As pathetic as it sounds, I can't let myself believe that my life is predestined. I want to work hard, and I want that hard work to pay off.
A fish has the entire expanse of ocean- of possibility- before it. But it may swim against the current or with it, and expect varying results.
Relatively, success in life seems to directly correlate with laziness. If our paths are predestined, how is it that the indolent masses tend end up with the same one? Arguably, our degrees of slothfulness are also predetermined. Then woe to the ones who change for the better and end up with worse. Which leads me to my original point.
Even if the plans of our lives were laid out before we were born into this world, it's much healthier to believe otherwise. As humans, our lives are pretty much devoid of meaning anyway. Living while knowing that any action is futile and will result in the same consequences regardless strips the color out of life.
We'll probably never know whether or not our fates are decided, but we should at least gives ourselves a chance to believe that our effort will bring us to a brighter outcome than our laziness.
The idea of our futures being predestined almost angers me. If it's true, who decides it? Is it random? Is it mass production of human souls on some godly conveyor belt or does genuine thought and concern go into our "programming"? There's just too many variables and I'm too lazy to consider them all :)
Edit: As I was going back through the question I realized I had to use some example from the text to support my idea.I find this particularly distressing since the whole planet of Tralfamadore believes that fate is etched in stone and Billy just accepts this fact. So I will take the stance that Billy should filter the Tralfamadorians' advice carefully. Take the happy ideas such as the notion that when people die they are simply in a bad condition in that moment of time and live contently in other moments, and disregard the idea that you have no control over your life or your future. Futility shackles man.
-Ceci
Intriguing post! I made similar points in my blog as well! (what can i say, great minds think alike.)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the "strips the color out of life" idea.
And the beginning metaphor with the fish blew my mind, was a nice touch!
Sweet and to the point! I love it! The very end is my favourite part because the questions kept me wondering, especially the one "does genuine thought and concern go into our 'programming'?" you raise a good point with that, I didn't think about that in depth as I wrote my blog which is "pro-fate" that was a good way to finish!
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