It�s an interesting clash of beliefs, and one often mixed in with someone�s personal preference. Fate or destiny seems to be believed most often by those with some religious ties. They often reply that God (or some other higher power) chooses the path we take. While most others say everything is a choice. We as humans decide what will happen to us. It is a lie to think that fate and choice are two separate things.
Like Shakespeare put it in Julius Caesar. Caesar says, in some other words that, life is a mix of both destiny and choice, as there are something�s in life above our ability to choose.
Death is one of these. Who chooses death? If this were a choice than most would choose to live eternally, avoiding their own end at all costs. On the same token though, it is easy to see that one does make this choice to a slight degree. Man often encounters death and than makes a choice. Consider a junkie who has a heroin needle in his hand. At that moment he has a choice. Will he inject its venom into his veins? Most likely the junkie has the knowledge that such a drug is both lethal in its intake as it is in its addictive nature. Thus he makes a choice, if he injects the heroin into himself, he asks for an end to his life. If he doesn�t than he accepts his present life. Ultimately whatever his decision may be, death will come. Here his choice will rush it near him, but note that he never makes the actual choice to die.
So while man makes decisions the curious thing is to evaluate the importance of our choice and what influences our decision. When one decides to buy a house is it that we truly feel we need it? or is it that some other force drives us? In this case societal views on the American dreams and goals would make the average man want a house; a house with a white picket fence, and a backyard big enough for a dog. So this decision, no matter how it may seem that a person made it from his own strength, it was actually decided for him.
While understanding that most decisions are usually made for us; the decision to survive, to find a mate, and to procreate are all biological decisions implanted in us at birth. The final importance of our choice seems questionable. When we decide something, most often than not, we do not decide the consequences. We are unable to. Hence our choice leads to destiny. When a man makes the decision to have sex with a woman, he made the choice to experience the pleasure of the act, not to enjoy the responsibility of fatherhood or the need to take care of a disease he obtained. This idea of choice leading to fate seems to be inherently flawed though.
Many would argue that when one makes a choice one has also chosen what will happen as a result. The man must have known having sex could lead to having a child or obtaining some sexually transmitted disease. However the man did not know it would happen. Therefore such results were merely possibilities, possibilities that were above his power to choose. His choice was merely to have sex or not to. Not to have a kid or gain a STD. So it might seem once again that choice is not always available.
Like stated, one makes a decision (choice) and is forced to live its results (fate), however there is a chance for choice before results or sometimes after. One can often choose whether one will accept the results or run from it. The man could simply run away from his fatherly duties. Once again however this choice will only lead to another result. The cops chasing this man for child support. Now choice is once again available to fight the results. In such cases, chains and chains can be attached:
Choice---------->Fate
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Choice---------->Fate
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Choice---------->Fate
There choice is available, but fate will always exist. For every action there is a reaction. So in the end the man may continue to run, continue to choose to escape rather than to face the consequences of his actions, but as he continues to run his consequences continue to grow. So that when the cops catch up to the man, his consequences will all catch up to him.
There are times where there is little choice to make. A woman on her deathbed has relatively few options. She can accept her fate, which in this case is death, or she can choose to fight to live. Such a choice is irrelevant toward the result, as the conclusion will occur no matter what she decides. She will die. So her decision however important to her, is of no value to the results.
Choice leads to fate. They are linked together. One is a result of the other. We choose to live, we are forced to die. Such is the way.
Miguel Lopez
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