Destiny is defined by Wiki:
Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events.[1] It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the cosmos.
I have been pondering destiny lately and if you leave the notion of "Predestination" out then it is a matter of looking at events that occurred or events occurring or events yet to happen (a la Shroedinger's cat!)
Further it appears that destiny is highly individual or it can be highly linked to group behavior or group events.
Destiny as defined by webster:
Main Entry: des·ti·ny
Pronunciation: \ˈdes-tə-nē\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural des·ti·nies
Etymology: Middle English destinee, from Anglo-French, from feminine of destiné, past participle of destiner
Date: 14th century
1 : something to which a person or thing is destined : fortune <wants to control his own destiny>
2 : a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency
synonyms see fate
Destiny is linked to the notion of fortune. But fortune is something that we may not have any control over i.e. weather.
What seems to be true is that destiny can be a challenge to us and stretch us beyond what we originally thought we were capable of dealing with. Or it can stretch us beyond our capability and we might break in some way, responding with depression or illness or financial problems.
We are challenged today, both individually and collectively, by extraordinary events. Do we have what it takes to cope and even thrive in these times?
The financial meltdown has been a disaster that affects us both collectively and individually. Very few of us have escaped the claws of this event that is still unfolding. A lot of us have experienced unemployment personally and most of us have family members who have employment issues. The country as a whole has been seriously impacted. There have been some who have made out like bandits (literally!) even in these trying times.
The Gulf spill is a nightmare unfolding and we haven't been able to awaken as even in this horrible dream we can hear the lub dub lub dub lub dub of doom approaching. Not all of us live in NOLA, or on the beaches or marshes along the Gulf but it is a collective disaster nonetheless. We will see people, flora and fauna succumb from the overwhelming monster unleashed at the floor of the gulf. We haven't put in the resources needed to see another outcome as yet so logic tells us more ills are to come.
Are we, as humans, capable of changing the outcomes? We had a horrible depression, that in spite of people touting the New Deal, lasted for over a decade. Japan's financial difficulties are still hanging on and they've had the shadow of their "lost decade" that points to some measures that won't work. In our democratic process, we have people on the hill who do not seem capable of thinking logically and rationally about anything. Is is possible that democracy cannot work in the long haul? (I am not advocating anything here other than just asking questions so don't get your knickers in a twist!) We have what seems to be a burgeoning oligarchy arising where business interests are now able to swamp any interest that an ordinary citizen might have. And we have a MSM that is incapable of truly giving us information without also giving us projections of "common wisdom". And we have a citizenry that is ill informed, grumpy, and spouts whatever the daily talking points are without any ability to decide for themselves what views, visions and ideals they would like to have. We have had 30 years since President Jimmy Carter tried to get us off of our dependency on oil. We have had 30 years since the Ixtoc leak in the Gulf. Can we honestly say that we, as humans have lived up to our potential? Instead we parrot "Drill baby drill or some variation thereof.
What tools do we need to deal with these collective disasters?
A unified attack on the problems by government entities would seem to be one of the minimum requirements and yet we have a section of government that resents like hell the results of the last election, doesn't really care about outcomes, has a great big bullhorn in the media, and will do anything like for instance lie, steal and cheat to stay in power and grab more power. And lying stealing and cheating seems to be working for them.
A collective vision of what we need held in common by the citizenry could be a great tool to allow us to cope. But that is overshadowed by the constant calls for revolution by the folks who are great haters. And, worst yet, how do we come to a collective vision? How can we even determine priorities when we have so much heat and no light?
I truly believe that justice, some measure of justice, has to be achieved. We have spent almost 2 years with the premise "Don't look back!" (Giving me to to think about the punch line "something may be gaining on us!") but I think that is misguided for a number of reasons. First we have people who think anything can be done without any kind of consequences. That cannot be healthy when those things that are done are evil, harms a huge amount of the population or planet, and causes the population to believe erroneous stuff. But we have rules and laws. Let us go about using them.
You all have ideas about what tools and resources would be good now?
Good news: Because of the financial meltdown, it would seem to me that we could grab BP by the balls and shake them down for
a) rebuilding wetlands and sanctuaries in the gulf
b) r&d for better clean up in future
c) endowment for revitalization of gulf states economies.
d) manufacture and creation of better protections for people and wildlife - l.e better booms, respirators, safe shelters for flora and fauna
Also good news - we have been slapped in the face and told in no uncertain terms to wake up! That means to me:
a) We cannot give in to corporate greed.
b) We have to change how we live, work, consume and produce. And we have to do those things mindfully.
c) We have to do a better job sharing the planet and its resources.
d) We have the opportunity to really think outside the box. We cannot afford to do otherwise.
e) We have the luxury to throw out all "common wisdom" and build a new "common wisdom" utilizing the home truths we see today.
Again from wiki:
For Arthur Schopenhauer destiny was just a manifestation of the Will to Live. Will to Live is for him the main aspect of the living. The animal cannot be aware of the Will, but men can at least see life through its perspective, though it is the primary and basic desire. But this fact is a pure irrationality and then, for Schopenhauer, human desire is equally futile, illogical, directionless, and, by extension, so is all human action. Therefore, the Will to Live can be at the same time living fate and choice of overrunning the fate same, by means of the Art, of the Morality and of the Ascesis.
Do we have enough of the will to live to take charge of our destiny?
As usual I want you to work a little: 1)what is your assessment of your ability to cope with the individual destiny you have on your plate today and 2) what do you think is priority number 1 in our collective problems and 3)what is our capability of achieving that priority and 4)what tools do we need and 5) what tools do we have?