Fatalism, as a phenomenon, is based on faith. According to the theory of fatalism, everything in the world is predetermined. Existence is written in advance, and there are no accidents in the world.
Followers of this worldview are called fatalists.
A fatalist is a person who is absolutely confident that everything in the world is inevitable and inescapable, and is also regulated by fate itself.
Circumstances can be stronger than us. You don't have to be a fatalist to understand this...
Alexander Belyaev. Air seller
Fatalist Worldview
A fatalist is a person who is unable to place responsibility on his shoulders. In the opinion of such a subject, the events of his life are written down, like a program on a computer, and attempts to change something are always futile.From a psychological point of view, a person who believes in fate builds his life as an observer. The life of a fatalist is like the flow of a river. Such people are confident that the current cannot be changed, it will certainly lead to the source, so trying is akin to madness. Fatalists cannot be called engines of progress, but they cannot be denied courage and perseverance.
All fatalists believe in fate or fate. These concepts are sacred to them. This is where the very name of the worldview comes from. After all, in English the root of the word “fatalism” is translated as fate, and in Latin it means “fatal.”
Fatalists who live with faith in fate have their own unique set of beliefs. These beliefs can be expressed as follows:
- Don't expect good things from life. Here fatalism closely echoes pessimism;
Don't exercise your right to choose. Representatives of the worldview simply do not believe in choice as such. They consider choice to be only an illusion of those who do not see the global plan of existence;
Don't take randomness seriously. After all, according to fatalists, everything is written in fate, therefore everything is inevitable, and accidents do not exist;
Do not be held responsible for actions. The fatalist here acts as an ordinary instrument in the hands of fate, and does not take responsibility for his behavior;
Believe in predictions and superstitions. Such people love to go to fortune tellers to look into their future.
PROS and CONS of fatalism
Remember Julius Caesar, who knew about his terrible fate, but blinded by pride and faith in fate, simply came to meet his killers? Main distinguishing feature, which most fatalists are endowed with is pride. This quality can be attributed to the disadvantages of fatalism. Therefore, a fatalist is a person who, because of his own pride, easily exposes himself and others to danger. Sometimes you can be proud of the trials sent by fate.Another disadvantage of believing in fate is weakened critical thinking. Such thinking in an individual who believes in fate is either not developed at all or is suppressed. Here, a fatalist in psychology is a person who, since childhood, has not learned to cope with life’s difficulties according to various reasons. In childhood, a person who is too focused on the opinions of others and has lost faith in his own abilities loses adaptability and begins to think that all his attempts to act independently are doomed to failure.
The undoubted advantage of this theory is humility in front of what is happening in life. A person of fate sincerely believes in inevitability, which means he worries less about the consequences and endures adversity more easily. Maintains faith in one's own good beginnings under any circumstances.
Fatalist: several shades of worldview
Not all fatalists believe in fate the same way. The beliefs of these people can be divided according to the following criteria: - Everyday fatalism. Subjects exposed to it blame others and hostile people for ordinary troubles and stress higher power. Stress in them causes aggression directed outward. They often believe in damage and the evil eye;
Theological fatalism. According to followers of this trend, everything in the world is divine. Everyone fulfills the program that God laid in him. And life on Earth has a grand plan in which people are just cogs;
Logical fatalism. Differs from the two above in its belief in a cause-and-effect relationship. The role of God here is played by the reasons that served as the impetus for the chain of events that occurred.Logical fatalism originates in Ancient Greece. This is exactly the philosophy Democritus adhered to. Many modern people are logical fatalists, also rejecting the possible spontaneity of the events that happen to them.
Fatalism in history: examples
If we consider fatalism in a broad sense, then according to this theory, universal laws cannot be circumvented. A person in the worldview system of fatalism is viewed as a grain of sand in a vast desert. And this small grain of sand is unable to change the course of global events and individual destinies.In history, prominent representatives of the flow of fate were Gustav III and Baron Ungern: 
Is it good or bad to believe in fate?
The answer depends on the degree of faith and its color. Belief in a positive outcome gives strength, creates an amazing effect of self-hypnosis, helping to overcome illnesses and adversity.A pessimistic attitude, on the contrary, poisons life, making a person weak. A weak person is a potential victim. This can explain the fact that more negative things happen to fatalists, because their entire appearance and lifestyle attract dishonest and dangerous people to them.
Is a modern fatalist a person confident in his abilities?
To some extent this statement is true. After all, a fatalist believes that he can survive everything that fate has in store for him. But this person will not just survive, try to change reality to suit himself.What do modern fatalists look like?
