicity.

I'd tell destiny to deal with it.

 

[Alien Vision]

Alien Vision, the human brain doesn't stop developing until the mid twenties.
Doing drugs so often at such a young age can mess with your development and cause irreversible brain damage.
So give it a rest, will you?

You want me to commit suicide? You are quite the mature one, aren't you?

I am my own drug brotha!

How can I stop? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q9rewnLFYw&feature=relmfu

 

[frotaz37]

Why are you so bad at reading comprehension? -_-

 

[Alien Vision]

Why are you so bad at reading comprehension? -_-

Why are you so bad at actually responding with something that is worth reading. I can't remember something if you are being a belligerant, pompous #$%$ that holds no value to everything that you say out of that preadolescent mouth of yours.

 

[§witch]

Oh really? I feel bad for your ''destiny'' in which you won't properly praise for the vast completion it will soon grant you.

I bet that if destiny was a person, and you were to never explain who they are after you just mentioned them--they would want a say to your neglectance of detail.

How would you feel if your ''destiny'' took drugs? The thought of such a mindboggling feat. is undeniably complex in a form of simplicity.

Shut the **** up.

 

[Alien Vision]

Oh come on don't quote that for ****'s sake.

 

[frotaz37]

Why are you so bad at actually responding with something that is worth reading. I can't remember something if you are being a belligerant, pompous #$%$ that holds no value to everything that you say out of that preadolescent mouth of yours.

Perfect description of your posting.

 

[Teran]

Okay I've let **** like this go on long enough.

I'm usually inclined to leave things open but recently everything has just turned into a flamewar.

Before anyone points any fingers, I know full well who and what causes this to happen and I'll be addressing that.