Essential Questions of Fate, Truth, and Knowledge
October 20, 2009
How do we find our way in a world that frequently works in ways are in direct opposition to our own desires and aspirations? How much control do we really have? Is it our character that determines our fate? If character does determine fate, then how do we explain innocents’ suffering? To what extent do we create and control our own destiny? To what extent are we truly free? We speak of freedom as a gift, as though freedom is liberation; however, Dostoyvesky would argue that freedom is terrifying because in it exists nothing but possibility–an equal measure of possibility for success and failure, joy and sorrow, life and death…Is not then freedom a curse? Further, if it is the truth that sets us free and freedom is a curse, does it not follow that truth (or knowledge) is a curse? What then of seeking truth at all costs? Of KNOWING? Which brings up an interesting dilemma: What then of knowing one’s self? Is that knowledge also detrimental or is it the lack of that knowledge that brings about our suffering? It has been said that we see things not as they are but as we are. If the self is so infused in perspective, isn’t it then a duty of anyone seeking truth to know herself because without it one will never see the world truly? Perhaps blindness to truth (even of ourselves) then is preferable to a knowledge that is too painful to accept.
Once, I’ve been told that “ignorance is a bliss”- at the time when I heard that saying I didn’t know what to make of it, but today I realize that sometimes people choose to be ignorant, because they are afraid of the truth because they don’t want to suffer or feel the pain that the truth would cause them. They would be lying to themselves to protect their feelings, maybe even degrading themselves to protect the things or people they love in order to make things the way they once were. Where is the humanity in that? Why is it that people would put themselves so low to keep what they have in tack? To answer that, I would say people do the things they do the keep things as they always were to be in their comfort zone, because of the fear of the consequences of standing up for what is actually right. Does that mean an ignorant person doesn’t know herself? I think a person knows herself when she figures out that she can fully stand up for her own dignity no matter the outcome even if means losing someone or something close to her, that she can accept the harshness of the truth and know that “ignorance isn’t always a bliss.”
Dreams were meant to stay in an illusion that’s created when we are not awake. Dreams were meant to go beyond the boundaries of doubt that we ever had and just push for it. Dreams were the things we looked forward to and tried to remember the small details that made you smile when you woke up. Dreams elongate memories that you wish could last forever or feelings that need to see the time of day. Dreams provide the possibility of any feeling that you desire. But on the other hand, reality is what sets in every morning and overpowers the sun on any given day. Reality brings that stinging sensation that runs through your heart when you try to cover up a insult directly made at you because all you want to do is fit in. Reality is the fault you feel when you make a choice you never thought you would even consider. Reality is the truth behind the close door, the one you always wanted to open. Reality allows us to make mistakes and attempts to have it become a lesson learned. Without reality we wouldn’t be so insane, without dreams we wouldn’t be so sane.
I have no idea if this connects to the questions, but it’s more of a tanget of the thought of how we find ourselves in the world, dreamers or realistic?
For those who prefer ignorant bliss, there is another who needs the truth. There are those who would rather live a happy seemingly unconsequential life and there are others (similar to myself) who would prefer a life of painful clarity. Some would even argue that knowing the awefulness of humanity’s darkest rooms would only multiply the happiness they feel when experiencing something kind. Grasping the deepest depths of evil would open the door to a better appreciation of the good in the world. Humans are not good. Humans should be aware of the truth. Even if it hurts them. It should be an incentive to see more good in the world. To BE the change they want to see in the world. Admittedly this would present a lifelong challenge and mucho pain, however, wouldn’t it all be worth it? If every one decided to ignore the fact that there is disgusting cruelties occuring everywhere…there wouldn’t be a a passion to help those who are suffering. If everyone ignored it then no one would do anything about it. Ignore the ugly part of life? Live in bliss? Walk away and let some one be killed or raped? I’m naturally a fighter. I’ve had evil in my life. I’ve seen both sides. My father murdered someone when I was 3. Rape? A common occasion. And I let it make me miserable. And the knowledge of such almost killed me. ALMOST. And then I got up and became a warrior. A crusader. 2 stop this madness. 2 fight 4 those who are not strong enough to do it 4 themselves. I say there are those who are strong enough 2 accept the truth and do something about it. And there others who prefer to let others do it for them. I have no idea if this is at all connecting with these questions. But this is my opinion. =)
When seeking for the truth at all costs, the REAL truth will never be found. This world has been built upon many lies because it is thought the true truth is to painful to bare. When looking for a truth one must know the truth of themselves without a sense of denial. If one does not accept the realities of their own persona, in no way are they capable of accepting or even knowing the truths in this world.Though some may think that it is this lack of knowlege that is causing the suffering, it is not. The suffering comes from the lack of acceptance. That lack of acceptance causes constant questioning upon the truth or the truth one wishes to see. The people of the world really do see things as they see themselves. They create the truths and lies in the world and if they can not accept truths within themselves then the wanted lies continue to spread. It has been said many times that ignorance is bliss. The truth does tend to hurt in certain areas and being a species that avoids the pain, lies help. It truly is the duty of a persons self to accept and learn the truths of themselves before ever being able to learn and accept the truths of the world. Without accepting the truths of ones self, one learns and gains more of the lies.
The only way to find our way in a world that works directly opposite of our desires and aspirations is to generate a change in ourself. We cannot change the world as a whole because life is how it always is in terms of how things work. By changing ourself, we adapt to a lifestyle that is easier to get along with the world but not work with or against it. You’re really just trying to be successful. Adapting to some change is a way to try to have good enough emotions to try to find your way in thios kind of world.
Our control, basically, is based on your religious stand point to a certain extent. If you believe in God and you are of the Christian or Catholic faith, you believe that God graces you with free will. Your decisions are your own and you can change your fate/destiny with certain decisions. Our character determines fate if you believe what I believe. What ever you do in life comes back to you. You reap what you sow,(Karma).Your decisions now determine your reward or consequence later. Innocents suffering is seen as the wrong place at the wrong time. In reality, it is maybe for a better cause. Take animal abuse for example, if the innocent animals were never abused and put in ads and magazines and television. Nobody would pay animal police to avenge the helpless kittens and pups. Same thing with child abuse, advertisements and people’s spending money help to stop the violence towards those sorrowful children. Innocent’s suffering also becomes a view of the wrongdoer. Since the innocent person was shot, lied to, beaten, stolen from, etc.; the individual who did the wrong has a consequential fate and the innocent bystander had a rewarding destiny.