The image of such a person is a little mystical and dreary. Especially if fate does not spoil him with gifts. A true fatalist short description which lies in the word “submission”, in modern world reputed to be an outsider running from life. And if earlier it was fashionable to have such a worldview, now it is considered an unviable utopia.
To summarize, we can say that a fatalist is a person who does not know how to accept challenges from the world around him and is not able to solve problems.
No one who made the right and wise choice would ever attribute it to fate; the only real fatalist is the one for whom everything is very bad.
Fatalism brings no comfort. A believer in fate is deprived of the opportunity to shout: “Fuck you, I've had enough,” because he knows that he was born a coward and it is only a matter of time before he gives in, without surprising anyone, not even himself.
Hunter Thompson. Rum Diary
I’m interested in your opinion, do you consider fatalism a negative phenomenon in the modern world?
Fatalism is a philosophical movement that claims that every action is inevitable, determined by fate. The meaning of the word fatalism is revealed through its root fatalis, translated from Latin meaning fate, predestination. Fatalism in simple words there is a belief in the necessity, the inevitability of what happens to a person.
In a separate sense, fatalism can be correlated with, since following this worldview, a person does not make an attempt to change fate in its negative moments, but obediently follows evil fate. In philosophy, the meaning of the word fatalism is revealed through the idea that events of any kind are already captured before us, in advance, and in our reality they only tend to acquire their manifestation.
What is fatalism?
The history of fatalism in modern times is connected with the history of the deterministic approach. This approach is most clearly expressed in the philosophy of rigid determinism, the prominent representatives of which were Spinoza and Leibniz.
Fatalism, in connection with determinism, asserts causality, which is caused by the actions of the universe. That is, fatalism, in simple words, says that the laws of the universe cannot be circumvented, even if something seems unfair to a person, he wants to change it, then his desire is in vain and cannot be realized, since it is impossible to go against the course of the universe.
Spinoza believed that an individual person is only a speck of dust in the universe, so it makes no sense to expect a speck of dust to take upon itself courage and be able to control itself.
Fatalism, what is it in simple words? Fatalism can be described by a single word - fate. This vision in the most vivid format can also be traced in the philosophy of the Stoics - a direction born during the period of decline, decline of ancient Greek philosophy, the crossroads of ancient Greek and already Roman ideas. The Stoics believed that one must submit to fate - one’s fate, which haunts everyone, and one cannot refuse it.
The Stoics came up with a very vivid comparison that evokes vivid reactions: “The one who walks is led by fate, but the one who resists is dragged with hooks.” Such hooks are naturally shown in the film “The Passion of the Christ” - they are a stick with several leather ropes tied to it, with a hook attached to the end of each. During flagellation, such hooks are driven under the skin, tearing out pieces of meat from the human body.
The meaning of this phrase, which is used by the Stoics, is extremely simple: every person’s destiny is already written, life is completely and completely predetermined, it is impossible and meaningless to change an event in this predetermined course. Then everything depends only on our attitude: whether to treat the blows of fate lightly, calmly, dispassionately, to accept it completely, even to the point of indifference to it, or to fight and be unhappy.
What does it mean to submit to fate? This is not to interfere with the order of things that we observe. The Stoics believe that a person will, in any case, follow a fateful path, but the only question is how he will go: quickly and easily, even using the help of fate, or being dissatisfied with it, with great obstacles and problems.
Examples of fatalism
Loud examples of following the worldview of universal predetermination are provided to us by world history fatalism. It is worth saying that in a separate sense, the fatalism of great people is always associated with pride, their strong open position, which does not allow them to try to escape from events that were recognized as fateful.
For example, Julius Caesar rejects the warnings of his soothsayer Spurinna to “beware of the Ides of March” and his own wife Calpurnia, who dreamed that he was stabbed to death in the Forum. But despite these warnings, Julius Caesar not only goes to the forum, but also does not take bodyguards, and ends up surrounded by dozens of conspirators who kill him.
King Gustav III of Sweden demonstrated similar pride and inflexibility, who, before a noble ball, dined with his favorites and received news of an assassination attempt being prepared right at the ball. Like Julius Caesar, Gustav refused to take a guard, and even rejected the requests of his favorites to wear chain mail under his festive clothes, saying: “If someone wants to kill me, then best place He won’t find anything better than here.” Although the ball was a masquerade, and all the dancers wore masks, the king made himself recognizable thanks to the massive cross of the order, which only royalty wore and did not remove. According to the order, he was recognized as a murderer, who pushed through the crowd and pulled out a pistol behind the king’s back. Gustav noticed this and turned around, the shot hit only the leg instead of the heart, which, however, still led to the death of the king 13 days later from infection through the wound, since the pistol was loaded with small shot and wallpaper nails with rust, which brought infection. Despite the enormous chances of survival, the king could not avoid the death planned for him - is this again the role of fatalism?
