We have choices do you think we are in control of our own destinies?

Question

Or do you think there are too many outside influences that we have to consider, for that to be possible?

There are some great answers coming in, thanks, I am enjoying reading them.

Houba, that isn't so, I didn't say visionary powers,I said choices...

Thanks for your answer.

Many thanks for all your splendid answers, I visited the page several times to read your replies and let them sink in...

Answer 1

Our choices are what we percieve them to be, with a sensitive person realising there to be more than just two. Yet these choices are formed from our context, thus our freedom is restricted to what we percieve our choices to be, and having the stomach to make a decision.

Each decision reveals another set of choices, though we can use our fundemental believes (why am I here, how should I act, what provides meaning to life, what can I do? etc.) to guide our decisions and actions in order to influence our enviroment, thus being active or creative in determining your context and the possibilities locked up in it for your future decisions.

The more you refine your umderstanding of life, the wider your scope for development. Your destiny is tied up in who you are and what you make of yourself within the given circumstances in the various chapters of ones life.

We can always find a different reaction to any situation we faced before, thus we can learn from where we come from how to react in future in order not to loose control of your destiny.

Answer 2

First, destiny does not exist. If there is destiny, that implies that life has any meaning.

Second, people cannot control their own 'destinies'. A good example is the following:

A bus stops at the train station. It's to leave at 12.00 pm. At that exact time, a girl runs up to the bus and enters. She cannot find her wallet to pay for the fare. It takes her 3 minutes to find it.

The bus leaves at 12.03 pm. Because of this. The bus has to wait for a traffic light, normally it wouldn't have to do that. It waits for 2 minutes.
Five minutes late, Jessica enters the bus, she's in a hurry to get to the train station. Because the bus is too late, she misses the train. Is too late for her Job interview, doesn't get hired. Doesn't make career in that company and doesn't become the first female president of the united states.
Because of that, some retard religious anticommunist fanatic becomes president an plummets the whole world into a nuclear war that results in the destruction of the human race.

And only because the little girl couldn't find her wallet.

This is of course somewhat exaggerated. But you get the message.. right?

Answer 3

I have a horrible feeling it is all predestined. Every thought we have is a result of certain neural synapses firing in our head. And these are just responding to external stimuli. So even though we think we have choices they are probably already preset through a series of cause and effect right back to the beginning of the universe and perhaps before. Bit depressing really. On the other hand we may find that some things are not effected by the laws of cause and effect. Maybe some sub atomic particles or the like. I would think to much on this though. I studied Philosophy at uni and freedom of choice was never resolved. Personally, I believe every action we take is the direct result of previous events.

Still, try using that excuse in court!

Answer 4

To have choice, is to have control...

... however, there may be outside influences which prevent us from making a truly unbiased decision, or which change the outcome of our original decision.

For me, I know that I could do anything I wanted to do and the only thing which could hold me back is myself. But there are times when other people's decisions drastically affect mine - I like to think of this as interfering with fate -which introduces the concept of Karma.

To answer your question, I like to do what I can and let the rest sort itself out. It usually does.

Answer 5

Way too many outside influences ...Maybe here in the western world we MAY think that we have a little more influence ... but a persons destiny could be a matter of which country they are born in ...

I don't think prince William is in control anymore than a child in Darfur... Prince William might be destined for great things ... but he had no control over that whatsoever... nor did his mum

No one is really in control of their destiny ... no matter what they think.. they just may have the opportunity to make choices that influence it a bit...




DR bad

In control of himself ...but not his destiny

Answer 6

We face and make choices without knowing their implications in full.... because the total implications can not be known...... the future implication of trillions of choices made by billions of people is so complex with criss-cross connections to such an extent that perhaps, this is precisely what makes future as such so very uncertain..... in this context, the choices we make are like a gamble...
therefore the question of being in control does not arise.

Full marks for an intelligently probing question on the so-called freewill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

I think we are in control of our own destinies. However many things get thrown at us there are usually options and if you think a certain thing is going to happen then it probably will because you will be acting in a way to make it so. In psychology this is called a self fulfilling prophecy. If you are very determined and have clear goals about where you want your life to go you should get there. Of course there will always be obstacles, but ultimately I'd have to say yes, we are in control.

Answer 8

Someone I respect and love said:

"Character shapes destiny" ... in other words, who you are determines what
becomes of you.

Aviso: do not try to escape outside influences .... John Donne said, "No man is an island, every man is part of the whole".

If you are thinking that having charge of your destiny means escaping all influences except your own, then you are asking for a free float ... a non- gravitational field.. and that can be very lonely....

Stay awhile! Enjoy yourself! Be happy!

Peace & Love

Answer 9

We are not completely in control of our own destiny, we can choose the roads, bends or forks we wish to take, we can abuse or not abuse ourselves or others, they are our own choices, we cannot however control getting knocked down by a bus, being involved in a car accident or dyeing from a heart attack, when ones time is up it is up. Destiny is controlled by the most powerful force on earth, Life itself and this is so vast it is uncontrollable.

Answer 10

I think that sometimes we have no control but we always have choices, if the things we cant control either good or bad happen to us then we have the choice to be happy or sad about our situation which in turn then controls our destiny to certain paths, we make choices hundereds of times a day which controls our destiny be it for that day or for the rest of our lives.

Answer 11

The second one. There are too many things we cannot control. Like, lets say your boss falls in love with you but you don't return their love because you're married so they get real angry and end up firing you. Or your role model when you're 10 dies, or becomes a heroin addict. How could you control that? You can't. Those things would have a huge impact on your life.