Quantum theory states: the mere observation of an experiment changes its outcome. The theory posits that by simply knowing what happens during an experiment, the outcome is altered considerably compared to if the experiment were never to occur (consider the Placebo Effect). Therefore, by simply knowing one’s future, one will act with the new-found knowledge of that future, which the prophesy has already considered as a factor. Whereas if a person does not possess knowledge of that future, the result would be quite different. But instead, for Oedipus Rex (and Raven Baxter) the premonitions come to pass because of his knowing. So (1.)how do we find our ways in a world that frequently works in ways that are in direct opposition to our own desires and aspirations? Simply by not knowing and making the conscience decision to not want to know – to allow all events to occur unhinged of any mortal efforts. Which begs the question: (2.) how much control do we really have (assuming that our mortal efforts should not be applied)? Well, humans have brains for a reason: to think. Through reasoning, rational or irrational, humans make decisions constantly. However, events outside the realm or human control exist. Thus, if a numerical value were to be assigned, the percentage of events that humans can actively control is approximately 50% – the other 50% being of nonhuman control. As such, 50% of the events that occur are essentially determined by character. In the example of innocents’ suffering: innocents choose, or have chosen, to stay in the area where they suffer for reasons directly correlated to their characters. Choosing where to live remains a choice because one could easily relocate. And it is our freedom that grants us this specific choice of relocation. (3.) Therefore, we are only truly free 50% of all occasions. Then what of the rest of the events? the uncontrollable ones? Are they a curse simply because you cannot control them? or is there more? In response to Rosa’s comment: ignorant bliss can also be redefined using the cliche; what you don’t know can’t hurt you. Which personally, I have found to be correct. For example, gummi bears are a delightful treat … until you learn what they are made of. (4.) Nonetheless, we should constantly seek truth and knowledge, at which point we need to use our brains as a filter – to remove irrelevancies and only act upon that which we know we can control. In order to know what one can control, he must know himself much more than any other person can. And by fate, he will only have approximately half of his character be beneficial to to his self and the other half be detrimental (and could possibly cause him suffering). Using our knowledge of ourselves, we can see the world in a mix of what it truly is and what we want it to be. The phenomenon, of course, caused by our own involvement in fate. In order to see the world truly, we must remove ourselves from the equation entirely – to not observe the experiment thus not altering the outcome.
*thus leaving ourselves unable to alter the outcome.
On the topic of fate, I believe that it is determined both by character and not by character. Unfortunately, not everything a person has to live through is due to their character. Take diseases perhaps: People are burdened with illnesses (usually) for no fault of their own. Diseases like Cancer, Type I Diabetes, mental illnesses, and several more fall upon people for no given reason in most cases. This shows when a person’s fate is determined not by character. However, even when a person gets diagnosed with a disease that is unexpected, their character can make or break how long they will survive, or how they will live their life with this. A person with Diabetes, for example, can live a fruitful life if they take their insulin when necessary and eat the correct foods. On the other side, they can shorten their life dramatically by choosing not to take the necessary steps needed to live healthily. A person’s attitude and choices ultimately decide how their life will play out. Even though a person may not choose some aspects of their fate, their decisions can have an affect as to how these individuals’ fate plays out after they receive their unavoidable fate.
We have complete control over our own destiny. We are as free as we let ourselves be. We have laws that hold us back from certain things, we have mothers who restrict us from most things, but we also have a mind that is our own and we can be as free as we desire to be in our thoughts and some actions/events. Freedom is a blessing on its own. What we do with that freedom, our actions, is a whole different story. People can abuse freedom and curse themselves by their acting. Truth is not a curse, truth is the substance that brings you to a place as to where you know that the curse is real. The truth may verify the reality of the curse but it is not the curse itself.
Knowing one’s self is not a curse because you can always change yourself. You can change how you act, what you say, what you do, and even how you look. We see things as we are because a person given a situation might be upset and angered when a different individual will see it as a huge blessing. It is all how our personal nature is. [Is the cup half empty or half full?] To perform the duty of seeking the truth, you do need to know one’s self. You may see something the way you desire to see it or interpret it by your own understanding. However, if you attain different standpoints and views, you can see the truth in as different type of light. Lastly, blindness to truth is preferable to a knowledge that is too painful to acccept. It can also be to a knowledge that you are too dull to understand, or you may not be ready for it so you do not interpret it right.
1. We find our way through this world by using the oppressive force of the world to propel us into our own desires. Just as a surfer rides the crest of a wave with excitement and adventure, we too must take the pains of life and turn them into enjoyment, or at the least into a lesson learned. In Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus “rages” at Tiresias’ outrageous revelation of truth. Indeed, Oedipus called the prophet “stone-blind” and “stone-deaf”, openly challenging his powers. If, however, Oedipus had decided to, instead of fighting the words of Tiresias, accept the prophets words, then perhaps the wisdom of the prophet or the pity of the gods would have aided his struggle. Or, in the least, Oedipus would not be judged as so much a fool, but more as a man fallen to misfortune. The best way to deal with life’s difficulties is not to attempt to overcome them, but to use them beneficially.
2. The power we extend over our own lives is limited, but momentous none the less. Many argue that the lives of men are dictated by fate alone, and the sufferings of man are uncontrollable. The definition of suffering itself, however, denies this theory. Our power to control our own lives comes from our power to choose how we react to situations. A man who views a car crash as an expensive and detrimental incident will suffer much more than a man who views it as a miraculous survival. In the same way, a man who views the trials of life as bothersome and pestering will detest life much more than a man who views a trial as a chance to prove himself or feel accomplished and learn.
3. Man’s ability to control his own destiny is limited by the destiny he wishes to accomplish, and the extent of his will. What is not possible to man? Would one say man cannot control the clouds when airplanes crowd the skies? Would one say man cannot rule the waters when submarines patrol the oceans? What we, as humans, are limited by is the lack of dreams. If no one fathomed of soaring into the sky, such a wish would never be realized. The greatest and most fulfilling freedom granted to man is the freedom of his mind. What does man have that no other beast has, other than his innovative sanctuary of thought? This freedom of mind, of possibility, opens windows of opportunity to dream and to invent, breaking the limits of the world. Would one say man is limited by death, when the thoughts, dreams, and freedoms of the dead speak to us through text?
4. The power of truth is powerful indeed, and such a power is necessary to gain the blessings of knowledge. Yes, perhaps some truths are painful, some may even claim they are too painful to be revealed. These pains, however, do not begin as torment. As in Oedipus Rex, the main reason he fulfills his despicable fate in the first place is because he did not know the truth of who his parents were. Had he known that Laius was his father, and Jocosta was his mother, then he would likely never wander near Thebes. Instead, his pains grew from the fallacies of his childhood. Just as in reality, the truth is best known, for when it is hidden, it can grow into a force uncontrollable by man.
I find that in a world where we are have the odds goig against us and against our desires and wants we have to have a sense of faith and ultimate determination to not give up on our hopes and dreams. We also need to have a sense of pride and a sense of reality. Unlike Oedipus, people need to know the boundaries of thier idolization of themselves. People need to understand that there is a time to be in reality and there is a time for fantasy. Fate I see as what you make of it; its like the saying that you control your own destiny. But i can also see that there are odds in this world that happen and it sometimes seems as if it is always happening to you and then you just feel as if it was meant to happen to you, like it was fate that made it that way. If fate is played out as it is, then what control do we have over it? None. I think that character does deterimine our fate because there are good people and bad people. Its like that other saying how people always get thier comupance. Fate has a way of making sure that everyone gets thier fair share. I believe that we are truly free when we can say that i am who i am and i am a human being with right just like any other human being on this planet and we also look at others with the same respect and the same rights. When we say that freedom is a gift we are looking at it from the perspective of people under the rule or guidance of another. In the US we have someine who guides us and speaks for us as a whole but does not control every aspect.Knowing is a way of living, you are born not knowing anything and as you grow you learn, and what you learn may be right or wrong in one persons eyes compared to another persons.It also sets up who you become or what character you become. I think the more you lean the more truth and lies you know and the easier it becomes to seek out the truth. When you know the things you know then you look at everything only through your own perspective.Since everyones perspective is different it is unknowable to know who sees the real truth of something when eveyone thinks they know the truth but they think the other is wrong. By having different views we have a different view of fate so we may never know if fate actually exsists and if our character will be the determinant of it. I think we will know before we die when we look back on our lives.