One more a shining example Baron Ungern had a fatalistic and fatalistic outlook on life. Legends circulated about his courage during his lifetime. Nobody's bullet could hit him in battle; he rushed at his enemy without a shadow. After one battle, traces of more than 70 bullets were found in clothes, horse harness, shoes and bags, not a single one of which wounded the baron. The baron himself believed in this chosenness and hired several fortune-tellers and soothsayers into his retinue. Knowing Ungern's faith in fate, the orderly Burdukovsky took advantage of this, who bribed one of the fortune tellers to testify to the baron that he could live as long as Burdukovsky lived.
Burdukovsky immediately received Special attention from the baron, it was protected as if it contained the life of Ungern. However, a little later, the same fortune teller predicted that Ungern had only 130 days left to live. This news was confirmed by other soothsayers - two monks predicted the same date by throwing dice. Ungern believed, the baron’s faith was also supported by the fact that he saw the number 130 as fatal for himself, because it was 10 times 13.
Over the course of 130 days, more than once Ungern was within a hair's breadth of death. There was strong discord in the troops; both enemies and their own officers tried to kill the baron. A conspiracy was organized, and the conspirators invaded the baron's tent, but Ungern was in the next tent at that time. Hearing the shooting and leaning out, he was spotted and they opened fire on him at point-blank range. But the baron was saved by being able to duck into the bushes. Later, the baron’s entire regiment decided to flee, and Ungern rode across the regiment, and the regiment’s officers opened fire on the baron. And again, despite the extremely short distance, no one was able to reach his target with his bullet, Ungern turned and galloped away, thus escaping.
Ungern was betrayed even by his own Mongols, who believed in him as if in the “god of war.” Having tied Ungern up and left him in the tent, they set off in all directions, so that, according to legend, the spirits would not find anyone to pursue. And so he was discovered and captured by the red patrol. In captivity, the baron repeatedly tried to commit suicide with poison and strangulation, but the ampoule of poison was lost, and the horse rein, which Ungern wanted to use as a noose, turned out to be too short. After the expiration of the time allotted by the fortune teller and the monks, the baron was nevertheless executed. In the surviving interrogation protocols there is a record that Ungern considered himself a confident fatalist and firmly believed in fate.
Some people are fatalists; they believe that their fate was written by someone before they were born.
Others, on the contrary, are confident that at every moment they make a conscious choice and build their destiny with their strong and smart hands, controlling the present.
The second type of people is the funniest.
If you suddenly feel this way, do you really think that you choose what to wear in the morning? Doesn’t it depend on the weather, not on the state of your wardrobe, not on the number of new centimeters on your hips, due to which it is better to throw away part of your wardrobe as a gift than to wear it? If you subtract from the “free choice” options everything that is tight for you, everything that you didn’t have time to wash, everything that doesn’t go with your new hair color, everything that went out of fashion the year before last, everything that is not at all suitable for the weather and not depending on the situation, it turns out that you can wear one or two, but the second is worse, so yes, one.
All other cases in life are the same illusion of choice.
Have you chosen your wife? Yes? And women stood around you like candidates for Miss World in a round dance from which you could choose? Or did you have just one single girl in whom it coincided that you liked her and that she liked you? And it didn’t coincide very well, I had to adapt, but there were simply no others. There were those who liked you more just as much, but they didn't need you. There were people in love with you, but you didn't need them. Maybe it seems to you that this sympathy of yours is your choice? Do you think that you could order yourself not to sympathize with your future wife, but ordered to sympathize? Hardly. The attraction arose by itself, everything happened almost without your knowledge, or rather without your strong-willed, conscious participation. You observed yourself more than you did anything seriously. Love is spontaneous, and sex is the realm of pure spontaneity. It’s possible to order yourself not to want some more (and only if you don’t really want to, but that’s it), but to order yourself to want is definitely not possible. How did you make your choice?
Maybe you have chosen your profession? It is unlikely that you were talented in all subjects (average in all subjects - this could be). Whether you had talent or just ability, you knew from childhood that you would do something like this, and after school your choice was narrowed down to one single university where you wanted and could go. The rest simply couldn’t or didn’t want to, and there was nothing to choose from. If you are so mediocre and talented in everything that you could really go both ways, your choice was probably influenced not by your free will, but by something objective, external, forced. This university is closer and the industry is a little more prestigious, there is connections in the form of a friend, Aunt Tanya, and so on.
