Introduction
Destiny or fate is a concept based on the belief of a society or an individual that there is a permanent natural order to the cosmos in terms of occurrence of activity or happening. Fate describes events or activities as ordered or "inevitable" and inescapable. Three goddesses are dispensing fate in European and Classical mythology, known as Parcae in Roman mythology, as Moirai in Greek mythology and as Norns in Norse mythology.
In the anime Mawaru Penguindrum, Destiny has become a prominent theme that focuses on the concept that none can run away from their own fate.
Determinism is a philosophical, metaphysical position beginning for everything that occurs. There are pre-ordered conditions except those pre-ordered conditions, nothing else could take place.
Throughout the history of philosophy, deterministic theories have sprung from considerations and diverse motives and some of which overlap. Empirically, with ideas stemming from the philosophy of physics and some form of determinism can be tested. Determinism is always contradicted with free will and the opposite of determinism can be called in-determinism.
In both Eastern and non-Eastern religion, literature and philosophy have articulated the idea that the entire universe is a
deterministic system. In the philosophical schools of India,
‘Karma’, the concept of precise and repetitive effect of laws that explains the existence of all sentient beings is alike to the deterministic concept of Western.
In Indian religions, Karma refer the concept of "deed" or "action". It is recognized as which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originated in ancient India and treated in Jain, Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist philosophies. Karma is believed deterministic and predetermined in the universe that is combined with the decisions (free will) of a human. It builds up to determine futuristic situations that the human come across.
Pre-Socratics, Heraclitus, and Leucippus have been expressed some elements of determination in the West. Determinism in the West is always combined with Newtonian physics. It describes the physical substance of the universe as functioning according to a set of fixed laws. With the introduction of quantum physics, the West also considered the uncertainty factor affects the causes and effects relationship.
How different people perceive destiny? - Theoretical perspectives
In a troublesome situation, some people set back while others remain unscathed. Many studies concluded that cognitive factors such as attitudes, perceptions and personal beliefs determine how an individual responds to a negative event (Dweck, 1999; Dweck, C & Hong, 1995; Hong, C, Dweck, L & Wan 1999).
The mindsets of individuals help them navigate through their conceptual world, that shows them what needs to be approached, what needs to be avoided and how to respond when things go well as well as when things go badly. However, Implicit Theories of Relationships (ITR) still not succeeded in unveiling how mindsets about relationships influence one's behavior. (Knee, et al. 1998)
Molden, et al. (2006) concluded that people with fixed mindset in domains unrelated to relationships experience found it difficult in adapting with setbacks. They become defensive and engage in behaviors that meant to boost their feelings of self-esteem.
There are two schools of thought; Destiny theorists who tend to attribute frustrating experiences to steady factors, whereas Growth theorists who attribute the same to controllable factors (Hong et al., 1999; Knee et al., 2003).
Warburton, et al. (2006) suggested that ostracism is an unchangeable judgment among strong destiny believers. As a result, they perceive lower levels of control, in comparison to those who hold strong growth beliefs. A deprived sense of control increases aggression within ostracized individuals.
People have many beliefs that guide them to achieve certain goals more than the others. They tend to view other individuals and themselves in either a rigid or a dynamic ways to worry or learn from inevitable setbacks and failures of life as well as relationship conflicts. Those beliefs are codified into working theories (implicit theories) of the human mindset.
Dweck, et al. (1999) identified two different levels of implicit theories;
a. Entity theorists, who believe that personal attributes such as intelligence, personality and morality are fixed and unalterable. They form quick and rigid judgments on others. When faced with setbacks, they use defensive, self-esteem boosting behavior at the expense of problem-solving.
b. Incremental theorists, in comparison, trust that personal attributes are flexible and can be improved. They build flexible and tentative assessments of others that are favorable to effective agreement and negotiation and answer to setbacks as chances for more learning-oriented behaviors that are necessary to resolve tricky challenges successfully.
Destiny theorists have the belief of that potential relationship partners are either compatible or they are not. Growth theorists believe through effective problem solving that relationships become cultivated. Destiny theorists speedily identify the potential success and the status of a relationship. The viability of relationship and the compatibility of relationship partners based on limited information achieve through specific events.
Growth theorists have the contrast believe that “relationship challenges can be overcome" (Knee, et al. 2003). Growth theorists work on developing a relationship when facing obstructions, and they have the interest in maintaining the relationship.
Three aspects demanding attention about early hominin behavior are the issues of self-awareness and consciousness and Theory of Mind (ToM). Theory of Mind describes the fact that any animal has the ability to attribute its mental status to others to understand the desires, beliefs, knowledge and intentions. (Baron-Cohen, 1991; Baron- Cohen et al., 1997; Bednarik, 2011b; Frith and Happé, 1994; Happé, 1997; Happé et al., 1996; Jacques and Zelazo, 2005; Jarrold et al., 2000; Ozonoff and Miller, 1995; Premack and Woodruff, 1978).