“You hold the answers deep within your own mind.
Consciously, you’ve forgotten it.
That’s the way the human mind works.
Whenever something is too unpleasant, too shameful for us
to entertain, we reject it.
We erase it from our memories.
But the imprint is always there.”
–Understanding by Evanescence
These song lyrics, from an Evanescence song, show exactly how so many people react to a difficult situation. A person may know the answer consciously to something but they repress it from their memory in order to live their life blissfully for as long as they can. They always know in the back of their mind, what the answer or situation truly is, but they repress it in order to get rid of the bad thoughts.
I want to answer the question about whether not character determines fate. First of all fate is not something that can be determined or changed it is a plan made out for your life before you’re even born. So it doesn’t matter what kind of person you are or what you do in this life because nothing you do or say will change what God already has in store for you.
(1)How do we find our way in a world that frequently works in ways [that(?)] are in direct opposition to our own desires and aspirations? – We must accept that life is unfair. Though this phrase has been commonly used and heard of, it remains a universal truth. The only possible “best” way to live is to begin by accepting not one person has total control over his/her life and therefore, no control over the any opposition or obstacles.
(2)How much control do we really have? Is it our character that determines our fate? If character does determine fate, then how do we explain innocents’ suffering? -In terms of control over our own lives, we technically can do what our heart desires. True, there are laws that we are governed under and our actions are restricted, but one can choose to break these laws and then proceed with what he/she wants to do, meaning that person, or anyone else, can do ANYTHING possible. There are consquences that’s all. As for character that determines fate, the opposite holds more truth, with fate determining character instead. How, what, where, and who we are born, we have no control over. That is our fate, supposedly, to be born as who we are. This, in turn, shapes our character. One does not have control over how they become who they are because of the fate he/she has already been given already. The innocent’s who suffer are innocent and have been born into a fate that is inevitable, as are we all.
(3)To what extent do we create and control our own destiny? To what extent are we truly free? We speak of freedom as a gift, as though freedom is liberation; however, Dostoyvesky would argue that freedom is terrifying because in it exists nothing but possibility–an equal measure of possibility for success and failure, joy and sorrow, life and death…Is not then freedom a curse? Further, if it is the truth that sets us free and freedom is a curse, does it not follow that truth (or knowledge) is a curse? -How we create and control our own destiny depends entirely on us. As mentioned previously, we have control over what actions we do. Say, a man decides to rob a bank and gets caught, then he has brought an unfortunate fate upon himself. Due to that person’s actions, he/she ended up that way. Everything you do is your fault. On the subject of truth and knowledge, both can prove to be a curse or a blessing. The truth can hurt, and surely one wouldn’t want any pain, thus we don’t seek the truth to remain in our content state. Sometimes, we may just simply not care. Or, perhaps, the truth may be a good thing. In a given situation, one may desire to know the entire truth, to obtain peace of mind in knowing what they have sought. Being withheld from the truth can hurt.
(4)What then of seeking truth at all costs? Of KNOWING? Which brings up an interesting dilemma: What then of knowing one’s self? Is that knowledge also detrimental or is it the lack of that knowledge that brings about our suffering? It has been said that we see things not as they are but as we are. If the self is so infused in perspective, isn’t it then a duty of anyone seeking truth to know herself because without it one will never see the world truly? Perhaps blindness to truth (even of ourselves) then is preferable to a knowledge that is too painful to accept.
-Seeking the truth at all costs is up to an individual. There are those who completely lack the spirit to care for anything and those who desperately want to know. If one should look to it to know the truth no matter how it hurts, then said person should be prepared fully. For knowing one’s self, that is, yet again, up to an individual. He/she may deny to the core of what he/she are, or come to embrace his/her identity to the fullest. Whether one suffers or not because of truth will depend on how one deals with it.
1. People find their ways when the odds are against them by either accepting it, try to change it in anyways by themselves, or make their disadvantages into an advantage.
2. People everywhere have complete control of their life because simply “ignorance is bliss”. By not knowing your fate you have the freedom to wonder your thoughts and base your action of what you have known so far; if you knew your fate then you thoughts and actions will be only of that fate and nothing else; simply no freedom.
3. People can have some control of their destiny, but not everything that may come. Freedom is not a curse, a curse if something that torments you. There is no way freedom can be a curse…that is completely ridiculous. If freedom was a curse then there is no point in living, thinking, and etc. Depending on the truth that is presented it can set peace of mind or be torture within your own mind, just depends on your perspective.
4. In short, everything people know is based off of their own perspective. Just because you think something is bad does not mean someone else can’t see it as good. It does not matter whether you know something or not depends on how you deal with it. One person can deal with a problem easier than another and to an extent where the problem can become nothing to that person.
As we all know, life doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Everyone does thing their own way, in a different way. With this, I’m trying to say we do have complete control of our own destiny and in a way character does determine our fate. Most of us can distinguish between right or wrong, but at the same time, we also have our own definitions of it. No one has the power to hold a single person down. Think of it this way, how many times have your parents told you not to do something but you still did it anyway? People will come and go to tell you what to do and how you should do it, but in the end the only person who can control your actions is YOU. I honestly do believe in karma, so i think that if you do something bad, you’ll end up paying for it in the end. And then there’s the question of why do innocent people sometimes suffer? I believe it is simply because they are innocent. Being innocent is almost like punishing yourself, you don’t give yourself the chance to live and be free. The suffering part is where you learn that you should’ve made the most of your life before it was too late. Living in the shallow end of the pool doesn’t leave room for growth-sooner or later you’ll need to learn how to swim with the sharks to survive.
I belive that we have control over fate to a certain extent. Fate plays games and either it lets you take control or it will overpower and rule. Now if either fate was going to let you take control or not; it was already determined.Our character does determine our fate because character is what you have built up over time and it has made you who you are today. Your choices have got you where you are today whether they be negative or positive. But in situation such as a person being really sick; that was not really the persons fault. They did not make choices to be sick, fate had already determined that you were going to be sick. Maybe it was just suppose to happen for a reason and fate choose you because it knew you could handle it verses people who would not be able to.
Before approaching this question, I struggled with the word fate. Fated by god? Then what of the unreligious? So I settled on an academic definition for the purpose of this discussion, “that which is inevitably predetermined” (to quote dictionary.com). Which led me to the idea that fate did not have to be some plan of divine intervention. We are all born to specific parents, with specific genes, in a specific enviornment. All of those factors which determine character are predetermined, so our fate is set. Because we have a fixed character, we will inevitably make certain decisions. So we have plenty of chances to make choices, and do good, and earn fantastic karma, but we make those decisions because of the character we did not choose. So basically, I’m trying to say that character does not determine fate, fate determines character.If it were true that character determined fate, why would babies die? What tragic character flaw could a six month old infant possibly have. Also mass disasters that killed hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people would prove problematic to this theory. Most people would be outraged if you even suggested that some character flaw caused the Halocaust, that six million Jewish people somehow all gained that fate due to a character flaw.To(hopefully)almost all people,that would be a pretty outrageous and offensive idea. Therefore I do not believe it is possible that character determines fate; the two concepts are intertwined and connected within a persons predetermined circumstances.