What people call "personal choice" most often consists of one single option or two, of which one is clearly better. Or one is better, and the other is simpler, and the person tries on whether it’s worth wasting energy or whether this will do. It is not serious to call this dull calculation with the big word CHOICE.
Unless you have zero reflection, you have long noticed that the moment it looks like you are making a decision, the decision has already been made. It is predetermined by everything that already exists: your capabilities and objective circumstances. Your possibilities are very limited, and your circumstances even more so depend on a bunch of external things, so you don’t have to choose anything. And if you still have the illusion that you are the architect of your own happiness and forge it by making decisive and free choices in the present, you are simply a fool, not a very thoughtful and attentive person.
Is it possible to conclude from this that fate was written before your birth?
Of course not. Who the hell is interested in your fate? Imagine how many bacteria-like creatures like you are born in the world every minute. No one is interested in writing your destiny; you write it yourself, like a screenwriter, based on the available budget. The more boring the written story, the lower the budget for the next episode and the worse the airtime, and the lower the budget, the more difficult it is to come up with something exciting. Try to come up with an action for three rubles, if main character a balding gray collar worker who has a grumbling, ugly wife and a Khrushchev woman, but not his, but his mother-in-law.
But the main ambush is not even the budget, but the fact that you hardly have any idea about the main law of writing your destiny.
Do you know him? No?
Now open.
It is impossible to make any choice in the present, but you can make one for the future.
Everything that happens to you in the present is already predetermined, 100 or 95%. But this was done not by someone from above, but by you, in the past. In the past, where your present was still the future, you had power and the opportunity to influence and choose, which you most likely did not use; or rather, you used it, but at random, carelessly and blindly. You could choose something better than that than what is happening to you now. But you were busy with the present, that is, already with the past. You fought against what was already predetermined, you resisted and suffered from the illusion of choice. It seemed to you that you could influence the present. But you could only influence the future. But they had no influence. And now, when the future has become the present, you fight with it again, resist again and suffer from the illusion of choice.
You just have to live in the present. You need to live it, feel it, take energy, accumulate experience, become wiser and stronger, avoid excessive stress, temper yourself with moderate stress, but not resist the wave coming at you. She will simply crush you and cover you. “Fate leads the obedient, but drags the rebellious.” You need to step onto the wave from above and maintain your balance, no matter how big and angry it may be, and if you can’t step at all, group and wait it out, or deviate a little to the side so that the losses are smaller. But you shouldn’t fight the wave or command it to retreat as if you were the mistress of the sea. It will break.
You just need to live the present, receiving benefit and pleasure if possible, and all your volitional efforts and conscious measures need to be directed towards the future!
While you are fighting the current wave, new wave It is just being formed, and you have the opportunity to take part in its formation, and over time learn to manage this process. IN the latter case you will truly become the author of your life and make conscious choices. But even then not in the present! And in advance, into the future.
Remember what elements and mental functions are responsible for the past-present-future? I have presented this diagram several times.
The future is air, the mental plane, the plane of consciousness and will. The present is water, the emotional plane, the plane of spontaneity (!) and energy.
Anyone who tries to control the present limits their spontaneity. They tense, think, doubt, hesitate, hesitate, and as a result they get less than what they could get. One must surrender to the flow of the present. Not recklessly, but with minimal resistance, with a straight back, but flexible. Surfers and skiers will teach you, if you are not them yourself. And if they are at least partially, you can easily transfer this scheme to the rules of life in the present. The present is a flow. It has already taken shape, it is formed, don’t fight it with your mind. With your body - yes, you can try to spring back a little, but more like a game. In sparring with fate, not boxing, but aikido is better suited; you need to use the flow in order to strengthen your maneuver, and not just hit it like a punching bag. He is much stronger than you, you are just a person, and this is FATUM, FATE.
But when it comes to the future, you are the builder of your destiny. Even if you act at random and blindly, write with your back paw, you understand little about it, but you will learn to do it better if you turn your mind there, and not to fight with the present.
Remember the examples. You can’t choose what to wear today, because you have only two dresses in your wardrobe depending on the weather, but one is not enough for you. But you can choose what to wear tomorrow (in a month). You can take care of your figure and your choice of clothes for the next season.
You cannot choose a profession right now, you are hired for only one vacancy, out of all the ones you would like to go to. But you can learn something today and tomorrow the list of vacancies will expand. And today you don’t really choose what to learn, the list of possibilities (and desires) is limited, but when you learn something new, this list will expand, because you will change a little.
