Destiny...?

[Fah]

Is it all just genetic predisposition that we do what we do...? Is that where the drive comes from...? Or is there something more governing our lives and informing our choices...? What about that little voice inside that isn't always so little when it's screaming at you not to do a particular thing...?
Sometimes the situation is more subtle but with implications every bit as important. And you don't always know why you've made a particular choice at the time but in hindsight the result suggests it was the smartest thing you could have done. I think it relies heavily on being honest with yourself. The more honest you are with you the more you can rely on that voice to guide you.

Am I nuts...? Does this make sense to anyone...?

And another thing. Is it arrogant to believe you have a destiny? I mean if you get to live this life with a fully functional body and are in a position to CHOOSE to follow your heart whether it be to write or draw, does that belief suggest that you are somehow singled out as special. Because in another country less fortunate than ours, some baby dies shortly after birth due to malnutrition or disease, etc. and wasn't granted the same opportunity. Why not...? What makes the rest of us so much more important or deserving (when we have probably all caused suffering to some degree even if it was just with an unkind remark)and this baby hasn't even had a chance to prove it's worth?
To believe that your life was meant to be, isn't that to believe that another's wasn't?

So.
Is there destiny? Can it be accounted for exclusively by a combination of genes and plain old fashioned good luck? (But aren't the genes you inherit a matter of luck to begin with?) Or should we attribute that 'luck' to some unseen force...?
Is it arrogant to believe in destiny...?

I know that's too many questions. Not to mention two different lines of inquiry. But I'm new at this. So take a shot. I really want to know.
Oh and one other thing before I go. If you're going to respond please don't paste articles and quotes from Dr. So and So of the Institute of Bornfuckinggeniuses in Sweden. I don't care what he thinks. I want to know your thoughts and feelings. This is how I get to know you.

[bluetoaster]

[Fah]

Bobby. Thanks for the response.

And a good one too. You sound intensely practical and full of commonsense.
Your answer appeals to me in that I like the idea of personal responsibility, it's something I firmly believe in. But having a strong sense of personal responsibility doesn't necessarily preclude a belief in destiny. (Let's talk about the phenomenon and not it's source eg. God, whatever, as that polarises the discussion and makes it emotional for some.)
I don't agree that it's lazy. Or that it promotes laziness. You're still doing your absolute best, it's just that you accept that maybe some things aren't meant to be. And the consolation is you've had a great life because you got to do what you wanted. That's a BIG consolation.

Have you never in your life experienced a coincidence, or a series of them that just seem too timely, too neat to be just that-coincidence...? Yes it could be all the unconscious. But the romantic in me wants to believe in destiny.
You seem like a guy who thinks a lot. You must know yourself well. Are you the sort to question everything that goes on in your life and analyse it? I do a bit of that.
Yes your unconscious could be pulling your strings in ways you don't realise. But what about when you meet someone by chance and they just happen to have what you need at the time? (Let's not limit experience to the comic book world either. What does your life experience tell you.) I recently met a girl that I liked. I liked her enough to base a concept on her. I tried to get to know her. I left two notes for her with my local comic book proprietor on two separate occasions. On both occassions she turned up the very day on which I left the notes (after I had left.) And I had no idea she would be there. Is this what they call the work of the collective unconscious...?
What do you make of it...? (Yes I'm becoming irrelevant to the site by digressing from comics specifically but humour me.) Oh. And the reason I' m persisting with this topic is that it is one of the themes I intend to write about.

[bluetoaster]

[Fah]

Whoah! Bobby, Bobby, Bobby...

Dear oh dear.

Some of the hardest working (and most successful) people I've ever met believe in fate. I myself want to, but am undecided.
Romantic...? Yes. Some of my best ideas spring from my romantic nature. Creativity can absolutely thrive on romance. The girl I met in the comic book store inspired me to create an entire concept.
And it's not just about leaving it to fate. It's a delicate balance that requires knowing yourself, what's best for you and knowing when to let things go or back away. This is why I say honesty with oneself is paramount to happiness. I don't go in for horoscopes or any other type of (what I regard) as pseudo predictive science. I do believe in the heart and mind. I believe in searching for personal truth and through that self-reliance. There is so much we don't know about the brain. What it's capabilities are, etc. We do know that we use bugger all of it. And see what we can do! Imagine if we had access to the rest.
What I'm saying is that you can't rule out possibilities wholesale when there's so much we don't know about ourselves let alone the universe. Also I think creativity can only benefit from an open mind.
I absolutely agree with you that the harder you work the more opportunities you create. But belief in fate DOES NOT make a person lazy. Laziness is in the person to begin with. That's just an excuse. Lazy people look for excuses.
I am very hard working, very ambitious and committed to living life the way I want. In order to pursue even just the hope of a career in this industry talking to you (which I'm enjoying) is now my social life. And I'm not complaining-I'm an inveterate loner anyway. But just because I want to believe in fate or might one day embrace the idea does not make me lazy or suspect when it comes to work.
And surely you don't just walk through life taking whatever you want without consideration. Please tell me that's not what you meant! There's plenty of room in life for empathy.
It is as much about the journey as it is the ends! It's called a balance. And if you don't think there is a need for that then just take a look at the world we've fucked up.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

[bluetoaster]

[Fah]

Quite right Bobby.

You're clearly a very thoughful person. In review I think on at least a couple of points I misread you. (Who knew you were so pedantic about words- and just when I was making a case to refute charges of my own laziness!) But I'm glad you cleared it up if only for my benefit.
And considering my goal was to get to know you through this topic I'd say it's thrashed beyond it's use by date.
So unless you've anything else to add, I'll see you in the forum (where I'll look for other opportunities to misread you.)

Fah.

[AndreiB]