Life has its twists and turns. It is unpredictable. We all have our own goals but achieving them is never easy. We are constantly thrown trial after trial as if fate were trying to prevent us from achieving our goals. But I feel as if we are given these trials as a test. My favorite quote comes from the movie Spiderman and Uncle Ben says, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Fate gives us these trials for us to determine whether or not we are capable of our aspirations. We learn from our hardships. That’s how we grow. If we ran away from every difficult encounter, we would not get anywhere. So what control do we have over our fate? We have every control. We decide what we want to do with our lives and we decide which path we want to take. We decide whether we want to give up or keep going. Therefore, our character does determine our fate. Like Justin said, our power to control our own fate lies in how we react to certain situations. For instance, a person could give up on her dream at the first sign of difficulty or she could work through the problem and move on towards her goal. A person’s character determines to what extent that person will go to achieve his or her goal. However, the struggles we are given often lead to innocents’ suffering despite determination and good character. But I think this has a lot to do with how fast we grow as people. Some people have the ability and the strength to succeed right away. Others have not yet reached their peak. They may be talented and strong, but maybe they have not yet proven themselves capable. They still have to work for their goals. There will be hardships and there will be obstacles. But those with the determination and the will to succeed will not give up. They still have complete control over their own fate. We all have complete control. The only limitations we have on our fate are the limitations we place for ourselves. We can do anything we want. We can walk on the moon. We can fly with birds. Our possibilities are endless. We have the freedom to accomplish anything we want. And freedom is a gift. Yes, freedom means possibility. And yes, possibility means not knowing. But we can find joy and excitement in not knowing. Our freedom allows us to make our own choices and set our own accomplishments. We are born not knowing anything about where our lives will end up. Life is an adventure. Life is about making mistakes but learning from them. We cannot know everything. But the possibilities are endless. Further, if it is the truth that sets us free, then we should embrace the truth. The truth can be painful, but it does set us free. A painful truth can allow us to move on and learn and grow. Ignorance can be bliss, but truth is a necessary evil. Knowing one’s self is the most important truth one can attain. Knowing ourselves can be ugly. Everybody sees flaws in themselves but to know oneself is to accept oneself. And accepting oneself is the most important thing anybody can ever do. By knowing and accepting ourselves, we can truly see the world and know where our fate lies.
Humans were granted the ability to think for themselves. With this gift we are the only species to take control of our own destiny. How much control do we have over our lives? We are granted unlimited power to shape our lives to whatever we desire. Anything is possible because human beings have the capability to adapt. Although we do not have control on some unfortunate events in life, we still can shape the situation to benefit ourselves Everything in life depends on one’s ability to adapt and seize the moment, missed opportunities and regrets are caused by those who do not understand the power that they hold. Freedom and truth should not be seen as curses. Ignorance is a restraint on the minds of mankind, leading to the surrender freedom. Freedom sets humans apart from other species. We are free to think and act without restrictions except for those we cast upon ourselves. All other animals do not have the choice to succeed or fail and experience joy or sorrow, they have their fates predetermined. Yet we humans, have the option to choose. The outcome of one’s life all rely on yourself. Fingers cannot be pointed to blame others for the failures in life, the responsibility to be the conductor of your life is in yourself.
1. An important thing people must understand in order to live sanely is that not everything will always go their way and obstacles and opposition will always be present. A person cannot control every aspect of every situation or manipulate something just so things can go their way. As Mr Diehl said, the world is comprised of problems and conditions. In a world that seems to always conspire against one’s aspirations and desires one must always remember to solve the problem and work around the conditions in order to find their way in the world.
2. A person has the freedom to always have a choice, the choice to disobey the law or disobey their own fate is totally up to that person, even if it does inevitably bring them closer to their own fate. More so than character determines fate, fate determines the character. The fate of being born a boy or a girl, rich or poor, even short or tall will ultimately shape the characteristics of a person as they grow up in an environment fate brought upon them. And what of the innocent who are born of a unforgiving fate and destined to live in destitute amount the lowest? Fate knows shows no mercy towards the innocent or the corrupt.
3. I believe a person has no control over their own destiny. As said before, a person has complete control over the choices he makes, but there is no guarantee that those choices will lead him away or towards the path of his determined fate. However, i believe that the truth will set a person free from his fate. Would one rather live in a life full of ignorance in fear of change or a life of understanding and acceptance of faults and the need for change? Ignorance will only lead one towards their ultimate fate as Oedipus has shown. Only when one can accept their fate and bring amends to the fact that the inevitable will come will they be able to live a life free of burden.
4. Seeking truth at all cost, but at what cost? When one goes in search of the truth and of knowledge they are usually looking for an answer for themselves. Thus in order to seek the truth one must ultimately understand themselves or else what are they seeking for?.
What is the meaning of life? We know that a main goal in life is to gain infinite knowledge of every subject there is. To gain as much data as possible. To go to the ends of the earth to gather information. But how far will we go to gain as much insight as possible? What would one person do to know the meaning of life? We all think we know ourselves, but how far have you reached within one mind to pick at the character that lies behind the image you see in the mirror. Understanding other’s dilemma won’t necessarily help comprehend your own personal catch-22, but it does give insight to what could be a very tight surrounding. But is the knowledge you’ve learned vital? Is it better to have never learned at all, or to know more? Only your own predicament can decide whether or not the information you should know, need to know, or want to know can even be relevant to your own knowledge. We each have control over what we can learn, and how we can get a hold of certain information. But it’s the question of circumstance. Do you want to know? Do I need to know? Do I have to know? All of these questions become applicable when our journey is set before us.
In this life, everyone is seeking something, whether its a life long aspiration, or an instant pleasure. But no matter what, society gives us responsibilities that we must fulfill-career, school; these are not optional( unless you dont want to be successful). These are mandatory responsibilities that society puts before us. And at the same time, we try reach for our desires, and we make the best of what we have. Even if it means doing what we dread the most & reaching out for what we want, making the best of what we have. Thats thats working in a world thats works frequently in opposition of where we stand. And in this world, us as individuals have the power to determine our fate. In our individual situations, we have to make the best of what we have. If the innocent suffer, then they were not in control of it, God was. The question is, what do you beleive?
In a world that frequently works in ways in direct opposition of our own desires and aspirations one must have goals and faith. Why the world brings down desires, goals arise. Without goals in life one may not have the chance or opportunity to fulfill their desires. Ones goals will lead one in the right direction. Just like anyone who wants to accomplish a goal, one strives through obstacles. The world is the obstacle in opposition to ones dreams and aspirations, which is the goal to fulfill. Which leads to fate, people in life have the opportunity to control ones dreams, goals and aspirations, but is fate really controllable? One does not have much control of their fate, meaning character does not determine fate. No matter the situation no one can escape the fate of death. It doesn’t matter if one is Mother Theresa or a cereal killer; both are going to end up dead, sooner or later. However, if ones fate is not determined by character, then ones character must determine ones destiny. Everyone in life dies, its fate, but where one goes is destined by the choices that he/she made in life. Truth or knowledge could not be a curse do to the fact with knowledge one becomes a smarter intellect. Knowledge grows with life experience including inside and outside of ones school career. The obstacles in life, from earlier that one goes through increases ones knowledge. One learns the truth of life when harsh reality comes into play, such as tragedies. One expands his/her knowledge on how to deal with the struggles that life brings. Knowledge could be the last thing from a curse if it makes one wiser. Blindness to knowledge would be preferable if the knowledge is painful. No human being would want anything negative in their life, if one had the chance to cover up negativity, obviously one would take it. Because what human being wouldn’t take the chance to leave negativity out of their life?
Destiny is what one can control, fate is inevitable.