As for your wife... Today you can no longer choose her. She is who she is or she is not there at all. But tomorrow your wife may become better. Today you can do something that tomorrow will reduce the default and your wife will become friendlier, warmer and more playful. And if you are single, you can choose the path of change today and these changes will give you new opportunities tomorrow.
One must be a fatalist in relation to the present, since this is already fate, but one must be a doer in relation to the future, since there is no fate yet, it is just taking shape. The pen creaks, leaving in the Book of Fates new line about you and what this line will be depends on you. At first it depends to a small extent while you are just learning how to scribble and write there, but the better you master this very Doing, the more you will influence fate.
This is, in general, main secret alchemy (the Great Work, making oneself a conscious, proactive person, this is the only goal of alchemy, if you do not take garbage for alchemy). We need to understand where exactly the process of change occurs. Tomorrow. And today we reap the fruits of yesterday. It is better to reap them with gratitude, self-irony and a healthy dose of indifference.
Now imagine what most people look like. They look into the future obediently, like fatalistic sheep, “what will be will be” (secretly expecting that someone will take care of them and give them food). But they are fighting the real thing with all their might, using rolling pins, tongs, and other torture instruments. They demand to cancel everything bad and give good things, they beg, they are indignant, they are indignant, they cry. No, no, not like that, I don’t want something else, not this! Or they think, rack their brains, and make a “painful choice.” It's late, relax. Get busy with the future. Everything is still melted there, everything is in the process of preparation and you can sculpt the shape you need. But you are so caught up in the struggle with the present that you have no time for the future.
Why do you think it’s the other way around for people?
What about you? Is it possible to do it?
I once happened to live for two weeks in Cossack village on the left flank; a battalion of infantry was stationed right there; The officers gathered at each other's houses one by one and played cards in the evenings. One day, having become bored with Boston and throwing the cards under the table, we sat at Major S***’s for a very long time; The conversation, contrary to usual, was entertaining. They reasoned that the Muslim belief that a person’s fate is written in heaven also finds many admirers among us Christians; each told different extraordinary cases, pro or contra. “All this, gentlemen, does not prove anything,” said the old major, “after all, none of you witnessed those strange cases with which you confirm your opinions?” Of course, no one, many said, but we heard from faithful people... All this is nonsense! someone said, where are these faithful people who saw the list on which the hour of our death is appointed?.. And if there is definitely predestination, then why are we given will, reason? why should we give an account of our actions? At this time, one officer, who was sitting in the corner of the room, stood up and slowly approached the table, looking at everyone with a calm look. He was a Serb by birth, as was clear from his name. Lieutenant Vulich's appearance corresponded completely to his character. Tall stature and dark complexion, black hair, black penetrating eyes, a large but correct nose, belonging to his nation, a sad and cold smile that always wandered on his lips - all this seemed to agree in order to give him the appearance of a special being, unable to share thoughts and passions with those whom fate gave him as comrades. He was brave, spoke little, but sharply; he didn’t trust his spiritual and family secrets to anyone; He drank almost no wine at all; he never pursued young Cossack girls, whose beauty is difficult to achieve without seeing them. They said, however, that the colonel's wife was partial to his expressive eyes; but he was seriously angry when it was hinted at. There was only one passion that he did not hide: the passion for the game. At the green table he forgot everything and usually lost; but constant failures only irritated his stubbornness. They said that once, during the expedition, at night, he threw a bank on his pillow, he was terribly lucky. Suddenly shots rang out, the alarm sounded, everyone jumped up and rushed to their weapons. “Go all in!” - Vulich shouted, without getting up, to one of the hottest punters. “Seven is coming,” he answered, running away. Despite the general turmoil, Vulich threw a tally, the card was given. When he arrived at the chain, there was already a heavy firefight. Vulich did not care about bullets or Chechen sabers: he was looking for his lucky punter. Seven given! he shouted, finally seeing him in the chain of skirmishers who were beginning to push the enemy out of the forest, and, coming closer, he took out his purse and wallet and gave them to the lucky one, despite objections about the inappropriateness of the payment. Having fulfilled this unpleasant duty, he rushed forward, dragged the soldiers along with him and, until the very end of the matter, exchanged fire with the Chechens in cold blood. When Lieutenant Vulich approached the table, everyone fell silent, expecting some original trick from him. Gentlemen! he said (his voice was calm, although in a