Why do people believe in what they like to call 'destiny'?

[Siri137]

I couldn't find an image for this, because apparently it's also the name of a computer game, and that's all that came up.

No, I don't mean the computer game. I mean the belief that our lives are determined, that we can't change the basic path of our lives, that free will is somehow either non-existent or not very effective.

Reality just isn't like this though. The unexpected often does make an appearance in our lives, and with effort (and admittedly it sometimes requires a lot) we actually can make a difference. Simplistic billiard-ball physics just isn't the way the world is at the deepest level, and is only ever useful in certain, very specific, scenarios (ex. the motion of the planets).

[dynamicyandere]

One of the reasons is that they don’t want to take responsibility for their life and if anything bad happens to them they tell themselves that it was unavoidable and there’s nothing that they could have done.


Sometimes that is true (e. g. being born in an abusive family) and we just have to accept that we can’t change our parents and we need to do the best we can with what we have and try to thrive despite the challenges.


However, many times, things are in our control — but many people don’t want to feel the weight of that responsibility. For example, people who give on their dreams. Many people can make their dreams a reality if they put their heart and soul into pursuing them. But, many people give up because it’s difficult and then blame destiny and say it was not God’s plan.


My mother is a high school drop out and my father is a college drop out. Both of them said it was too hard. My mother even told me that if something is too hard, it’s not God’s plan. (Terrible advice by the way.)

So yeah, many people just don’t want to take responsibility for their shortcomings and pretend that they have less control over their lives than they actually do.

Exception: If they believe in destiny solely for religious reasons, then the reason is not the same. If that’s the reason, then it’s just a matter of their philosophy and worldview about how they believe the universe works.

[strateguy632]

huh? destiny does not PREVENT free will nor choice nor the "unexpected". no conflict with your list because destiny is like "the ending": things that "will happen in the future, inevitable course of events or fate for a particular person" that is the meaning in dictionary. i mean EVENTS not decisions.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

The argument of free will vs determinism is always a popular one, but in regards to specifically the idea of a destined path, there’s a few things at play there. One of them is the idea of a purpose in existence, that you were brought to this world at this point in time for a specific reason. What that reason exactly is, who knows. Another is the idea that we are influenced and incapable of changing our environment, as shown in determinism, which does have some merit to it. If you’re born to alcoholic parents you’re 50% more likely to be an alcoholic yourself, struggling with the same struggles of your family. Also the idea of being born into a lower income household and how that severely limits your opportunities for your future because you and your family lack the resources of the rich, etc. For a lot of people, destiny is a way to blame all the shitty things that happened to you on a greater universal force that you have no control over, for others it’s a way to explain their callings into teaching, or preaching, or a certain creative job field. For some, it’s comfort. For others, it’s damning. To most, it’s just a concept that’s fun to play around with in fiction. Ultimately, whether or not one believes that have control or influence over their lives is up to them and how they perceive reality.

[Blueeyes81]

People don't like to feel powerless. So in times of need you often hear phrases like, "It's part of God's plan", "If it was meant to be","It's destiny," "It's all part of a bigger plan". etc.

It's meant to provide comfort that it's all for the greater good. Destiny, karma, gods plan are all people grasping at straws to make themselves feel better.

[jahaims]

It's how they cope with reality. Or at least one of the ways.

[HouseMoat]

Gives them purpose. They believe that things being predetermined, gives them a sense of purpose and that we're not just here "by accident'