During the period this piece (Oedipus Rex) was written, the Greeks believed that their destines and lives, were woven by the Fates. They had control over what we did and no matter how hard we tried to avoid our destines we would end up fulfilling it, as is the outcome for Oedipus from Oedipus Rex.
Today, society has changed. We depend on ourselves, our loved ones, the government and others to help us accomplish our goals as well as our desires. To an extent we can control whether or not we want to accomplish our goals. Our only obstacles are: our personalities and life in general.
In order to stay sane in the constantly changing world, we cling to the things that make us who we are. Whether it is a book, a stuffed animal, a baby blanket, or even a person -we cling to them for guidance and a way to reassure ourselves. For some, they write out their responses to the evolving world and or discuss these matters with others. Although for some, they looked to their religions for guidance.
In Ancient Greece, people traveled to learn of their fates and seek guidance in this world through the Gods. Apollo’s temples were the pivotal locations were citizens would see Oracles, individuals who could commune with the gods. The Oracles would proclaim the fates of others. In this period of time, no one had even thought that they would be able to control their fates. Today, it would be very different.
In my own opinion, we have the ability to control our own fates and destinies. For me, I have no idea what lies in store for me, and I think “ignorance is bliss”. In my family, there are many stories about near-death experiences. I have had my own few share and I came close to dying in a hospital bed. What if my destiny and my fate was to die that day? I rather not say and rather not know. For now, I’d like to think my destiny is to end up in a amazing college and get a rather good job where I’d meet my future-husband and maybe even have kids, help my mom go to college and achiever her dreams, as well as help my brother become a rock star, and so much more.
We control our own fates but we can also bring about our own ruin.
In a world of so many findings and hidden surprises, one can not seem to find a way to follow through with their desires as the world holds a different path for them. With a world that frequently works in ways that are in direct opposition to our own desires and aspiration, people can not run away from what is meant to be, they have to set limits and goals of where they want to be going. Because we are determined to make our future, we do not realize that what we do, then and now, affects who we are in the future. With our goals, we will follow the right path that will lead us into the desires in our hearts. With limits, we will be able to stop ourselves from doing irresponsible actions that will soon make a bad impact on us. However, even with goals and limits, one will not be able to change or even determine their fate since there are so many possibilities out there in store for us that we will not know what will happen. Our fate has already been determined, our fate has been waiting for us even before we were born.
*the time in here is wrong.. wrote this at 6:03pm.
The society and culture we live in today initially seems to constantly bring our morale down, our will to achieve our goals. But, to come out alive from a vicious society, you have to take what the world gives you and make the best out of it. That is, if the world gives a hard time, you grow from the experiences. Much like the phrase, “If life gives you lemons…” We as human beings have worked hard to make our lives the easier and thrive–for example, manipulating atoms or something as simple as an alarm clock—and how we act upon those decisions determines how our future sets out. To be concise, one’s character in juxtaposition with one’s actions determines ones fate—sometimes with an externality the “innocents’” have to face. Furthermore, all our actions reside within our limitations. How free we are to make our decisions? Does government and society place limitations on our freedom? Yes, but it is for the common good and complete freedom can grow to a plague as seen in Sophocles’ Oedipus. If we were open to entirely free society, true rebellion could grow. This is the truth many fear—moreover the elitists of our country. But I believe that each and every person should know their truths, their flaws, and their responsibilities and bind themselves to these truths. More objectively, you have to know what your true personality is in order to be able to have a positive impact on your ability of judgment. Much like Oedipus, his ignorance of his situation at hand brought him to his downfall—fleeing from his conflicts, allowing his flawed character to overcome him, and ignoring the truths until it was too late.
P.S. haha @ Yeng
I think the world is its own entity. We don’t have control over what it does or what happens in it except for our own lives. So when we come into this world we did not pick or choose where we would end up just as when we live in it we don’t get to choose what happens. Our actions determine our fate and our fate shapes our character. we are who we are because of the cards that were dealt by the hands of fate. I believe we have control to a certain extenet. For example something big happens and we have to choose what to do in response. I think that choice is left up to us and once we make the choice fate steps in and does the rest in response to our choice. We make our destiny and it is written. Some things are going to happen no matter what and other things maybe you can avoid due to our choices and actions. Now I don’t know what we control or don’t but I do believe we have some free will. I think freedom is a curse depending on how much we have. If its you can do whatever you like and their will be know consequnces then its bad but with freedom we get to experience and live and learn and without it we would go crazy and if having freedom means their will be hurt and joy then you have to think about if you’re willing to receive the bad with the good. I don’t the truth is a curse but that people have a hard time excepting and that fact that is hurts to know the truth. People believe that knowing the truth to some things will help them live their life more easliy and to them being ignorant is a curse as ignorance also brings about suffering that mayby the truth could have avoided. If one’s perspective makes us see the world in a biased way then maybe if we weren’t so infused that we could see the world more clearly, without rose colored glasses.
1. In such a grand and dynamic world, it proves extremely difficult for humans to discover their path in life. On a daily basis, as life progresses, humans possess objectives that they wish to accomplish; however, the completions of these objectives are bounded by the will of the world, not by the people attempting to complete them. Such examples can be if a person planned to walk their dog in the park and a shower suddenly appeared, the planned task would most likely be canceled; or if a person wished to simply arrive home safely, only to encounter a drunk driver en route, their objective would not be met. Human lives must succumb to the will of faith, for they are not gods but are mere mortal; humans cannot alter and control faith as they do their environment – they possess no control in which way faith decides to maneuvers. In this world, constantly in flux, finding a way in life proves to be relatively meaningless; although one’s path taken in life may be influenced, it is but insignificant directional nudges in an unforgiving one-way river; humans simply possess extremely little control.
2. Human’s lack of control over their fate does not stem from their character, but from the will of faith. The smartest person in the world must succumb to perplexities that arise; the healthiest person in the world must succumb to the effect of aging and diseases; the prettiest person in the world must succumb to rejection; the most decorated person in the world must succumb to an unbending world, and its sufferings, be its victim guilty or innocent.
3. Ultimately bending to the world and its demands shows how limited human’s control over their destiny really is. Humans cannot control in which situation they enter the world in; a constantly ill person cannot control being born with such genes or a person suffering from an oppressive government cannot control being born into such tyranny. Despite such lack of control, humans do possess a fair amount of freedom. A person is free to create goals and objectives he/she wish to fulfill in life; a person can create a goal of ending their harsh life under a tyrannical government and attempt to journey elsewhere; a person can create a goal to increase the amount of luxury in their life by obtaining an education and a high-income job. Such freedom is a gift, and not a curse due to the fact that given freedom, a person’s path in life become broader (even if such a broadening is not great due to the lack of control over fate a person possesses); a person failing in one attempt only allow that person to try again in another attempt, for freedom allows such mobility. Freedom is simply a gift and therefore, truth and knowledge, which set humans free, are simply gifts also; for only by knowing the truth and obtaining such knowledge can a person evolve, learning from mistakes and coming closer to perfection – only by seeking truth and knowledge.