lower tone than usual), gentlemen! Why empty disputes? You want proof: I suggest you try on yourself whether a person can arbitrarily dispose of his life, or whether each of us has been assigned in advance fatal moment...Whoever? Not for me, not for me! was heard from all sides, what an eccentric! will come to mind!.. I offer a bet! I said jokingly. Which one? “I affirm that there is no predestination,” I said, pouring out about two dozen ducats onto the table, everything that was in my pocket. “I hold it,” Vulich answered in a dull voice. Major, you will be the judge; here are fifteen ducats, you owe me the remaining five, and be kind to me and add them to these. “Okay,” said the major, “I just don’t understand, really, what’s the matter and how will you resolve the dispute?.. Vulich walked out silently into the major's bedroom; we followed him. He walked up to the wall on which the weapons hung, and at random took one of the different-caliber pistols from a nail; We didn’t understand it yet; but when he cocked the trigger and poured gunpowder onto the shelf, many, involuntarily screaming, grabbed his hands. What do you want to do? Listen, this is crazy! They shouted to him. Gentlemen! he said slowly, freeing his hands, who wants to pay twenty ducats for me? Everyone fell silent and walked away. Vulich went into another room and sat down at the table; everyone followed him: he motioned for us to sit in a circle. We silently obeyed him: at that moment he acquired some kind of mysterious power over us. I looked into his eyes intently; but he met my searching gaze with a calm and motionless gaze, and his pale lips smiled; but, despite his composure, it seemed to me that I read the mark of death on his pale face. I have noticed, and many old warriors have confirmed my observation, that often on the face of a person who is to die in a few hours there is some strange imprint of inevitable fate, so that it is difficult for accustomed eyes to make a mistake. You will die today! I told him. He quickly turned to me, but answered slowly and calmly: Maybe yes, maybe no... Then, turning to the major, he asked: is the gun loaded? The major, confused, did not remember well. Come on, Vulich! someone shouted, it’s probably loaded, if it’s hanging in your head, what kind of desire to joke!.. Stupid joke! picked up by another. I bet fifty rubles against five that the gun is not loaded! The third one shouted. New bets were made. I'm tired of this long ceremony. “Listen,” I said, “either shoot yourself, or hang up the pistol in its original place, and let’s go to sleep.” “Of course,” many exclaimed, “let’s go to bed.” Gentlemen, I ask you not to move! said Vulich, putting the muzzle of a pistol to his forehead. Everyone seemed to have turned to stone. “Mr. Pechorin,” he added, “take the card and throw it up. I took from the table, as I now remember, the ace of hearts and threw it up: everyone’s breathing stopped; all eyes, expressing fear and some vague curiosity, ran from the pistol to the fatal ace, which, trembling in the air, descended slowly; the minute he touched the table, Vulich pulled the trigger... misfire! Thank God! many cried out, not charged... “We’ll see, however,” said Vulich. He cocked the hammer again and took aim at the cap hanging over the window; a shot rang out and smoke filled the room. When it dissipated, they took off their cap: it was pierced in the very middle and the bullet was deeply embedded in the wall. For three minutes no one could utter a word. Vulich poured my ducats into his wallet. There were rumors about why the pistol did not fire the first time; others argued that the shelf was probably clogged, others said in a whisper that before the gunpowder was damp and that after Vulich sprinkled it with fresh; but I argued that the latter assumption was unjust, because I had my eye on the pistol all the time. “You are happy in the game,” I said to Vulich... “For the first time in my life,” he answered, smiling smugly, “it’s better than a bank and a stoss.” But a little more dangerous. What? have you started to believe in predestination? I believe; I just don’t understand now why it seemed to me that you must certainly die today... This same man, who had so recently been calmly aiming at himself, now suddenly flushed and became embarrassed. But enough is enough! he said, getting up, our bet is over, and now your comments, it seems to me, are inappropriate... He took his hat and left. This seemed strange to me and not without reason!.. Soon everyone went home, talking differently about Vulich’s quirks and, probably, unanimously calling me an egoist, because I bet against a man who wanted to shoot himself; as if he couldn’t find an opportunity without me!.. I returned home through the empty alleys of the village; the moon, full and red, like the glow of a fire, began to appear from behind the jagged horizon of houses; the stars calmly shone on the dark blue vault, and I felt funny when I remembered that there were once wise people who thought that the heavenly bodies took part in our insignificant disputes over a piece of land or for some fictitious rights!.. And what? and? these lamps, lit, in their opinion, only to illuminate their battles and triumphs, burn with their former brilliance, and their passions and hopes have long ago died out with them, like a light lit at the edge of the forest by a careless wanderer! But what strength of will was given to them by the confidence that the whole sky with its countless inhabitants was looking at them with