Do you think everything really happens for a good, necessary or constructive reason?

Question

or do you think people have this outlook to cope with negative and tragic events and/or bad things happening to good people?

Answer 1

I think you're correct with an assumption that the statement is merely a cliche justification...possibly to give a little hope for a desperate situation.

I think that whatever happens makes us the people we turn out to be, but there's no *reason* for anything to happen randomly. For example, things happen generally as an end result for our own actions but the chaos theory dictates that nothing is set in stone prior to or in the time leading up to a situation except for our own actions.

And even then, there can be several outcomes....

It's like Forrest Gump said, "Sh*t Happens" and it's true. Sure things can happen and be interpreted as "it's meant to be" but I don't think things happen specifically for the purpose of predetermining the outcome.

Answer 2

1) No
2) Yes (and no)

We live in a physical world of perceived cause and effect and believe this to be true for "scientific" reasons. When a random act occurs we assume either that it was random (good or bad) or that it was brought about by a cause or reason.

Random things happen, and those who believe them to be random feel unlucky.

Random things happen and those who believe in causality think that the purpose for the tragic event was planned by God or is for the best.

(or, and this is the reason for the "not") Random things happen and those who believe it to be a selected act feel that the person, perhaps themselves, is the victim of a needed, good, necessary, constructive act that causes bad things to happen to them. Being on the outside of the "good" plan may lead to feelings of separation from the "cause" and be a reason for depression. The negative event is DIRECTED at them rather than just a random event.

We all swim in waters infested with sharks and someday one will get you. The chance you take in life is that you will be the victim one day.

Answer 3

Not all things happen for a good and/or necessary reason, in my opinion. What I do believe in though is cause and effect. Everything that happens is always because of something else that lead to it.

Answer 4

Many things that happen are for good reasons. However, many more things happen for bad reasons. In any case, we can choose to make the best of it if we so desire. When we do make the best of it, there are often good experiences that follow, either for learning or otherwise.

Answer 5

I think most everything happens for a reason, and also what comes around goes around.

I've seen the truth in both of these many many times.

Answer 6

Good question, I'll give it a shot.

What happens in a human's life is like travelling down a road,
the road of life I call it, there will be rough patches, chuck holes and ruts to avoid if seen early enough, otherwise the human will
have to navigate or traverse through them, when encountered.
As to whether these confrontations will be good, necessary,
or constructive, is pretty much subjective to the person
going through these turmoils or the viscissitudes of life.

There are no guarantees in living your life, your parents gave you
life, along with all their DNA, and their antecedants DNA,
and their skills and abilities of rearing(raising) you.
Now, we all must remember we do not live in a perfect world,
and must tolerate all those imperfections that will no doubt
come to light, whether we want them to or not.
If you expect more and get less, thats life, you may not be able to get much more, if you repeated the same exercise.
The trick is to not get into situations that will lead to dismay and
disappointment.
How does one do that? Well, you have experience going for you,
the experience of others who may share what they know about
life's experiences, and you have institutional education, which
may help, but is not the be all end all answer to this open ended question.

On the road of life, there will be moments of spine-tingling
happiness, (to love and being loved is one of those, if its genuine)
there will be moments of mundane and monotonous encounters,
these times you will just have to cope with, and wait until the
next cycle comes, (waiting at the train station), a Dr.'s
appointment, waiting to buy stamps at the post office, or waiting
to get checked out at the local supermarket to pay for all your
food merchandise. Sometimes waiting to fuel your car, or get it washed, more time spent, and the blue ribbon goes to auto
travelling on the highways and byways, the ever present commute to get to your work, and the return from your work, all takes time, and remember there are only 24 hours in any given day, 8 hours to work, 8 hours to re-create, 8 hours to sleep, and
then get ready to do the same thing all over again, a type of routine emerges, and thats another form of wasted time.
Well, some of it is, not all.

Now, do bad things happen to good people? Of course, can't be avoided, so you make the best of it, like grandma used to say, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade and drink it down, and get out there and try again.
The real challenge is to not be distracted from your base-line,
when disappointments occur, let if fly off like water off a duck's back, and get up and continue upward and onward.
Look at life with your cup being half full, not half empty.

When things drag me down, I dig out my copy of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking"
Remind myself to practice a positive mental attitude, like Dr. Peale did, (he was in his seventies when he wrote his best seller)
and Naploeon Hill's "Success through Positive Thinking"
another motivator who had the key to getting through life's
problems and vagaries, and establishing a mind-set of getting
what you want, within reason, of course.
Anthony Robbins, another fine motivator, who wrote "Total Power" all his work fits well into anyone's financial success
framework, if you are serious and sincere about what you want, and how to get there, but you cannot be a charlatan or a sham,
if you think this is a kid's game, or don't believe in it, then move
on to something else, this would be a waste of your time.

As far as negative and tragic events are concerned, they will happen to any generation young or old, our lives are so entwined
in so many different activities(extreme sports for example) that
negative and tragic events are bound to occur, regardless of
how safety conscious we all try to be.
Local transportation networks have some pretty high auto
crash and death statistics, air plane disasters, natural disasters,
political (war) issues, and other related issues, tied to war.

History is filled with negative and tragic events, can't be helped,
even if we wanted to change the course of history, too many
people involved, too many other people with greed for power
(hubris) who are willing to sacrifice others to get what they want.
The attractiveness of being the one in power is stimulating,
consuming, and like a narcotic, can burn you out, someone
once said "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and it still is true
today.
For the last 2,500 years of European history, its all been
wars, blood and conquest, and only 238 years of absolute peace.
Thats why politics can be a very stinging sword, or pen, take your
pick, look at Neville Chamberlin, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, who promised pre-WW II Britain there
would be no war with Germany, Hitler had given his word, and then what happened, Hitler invaded Poland with 50 divisions of troops on Septemeber 1, 1939.
Politics can kill us, I firmly believe that.

Thats my message, good luck.



Donald H. Sites
[e-mail]

Answer 7

Things happen... not all things that happen happen for the "good".
Good is a very subjective evaluation.

Answer 8

Personally, I believe there is design and purpose in everything, except for randomness.

Answer 9

i think sh.it just happens and thats the facts of life.people need to just learn to cope with it.