4. Seeking truth and knowledge at all cost cannot be held as a curse. Through such zeal, a person will uncover his/her flaws and also his/her strengths, therefore, discovering themselves; which such knowledge, a person is able to mold himself/herself into possessing less flaws – the elimination of flaws in oneself cannot be considered a curse but a gift. Albeit the discovering of flaws and the process of eliminating those flaws may bring about suffering and misery, such a price pales against the happiness and fulfillment of fixing such flaws and never enduring such mistakes again. By enduring painful knowledge, one can perceive the unbending, ruthless world with greater clarity, allowing one the ability utilize as much of the minuscule control over one’s fate as possible. Blindness to truth, ultimate, is not more preferable to knowledge that is too painful to accept, knowledge that can prepare one to cope with a world in which one possesses extremely little control over.
Before debating the effect of character on fate, or vice versa, it is necessary to define the two for the sake of argument. Character is more obvious, consisting of our choices and beliefs as individuals and how those are exhibited in outward action. Fate is less concrete, as it traditionally refers to the concept of divine will controlling the course of human events. In an increasingly secular society, it has come more to mean that which is preordained, but not necessarily by any god. However, this falls short of covering our perception of fate while abstaining from a spiritual definition. Without regard to what drives it, we see fate as the roles, both beneficial and malevolent, that come to play in our lives. That is to say, fate is the accumulation of all forces and circumstances outside of our direct control.
All in all, while character has a slight effect on fate, the two objectively have little to do with each other. The world does not punish the wicked and reward the just; greedy men at the top of the social ladder are free to destroy the public market without consequence (and are assisted by the government with taxpayers’ dollars) while the most valiant and life-affirming person may be struck down by cancer in the prime of her life. The universe sees no difference between the perpetrator and the victim, but passes over both with a casual indifference. As important as we may believe ourselves to be, we mean no more to the heavens than an individual termite means to us.
From raging wildfires to the most placid beach, a great deal of fate is far beyond human comprehension. After all, how can we begin to understand the loss of hundreds of lives as a result of a tsunami or earthquake? But while the aspect of fate that covers cosmic coincidence far outstrips mortal understanding, the component of fate that includes human interaction lies within much closer reach. While the irrational human mind is impossible to predict, we certainly can see what effect our character has on others’ attitudes toward us in daily living. Ranging from parental to romantic to platonic relationships, the actions of others are dependent on our manner of disposition, revealing the slight power that character can have over fate.
Perhaps we spend too much time wondering what effect we can have on fate to the extent that we disregard the untouched control we can have on our own character. Consider this theory of the inertia of the human mind. A physics student will tell you that inertia is the property of matter by which an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion (unless, in both cases, acted on by an outside force). This is to say that objects will continue doing what they are already doing without intervention. As humans, we are the same way. Even the most radical liberal has difficulty changing his or her own self. We place the responsibility for our current behaviors on our parents or upbringing because this is far easier than shouldering it for ourselves. Ultimately, however, we are who we choose to be. By the time we reach adolescence, we gain the ability to think objectively of the way we were raised at the same time that we are exposed to new worldly ideas. However, this is where inertia comes into play; can someone change the way he or she has lived for seventeen years? It is difficult to accomplish and few can achieve it, but the very possibility of it throws out the idea of fate being sovereign over character. Knowing what little potential we have tapped into to change ourselves, the idea of challenging that which is outside our control is revealed to be the most wasteful of human musings.
One must act blindly in the world today, since it often seems that the world works in direct opposition to us. We don’t find a specific path or way, per say, but instead stumble blindly in hope that somehow everything will turn out alright and that our lives will somehow be fulfilled. But perhaps seeing the world in direct opposition of oneself is just strictly the attitude one harbors: pessimism at its best. One can simply shift his attitude and magically everything begins to go his way once again.
But with our fate, is that up to us to control and how much control do we truly have? The answer lies really within our own faith: a belief in a god or some higher power decides how much control we truly have over how we live our lives. For an atheist such as my self, I believe that each choice I make influences my path and I have full control of everything that occurs and how I turn out as a person. Therefore, character does not determine fate, as character can be changed over time, along with the choices that we make. We create and fulfill our own destiny ourselves, in my opinion; no higher power is influencing me in any way shape or form.
Freedom is a gift to mankind, despite what Dostoyvesky argues. He is correct in stating that it gives us all possibilities to become rich or poor, successful or unsuccessful. However, he looks at this negatively, with a glass half empty instead of half full. Freedom allows us to grasp the opportunities needed to strive in life. If one chooses to take that opportunity and work hard, then a reward is met; if not, the opposite ensues.
Knowing oneself is not needed to strive and succeed in life. The ignorance that causes us bliss is sometimes what keeps us going. Take it from a high school student, the truth hurts and sometimes we prefer not to know it. Sure, some might claim that they want to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, but in reality, they would prefer to be ignorant and not have that pain set on their hearts daily. I would not label it a duty to find oneself before discovering the truth, as we can never know if we truly have discovered ourselves or not.
The world is full of ignorance: keeping aspects away from our children to protect them, never knowing what will come next, when we will die, when we will get the reward we’ve always been looking for. There is no cure to ignorance, no way around it, and no way to avoid it. Ignorance is a part of life since you can never know everything about the world, about a person, or about existence in general. Ignorance is bliss, ignorance is mystery, and ignorance is complicated.
3. We have the ability to make our own decisions in life, decisions that could impact our future. We control our own destiny whether we go to college and become a lawyer or work at a fast food restaurant for the rest of out lives, depends on the decisions we made. According to the Constitution we have the freedom of speech assembly, freedom form searches and seizures and from unequal treatment. However, our freedom extends beyond that paper, beyond the immediate definition of freedom. The possiblities,what to make of our life, are endless. Freedom is never a curse, we want to be free of a person having absolute control over our lives, we need to be free to make our our own decisions. Yes, freedom does allow equal room for joy, sorrow, pain, happiness but the freedom to choose is a beautiful concept. Such a great freedom allows us to grow so much as people because if our life was set and didnt allow room for choice how would we grow? How would we learn from our mistakes? Truth seems to be a curse at times but sooner or later the truth comes out. So why try to avoid it or pretend to not know? Why not just confront the truth and see life as it really is? The truth is so much better than a lie or sheer ignorance.
Question 2: False! We have complete control over our “fate”. The actions we take, the words we say- all we do, ultimately determines the road we travel along in life. How cliche. But true. The path we take relies upon our decisions. No decision is made in vain. However, it is said we cannot choose the life we are given, the predicaments that come our way. Yet from there, we have the ability to choose where we go. We may take these pains and turn them into strength, or dwell. The choice is ours, is it not? It would be arrogant to speak for every person and claim the way “fate” for all people works–my opinion is my own. I do believe our characteristics can change the road we take; the decisions we choose to make. For example, pride, rather than modesty, may overcome one’s ability to see, leaving them blind. However, it must be said, again in my opinion, that our “fate” can be determined by others. Through the interference of others, that is. Should someone choose a decision to effect my “fate”, altering mine because of their own character, I am powerless. The “fate” of those suffering, I would say is unfair. But it goes along with the idea that we cannot choose the life we are given. And it could be the compassionate one who’s “fate” it is to rescue those from suffering. The hero. It seems as though everyone has their characteristics that intertwine to create the ultimate “fate” for all people. But hey, that’s just my opinion. It could be False!