participation, albeit mute, but unchanging!.. And we, their pitiful descendants, wandering the earth without convictions and pride, without pleasure and fear, Apart from that involuntary fear that squeezes the heart at the thought of the inevitable end, we are no longer capable of great sacrifices, either for the good of humanity, or even for our own happiness, therefore we know its impossibility and indifferently move from doubt to doubt, as our ancestors rushed from one error to another, having, like them, neither hope, nor even that vague, although true, pleasure that the soul encounters in every struggle with people or fate... And many other similar thoughts passed through my mind; I didn’t hold them back because I don’t like to dwell on some abstract thought. And what does this lead to?.. In my first youth I was a dreamer, I loved to caress alternately gloomy and rosy images that my restless and greedy imagination painted for me. But what does this leave me with? only fatigue, as after a night battle with a ghost, and a vague memory filled with regrets. In this vain struggle I exhausted both the heat of my soul and the constancy of will necessary for real life; I entered this life having already experienced it mentally, and I felt bored and disgusted, like someone who reads a bad imitation of a book he has long known. The incident of this evening made a rather deep impression on me and irritated my nerves; I don’t know for sure whether I now believe in predestination or not, but that evening I firmly believed in it: the proof was striking, and I, despite the fact that I laughed at our ancestors and their helpful astrology, unwittingly fell into their rut; but I stopped myself in time on this dangerous path and, having a rule not to reject anything decisively and not to trust anything blindly, I threw metaphysics aside and began to look at my feet. This precaution was very useful: I almost fell, bumping into something thick and soft, but apparently lifeless. I’m leaning over the moon has already shone directly on the road and so what? in front of me lay a pig, cut in half with a saber... I barely had time to examine it when I heard the sound of footsteps: two Cossacks were running from the alley, one came up to me and asked if I had seen a drunken Cossack who was chasing a pig. I announced to them that I had not met the Cossack, and pointed out the unfortunate victim of his furious courage. What a robber! said the second Cossack, as soon as he got drunk, he went off to crumble whatever he found. Let's go get him, Eremeich, we need to tie him up, otherwise... They left, and I continued on my way with greater caution and finally arrived happily at my apartment. I lived with an old policeman, whom I loved for his kind disposition, and especially for his pretty daughter Nastya. She, as usual, was waiting for me at the gate, wrapped in a fur coat; the moon illuminated her lovely lips, blue from the night cold. Recognizing me, she smiled, but I had no time for her. “Goodbye, Nastya,” I said, passing by. She wanted to answer something, but just sighed. I closed the door of my room behind me, lit the candle and threw myself on the bed; only the dream this time made itself wait more than usual. The east was already beginning to turn pale when I fell asleep, but apparently it was written in heaven that I would not get enough sleep that night. At four o'clock in the morning two fists knocked on my window. I jumped up: what is it?.. “Get up, get dressed!” several voices shouted to me. I quickly got dressed and went out. “Do you know what happened?” the three officers who came after me told me in one voice; they were pale as death. What? Vulich was killed. I was dumbfounded. “Yes, he was killed,” they continued, “let’s go quickly.” But where? Dear, you will find out. We are going. They told me everything that happened, with an admixture of various remarks about the strange predestination that saved him from certain death half an hour before his death. Vulich was walking alone along a dark street: a drunken Cossack ran into him, chopped up a pig, and perhaps would have passed by without noticing him, if Vulich, suddenly stopping, said: “Who are you, brother, looking for?” You!“ the Cossack answered, hitting him with a saber, and cut him from the shoulder almost to the heart... Two Cossacks who met me and were watching the killer arrived in time, raised the wounded man, but he was already at his last breath and said only two words: “He right! I alone understood the dark meaning of these words: they referred to me; I unwittingly predicted the poor man’s fate; my instinct did not deceive me: I definitely read on his changed face the mark of his imminent death. The killer locked himself in an empty hut at the end of the village. We were going there. Many women ran crying in the same direction; From time to time, a late Cossack would jump out into the street, hastily fastening his dagger, and run ahead of us. The turmoil was terrible. Finally we have arrived; we look: there is a crowd around the hut, the doors and shutters of which are locked from the inside. The officers and Cossacks are arguing heatedly among themselves: the women are howling, condemning and lamenting. Among them, the significant face of an old woman caught my eye, expressing insane despair. She was sitting on a thick log, leaning her elbows on her knees and supporting her head with her hands: she was the mother of the murderer. Her lips moved from time to time: were they whispering a prayer or a