To What Degree is Our Future Within Our Control - David Pelino

Some people believe that the paths of our lives are determined from the moment we are born, if not earlier. Destiny, not being able to control our lives or make our own decisions, can be both a calming and terrifying notion. On one hand people who believe in destiny are relieved of any stress or responsibility pertaining to their actions, as they are meant to be. However, the idea of having no say in our own life's path is something that many people are unable to accept, even if true, simply because of the fear it causes. Personally, I do not believe in destiny. I'm no existential nihilist, believing there is no purpose to life and that morality is a contrived concept, but I believe that we are in control of our lives, and that our actions determine our paths, not some fate or destiny decided before we even existed.

With that said, many aspects of our lives are out of our control. The simplest and easiest to relate to is gender, something that is determined at birth. Your gender plays an immense role in deciding what path you take in life, whether positive or negative. I'm not commenting on the ideas of gender roles and norms, I am just proposing an example of how your future can be out of your control. Another example is simply location; where you're born. There's also socioeconomic class, relations, genetics. If you are born with a debilitating disease or defect, you might not have too much of a say with how your life progresses. However, the majority of crossroads faced in life, of decisions needed to be made, are yours alone to make. And your life is determined by your beliefs, morals, and actions and not by fate or destiny.