| I have a long held assumption that fate in a secular | | | | what opportunity we option to take. It is what |
| culture lays claims to the position previously held by | | | | situation we must inevitably take out of lack of |
| God or a deity/deities. It is not God directly but the | | | | option. |
| unseen hand of the universe directing the actions and | | | | I and many of my friends wrestle with a simple |
| behaviors of all that is around in order to end at a | | | | question: what should I do with my life? More than |
| mean that favors our future and outcome. "Love" | | | | career, the question is one of balance and |
| functions in a similar vein. Those who are recently | | | | opportunity. The what is not so much what will I do |
| disgruntled by romance will say they fell out of love | | | | but what am I fulfilling and finding fulfillment in finding. |
| or that their love died. From a purely semiotic | | | | My guess that there are hundreds of thousands of |
| perspective the action and behavior responsible for | | | | us waiting, thinking, talking, and hoping "that thing" will |
| the loss of love is love itself in this scenario. It is love | | | | appear from the sky and show them the future we |
| that fades, not the expectations of the individual. | | | | semi-consciously believe we are "destined" for. We |
| This is what we learn from movies, TV, and music. | | | | feel that we know there is something remarkable |
| You don't have to do anything except show up. By | | | | just around the corner just waiting to spring to life |
| simply being in the right place at the right time, none | | | | even if we don't believe this is true in a purely |
| of which you really control, you are about to | | | | rational sense. |
| participate in the fate that was arranged or you. | | | | In the past you just found a job. You got married |
| Chick flicks most obviously make this claim. The guy | | | | and had kids. You followed the rules and played the |
| is perfect for the girl but one of them has a tragic | | | | game and were rewarded as such. Further back than |
| flaw (like everyone) that must be resolved. After | | | | that you followed in your father or relative's |
| they run away from each other there is an event | | | | footsteps. If they were an ironsmith you were an |
| that brings them together and the movie ends in | | | | ironsmith. With seemingly unlimited options comes |
| blossomed romance and assumed forever-after bliss. | | | | unlimited need for navigating the confusion of option. |
| Less obvious but just as potent are action films. A | | | | There must be some balance between letting life |
| simple look at almost any action movie will exhibit the | | | | hand you off to the next opportunity and completely |
| same narrative: start with a guy with a broken | | | | steering your future and picking your options. |
| history or past. After hitting a low point a situation | | | | I struggle with the idea of things happening for a |
| occurs that forces the guy to jump into one action | | | | reason. In theory I love the idea that there are no |
| or another. Past situations or events that seemed | | | | accidents and occurrences are not fully random. The |
| meaningless suddenly become the answer or solution | | | | idea that our life is a plot, a sweeping narrative that |
| to an impossible or improbable situation. In the end he | | | | will lead us to our true opportunities keeps the self |
| saves the day but only because fate confronted him | | | | help industry in suits and Mercedes. Beside this |
| with an impasse that resulted in the hero becoming | | | | romanticized notion is the idea that random is not |
| his true self. | | | | satisfied with a conclusion, that there is no deep |
| The danger with this ideology is that it removes the | | | | meaning to the occasions or moments that seem too |
| action from the individual. Rather than take action, | | | | perfect or to materialize in strange and wonderful |
| the action is expected to happen to the person. We | | | | ways. For actions to be meaningless or devoid of a |
| all know the value of hard work and dedication. But | | | | greater, pre-conceived narrative seems dark and |
| what is interesting about culture is what is not said | | | | twisted. But why? |
| but performed without conscious reaction. It is not | | | | |