To question 4:
I think that knowledge of oneself is different than the truth of life. I think it is the lack of knowledge that is detrimental. If people know what they want, then suffering will end. In a few rare cases, the knowledge of yourself might be horrifying, like Oedipus. However, in most cases, knowledge is liberating. A different liberty than the one exemplified in question #3. In question #3, liberty opens the possibility to either success or failure, like a shot in the dark. But, liberation through knowledge illuminates life. I understand what I want, and you understand what you want. It turns it into a whole new ball game because your chances at succeeding are greatly increased when you know what you want to succeed at. So the lack of knowledge is detrimental because people will fail. You must know the truth, especially about yourself to end suffering. Knowledge is all perspective because everyone interprets the truth differently. All knowledge has to be interpreted differently because everyone is unique. Everyone has different desires. One person will want to be a biologist while one person wants to be a computer scientist. So, people are forced to interpret information in their own way to facilitate their own desires. Knowledge is important and a necessity to avoid suffering. Any lack of knowledge is a detriment to anyone.
We have the ability to model our destiny after our aspirations. What we do not have control over is the destinies of others, which may interfere with our own. In this sense freedom can be terrifying. Not our own personal freedom, but others’ freedoms that leave our own susceptible to the consequences of their decisions. Although freedom allows limitless possibilities, it should not be thought of as a curse, the decisions we make with this freedom is how we are able to manipulate our own destiny. The only curse to freedom is that it does not effect only you, everyone is liable to the effects of one’s choices made with their freedom. Although it has been said that “the truth sets us free” and freedom can be a curse, truth is not a curse in itself. The knowledge we gain from truth is what allows us to make well informed decisions with the freedom that we all possess. The only thing to fear from truth’s influence on our freedom is the misuse of it, in that some people tend to make unsupported assumptions based on the misunderstanding of their “knowledge”. Thus our own personal freedom is not a curse, but others’ freedoms is what is can be detrimental to our own.
Fate is a loaded word. When one mentions the word fate, it is automatically assumed that religion or some divine spirit is the cause of fate. In Oedipus Rex, fate is determined by the gods. In today’s society, fate, or whoever is predestined to go to heaven, is determined by God. Fate, in modern times, is a bit different from 500 b.c. Fate determines your future then. If you were destined to kill your father and bang your mom, then no matter what you did, the outcome will be the same.In certain Christian religions, people are predestined to go to heaven, no matter what they did. Similar in ways, different in concept. However, we live in a more diverse world, where Christianity is not the all ruling theological idea.In Buddhism and Hinduism, both believe in a thing called reincarnation, which is essentially, your actions today determines your future. Karma also plays a part in reincarnation. Karma is what comes around goes around. So if you are well behaved in this life, expect a better second life. If you are a douche, expect to be an ant or other lowly creature. In those beliefs, character determines your fate. It seems entirely western in which fate determines our character. The suffering of innocents is a statement that seems vague and generalized. Which innocents do we speak of? Innocent children being murdered? Innocent children in impoverished countries starving to death? An innocent person sent to death row? We can say fate has predetermined their daily lives, but we can also say circumstances has been unfortunate and they are stuck in their desolate lives. With the idea of reincarnation, maybe their past life was terrible and fate has determined that their new life will be just as bad. However, fate is an issue that is intangible. There is no solid proof that fate exists. So if our lives are determined for us, then i might as well sleep for the rest of my life. However, i believe we make our own fates and i plan to make life fortunately fated.
The defention of fate on dictionary.com is “something that unavoidably befalls a person.” Throught the course of life everyone experiences their own set back, and complications. In some cases we bring upon ourselves these misfortunes whether we call it karma or just a mere misfortune is up to us. However, there are always those major events in our lives that come out of the blue and blind sight us; this is called fate. Fate is a force completely outside of our control that seems to have a mind of its own when dealing our card.
An ‘F’ on a test is not fate, it is a consequence. An unknown fire that completley destroys the place you once called home is fate, and this is totally out of our control. It is a card that is dealt to an individual by an unknown, outside force. We have no say in what happens or when it happens, the only say we have is what we do with what we are given. Our character has no influence on fate; it cares not whether we are a selfish brat or a faithful Christian. Whether we are optomists or pesimists. Our character has nothing to do with whichever misfortune we are presented with, character only comes into play for the aftermath. For instance, if you are diagnosed with a life threatening disease, most of the time it is totally out of our control, the type of person you are has nothing to do with the disease you get, but it has everything to do with what you will do as result. Will you mope around in self pity, or will you take a chance and do that one thing you have always wanted to do but have never had the courage to do?
Life is like a giant board game, totally random and unexpected, and fate is the roll of the dice that sets us on our way. It is uncontrollable and scary. The only reigns we have a hold of is what we chose to do with the cards that are dealt to us. Much like the innocent whom were dealt the cards of suffrage. Their cards weren’t dealt to keep them down forever, but rather to see what can be done.
umm..the time on my posting is really, really wrong. The time right now is 10:49 p.m.
When determining our destiny, or fate, we have only a limited control of what the outcome often is. We have as much control as we allow ourselves to have, and often this determines what kind of life we will lead. If we believe that our lives will be full of hurt, pain, and failures, then surely we have secured our own fate in that we won’t try to reach our full potential. Likewise, if we decide that our lives will be successful, then surely we would be able to reach those goals. Although there is always obstacles that hinder our success, the fate that you choose will bring you past the hardships, therefore fulfilling your fate. On the same note, how you handle a situation will change the course of your fate, whether temporarily or permanently. Once again, you hold the power to determine the outcome, and use it as a good consequence to accomplish your goals. The only way to let your fate choose you, rather than choosing your own fate, is turning a blind eye to your own life, and let others control it for you.
We are never free. Every person that brushes past us, every person that spontaneously decides to glance our way, every person that has walked in and out of our life renders us so. Freedom would mean there would be an absence of experience and influence, mean that you solely make your own decisions without any help. But that’s never the case.
Our dreams and aspirations are developed from our influences. As we grow we become conditioned to react a certain way, to feel a certain way, to believe a certain way. When we make decisions, our choices are based on the influences and experiences that have shaped our character, and in that way there is no evidence of freedom in our lives.
The character we develop from those influences and experiences does not determine our future. But how far into the future do we dream as we speak of our fate? If fate is truly such a thing, then isn’t every person’s fate death at some age in time? There is then no destiny that determines our lives, but rather the overpowering hope and determination that allows people to say that their life dreams and goals have become accomplished when it has reached their time to pass.
But when we reach that time where we reflect on our lives, we know that we never knew exactly who we were throughout all that time. Each obstacle creates a new quality in our character, a flaw that was never present before, making it impossible for a person to have the capability to define himself pinpointed to the very tip. I’ve come to believe that we have no definition or complete understanding of ourselves. The attributes we know about ourselves can alter within a split second of an influence, and with that the facts we once believed as truth become lies.
Yet all of these assertions have been based on the perspectives of others that have shaped my character throughout my life, causing me to never truly discover my own definition of truth, destiny, and freedom.
We are the ones that control our fate. We are in complete control and we are the ones to decided what we will do and how we want things to go. Character is a part of the process in which our fate is reflected. How one acts and what is said contributes to what path shall be taken and what kind of fate is ahead. We are given the ability to choose the path for ourselves, that fate of ours is in our own hands. Although we are given life as a gift and cannot exchange it for another, the only control we have is to choose how we want to live it.
As for innocents’ suffering it is a matter of chance. Innocent ones can decide their fate through other ways and suffer. Suffering can be caused by other people, experiences and decisions made by those around you. Its the chance you take when you decide to take towards a certain path.