Baumeister (1991), Bunderson and Thompson (2009) noted through observation that neoclassical approaches reveal how the term has been historically understood and emphasize a sense of prosocial duty and destiny.
Dik and Duffy (2009) recognized three elements in their review of the variety of definitions of the social sciences and humanities.
a. The conception of an external summons is the first element. When an individual feels “called” to a precise type of work, which may come in the form of a superior power, the needs of one's country, the needs of society any other power external to the individual.
b. The second element is that an individual approach to work aligns with a sense of purpose in life. For such persons, work is either a life domain or source of purpose in life.
c. An individual’s career is prosaically oriented is the third component. That is individuals with a calling their career to help others directly or indirectly.
In these studies, a remarkable range of sources of the calling have been described by participants, such as some external (e.g., God, superior power), some internal (e.g., one's own interests, passions, values, and skills), and some of the participants may fall in the overlap of external and internal such as sense of destiny (e.g., what is meant to do).
A group of working adults who felt that they had a calling was selected for a study. They were asked which of the three source conceptualizations best fit where their calling originated- a sense of destiny, external summons or a perfect fit. More than half of the participants recognized with the notion of finding a perfect fit (55%), with 22% a sense of destiny and 23% identifying an external summons. Most importantly, the level of satisfaction on work among individuals was same though the source of conceptualization was diverse.
Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will
Jack Welsh, CEO of General Electric (GE)- the World’s Most Competitive Corporation- emphasizes the importance of facing the reality, in good as well as bad times, as an ethical obligation for managers and even for anybody whose actions affect a broader community. In his mission to bring GE to the top corporate, he had to undergo fundamental and radical changes in his organization, which he referred as a revolution. That was targeted at tackling market competition at the global level and to better service GE's customers.
Jack restructured his organization by eliminating internal barriers such as hierarchy, functions and geography in building up closer relationships with its customers and also suppliers. All his efforts were concerned in harnessing emotional energy rather than freighting them. He had to spend months to communicate this message to all of his employees, which involved more listening than talking.
He strongly communicated six basic rules in change management;
1. Control your destiny or someone else will
2. Face entity as it is, not as it was or as one wish it were
3. Be candid with everyone
4. Don’t manage, lead
5. Change before you have to
6. If one don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete
Religious beliefs on Destiny
Karma is known as "the law of cause and effect" in spiritism. It plays a imperative role in determining how a person's life should be lived. Spirits are encouraged to select when and how to undergo retribution for the mistake they executed in previous lives. Physical or mental injury, disability or even an unsuccessful life are due to the selections a spirit makes before
reincarnating.
Spiritism differentiates from many more traditional religious ideas as it realizes karma as a situation inherent to the spirit. It further explains though incarnated or not: the results of the offenses committed by the spirit continue beyond the physical life and make to suffer in the afterlife. The acceptance of hardship in life is considered as a way in which a person can attain to a higher level by getting rid of pain occurred due to moral guilt.
Spiritism often admitted the plurality of inhabited worlds, and the notion of karma became significantly complex. A spirit may select to be born in a place inferior to his own as a mission or as a
penance.
Western cultures have concepts similar to karma. Christian explanation similar to karma as follows:
In Hinduism, God is centered and plays the role as a dispenser of its version of karma. Similarly, the karma perceived by Western world portrays it as some sort of supernatural, mystical force rather than an outcome of causality.
Gender applications on Destiny
Anru (2009) pointed out the impact of gender aspect in shaping one’s own destiny based on the case studies conducted in Taiwan. The pressure coming from immediate family members can influence the decision-making capability among women. The marriage is perceived as part of a Taiwanese woman's destiny, as it can make a huge difference in family interactions. Apart from that, other stratifying factors such as age, cast, class, race, religion, nationality and sexuality within a socio-cultural system will play a key role in determining the destiny of women.
Technology impacts on Destiny
Latest years many sources point out that industrial civilization has come overshoot mode, and the natural limits to growth have been already exceeded. If the economy and population are truly beyond the limits, then current theories of social change and visions would be deeply perturbed. If the development epoch is approaching its conclusion, then many sociological theories on present societies will have to share the same destiny.
The human beings will face two major challenges in the twenty-first century; invent substitute energy source to substitute fossil fuel and the production of food for over seven billion population. Great anxiety is generated by those two challenges alone, which can lead to desperation. However, humankind needs to face it proactively by offering positive solutions towards the betterment of life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the desire of knowing the future or the destiny provides a potential for conscious social change. The perceptions held within people are created by their knowledge, cultural values, beliefs and experiences. There are many people living in difficult circumstances, but yet hesitant to make a move due to a conservative mindset. Those who make radical changes in their life expose to high risks, however, they experience different dimensions of life. Destiny, even though people still believe as a pre-determined entity, many have disproved it. The case study on Jack Welsh concludes us the destiny can be our creation when opportunity meets the enthusiasm.
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