Question 3
As I read the story of Oedipus Rex, I began to question the line where Tiresias proclaims “character is fate”. Do our character traits define who we are, or a predetermined fate set in the stars? And whether our destiny lies in this very question, I can’t help feel that we do control our fate, unlike Oedipus. The Puritans- who believed in Calvinism- believed that their fate was already pre-determined and led lives that paralleled their fates. But what they did not know what their fate was, just that it was already selected. Thus they lived their lives as purely and as close to Jesus as they could, fleeing the “looseness” of the Anglican, and in some parts, Catholic Church. This relates to the question of destiny, where the early puritans knew that they had a fate, and lived a life where they thought they were going to heaven, not knowing, but believing, they were going to heaven. So if we choose our destinies, and work towards that goal, row against any distracting debris to the end of the lake, will our lives be that way? Oedipus and his family were given an opportunity many cannot know, their fates, but they fought against this knowledge, and like clockwork fulfilling the very fears they so deeply tried to escape. I do believe that we do have control of our destinies, in how we can change and alter the lives we once had, escape poverty, destitution, and war and become something greater than what we once were. But we need freedom to accomplish these goals, and with these goals set restrictions and limits. We saw that Oedipus knew of his fate, and the freedom to live a life knowing his incestuous relationship with his mother might just happen, and this freedom, along with his fate, became his curse, his hamartia. We can only pick one, knowledge of our fate, or the freedom to change our fate. When we have both, we lose the ability to pick and define the choices we want, and become so mired in avoiding or fulfilling our fates, that we become not man, but slaves, destined to follow the path set by our omniscient powers. I do believe that we are free, and while we might have a fate that is oppressive and cruel, we can use the freedom of not knowing what is going to happen to manipulate and mold the lives we want to live.
P.S
The time is all messed up, it says 11:27 pm at my computer.
I think that we do determine our fate. But at the same time, our fate is sealed. Every action can not be dismissed and results in whatever it caused. Our character plays a role in this. In regards to innocents’ suffering, it’s caused simply by that of chance or bad character. We are free in this world, and I agree with Dostoyvesky to an extent that freedom is terrifying because there are unlimited possibilities to what can happen in our life. But along with negative possibilities, there are also chances for something positive. Some can live life more happily being blind to truth and not thinking of the different possibilities freedom grants us, but some of us cannot stop, being self-reflective in nature and thoughtful.
I believe in the phrase “everything happens for a reason”, I believe in the ideal that what is meant to happen will happen, whether we try to avoid it or run toward it. I believe our fate is already determined, and has been since the beginning of time. But then what is there to live for if our lives are already chosen for us? Kelsey talked about how “The world is the obstacle in opposition to ones dreams and aspirations, which is the goal to fulfill. Which leads to fate…” I believe fate is inevitable, but regardless, people will always try to control their destiny and create their own ending. In doing so, I believe character does not determine fate, but instead fate builds character. Fate builds character in that we all will live by our own morals, make our own rules, and work so hard to control our final outcome. All the effort we put into trying to control something that cannot be controlled will simply make us who we are, and create our “character” that the idea of fate has caused us to build.
Believing the world frequently works in ways that are in direct opposition to our own desires and aspirations is a perspective. So finding our way in this world can be performed by taking new outlooks in situations—deciphering an event from a different standpoint, changing point of views and experiencing each dilemma by incorporating the question “why”. We can easily travel through this combating world by observing the reasons of our denied ambitions but not really accepting why we have been denied.
Even though, technically, we have no control in our lives—we make decisions alright, but maybe we were meant to make those decisions—our characters still determine fate. For example, if I were to stop and help the child who fell while running across the street (since kindness dominates logical sense), I would have been late to class and would have lost participation points, which would have dropped my grade. But I didn’t stop because the car behind us had pulled up already and the man was helping the child up. The issue here is that my fate did not come true because I did not stop, and moreover, I saw the other man stop to help the child, so I left. Kindness could have easily changed my fate, but since we have no control of our lives, our character merely influences fate. On the other hand, innocents’ suffering is based on the characters of other people who brought this horrible fate upon the innocent—their wrong-doing led to the chaotic outcome for the blameless.
Freedom, I agree is frightful. Making choices exemplifies how harsh freedom is upon human beings because we must choose between two things which we do not know the outcome of. Freedom makes us grope around into the future and hopefully find a handle to hang onto, and if not, we are out of luck in this game of life.
Knowing is a curse because we tend to not believe even though we say “seeing is believing”. Knowing is a form of seeing. The truth opens up our eyes to realities and we begin to observe the actions around us. Except, when we gain knowledge through our observations, we shove the knowledge aside because life was better before that truth leaked out. We try and shoulder our way past the reality by being blind to the truth, since truth is painful to accept.
What makes a greater person, than the one who accepts and makes known his faults, then attempts to change himself in order to benefit the world around him? Through this, he holds dignity because he knows what suffering from lack of knowledge is.
Yeah… it’s 11:36 right now.
In the human experience, we face constant adversity on a day to day basis. This may stem from pressures at the home, struggles at school, or physical pain in the world of sports. I have always witnessed this through my friends and peers, or within my own family. However, I saw something unlike I have ever before not more than two hours ago. An athlete at our school, Young, suffered a compound fracture of his tibia on a kickoff return. Here you have an athlete in top physical condition, loved both by teammates and peers, have his whole athletic carrier destroyed in a matter of seconds. There was nothing unusual about this play, except for its horrible outcome. Young is a man of great dignity and responsibility. Never before have I witness him wrong anybody. He truly holds a pure heart. Why then must he have suffered such incredible physical pain, pain he has never inflicted on anybody? Proof that humans do not control their fate at all. What happens happens and is only left to chance. There is no explanation for any negative outcome in our lives. Bad luck is bad luck. If indeed we had control of our fate, there would never be innocent suffering. It is how we react to this adversity that determines our character. Being able to overcome the problems we face make us who we are. There is nothing that we can control except ourselves and what we do.
Fate is inevitable. Oedipus proved this when he tried to run away from his fate, but by doing so insured it. A person can only do so much in controlling the outcome of their life. Everything happens for a reason, and there are always situations that you are not prepared to face. But a part of life is taking everything that happens and making the best out of it. Most children are taught not to run away from their problems, and to face their fears. Maybe if Oedipus had faced his fears, instead of running away from them, his life would’ve ended differently. Life is full of struggles and you have to face your problems to move on with life; running away never solves anything.
“The man at the piano was troubled. His mind was saying things. Dark and curious things. The lines on the page were pulled tight , like a man screaming, but not “Joe, where are you?” More like Joe, where is anything?”
-Charles Bukowski
My mind always wanders back to this passage for some reason, when I am thinking about the style of certain writers. But I had never quite realized why or how this impacted me on so many levels. Yet now, it seems obvious. The repetition of ‘things’. The imagery of ‘dark and curious’ and the ‘lines pulled tight’. It’s a knotted and climactic thought. Pulled tight in anticipation, dark and curious with somber ideas. The syntax of ‘Joe, where is anything’ in italics. Its emotional. It’s clear and concise (and everything nice). With a deep image of a man, sitting at the piano, screaming out to the world, ‘Where is anything?’with only the echo of silence to provoke his question. The varying sentence structure, emphasizing the alone tone of imagery. Reversal of the typical endless sentences of figurative language. It’s quiet. And it makes you feel alone, in the way that Bukowski wins over his audience, with the universal loneliness we all relate to. Where “You ache with the need to convince yourself you do exist in the real world,” as our Invisible Man would put it (Ellison 4). And in his own way, he knits us together, as the secret lonely people that we are.