curse? Meanwhile, it was necessary to decide on something and capture the criminal. No one, however, dared to rush in first. I went up to the window and looked through the crack in the shutter: pale, he was lying on the floor, holding a right hand gun; a bloody saber lay next to him. His expressive eyes rolled around terribly; sometimes he shuddered and grabbed his head, as if vaguely remembering yesterday. I did not read much determination in this restless look and told the major that it was in vain that he did not order the Cossacks to break down the door and rush in there, because it was better to do it now than later, when he completely came to his senses. At this time, the old captain came to the door and called him by name; he responded. “I’ve sinned, brother Efimych,” said the captain, “there’s nothing to do, submit!” I will not submit! - answered the Cossack. Fear God. After all, you are not a cursed Chechen, but an honest Christian; Well, if your sin has entangled you, there is nothing to do: you will not escape your fate! I will not submit! The Cossack shouted menacingly, and you could hear the cocked trigger click. Hey, auntie! “Esaul said to the old woman, “Tell your son, maybe he’ll listen to you... After all, this is only to anger God.” Look, the gentlemen have been waiting for two hours already. The old woman looked at him intently and shook her head. “Vasily Petrovich,” said the captain, approaching the major, “he will not give up,” I know him. And if the door is broken, many of our people will be killed. Would you rather order him to be shot? There is a wide gap in the shutter. At that moment a strange thought flashed through my head: like Vulich, I decided to tempt fate. “Wait,” I told the major, I’ll take him alive. Ordering the captain to start a conversation with him and placing three Cossacks at the door, ready to knock it out and rush to my aid at this sign, I walked around the hut and approached the fatal window. My heart was beating fast. Oh, you damned one! - shouted the captain, - are you laughing at us, or what? Do you think that you and I can’t cope? He began to knock on the door with all his might, I, putting my eye to the crack, followed the movements of the Cossack, who was not expecting an attack from this side, and suddenly he tore off the shutter and threw himself head down through the window. The shot rang out right next to my ear, and the bullet tore off my epaulette. But the smoke that filled the room prevented my opponent from finding the checker lying near him. I grabbed his hands; The Cossacks burst in, and less than three minutes later the criminal was already tied up and taken away under escort. The people dispersed. The officers congratulated me - that’s right! After all this, how can one not become a fatalist? But who knows for sure whether he is convinced of something or not?.. and how often do we mistake for a belief a deception of feelings or a blunder of reason!.. I like to doubt everything: this disposition of mind does not interfere with the decisiveness of my character; on the contrary, as for me, I always move forward more boldly when I do not know what awaits me. After all worse than death nothing will happen and you can’t escape death! Returning to the fortress, I told Maxim Maksimych everything that happened to me and what I witnessed, and wanted to know his opinion about predestination. At first he did not understand this word, but I explained it as best I could, and then he said, shaking his head significantly: Yes, sir! Of course, sir! This is a rather tricky thing!.. However, these Asian triggers often misfire if they are poorly lubricated or if you do not press firmly enough with your finger; I admit, I also don’t like Circassian rifles; they are somehow indecent for our brother: the butt is small, and just look at it, it will burn your nose... But they have checkers just my respect! Then he said, after thinking for a while: Yes, it’s a pity for the poor guy... The devil dared him to talk to a drunk at night!.. However, apparently, it was written in his family... I couldn’t get anything more out of him: he doesn’t like metaphysical debates at all.What is fatalism? This is a belief in predestination life events. The principle at work here is that what will happen cannot be avoided. Fate cannot be changed, and its natural course is written down in the heavenly office until the last minute. Therefore, there is no point in changing anything or taking any security measures, since this will not help anyway. If a person is destined to drown, then he will not burn or be killed on the battlefield. People who believe in the inevitability of future events and exclude free choice are called fatalists.
Fatalism in history is a fairly common phenomenon. A lot is known outstanding personalities who deeply believed in the inviolability and immutability life path. Therefore, very often, receiving alarming signals about impending assassination attempts, they did not take any measures to protect themselves. This is not called stupidity, but a deep conviction in one’s chosenness and faith in a lucky star, which protects from all hardships and misfortunes so that the chosen one fulfills his highest mission on Earth.
Assassination of Julius Caesar by conspirators
Gaius Julius Caesar
Outstanding commander and politician Ancient Rome Guy Julius Caesar was one of the fatalists. He was killed by a group of conspirators on March 15, 44 BC. uh, but before that he was repeatedly warned about the danger. The famous soothsayer Vestricius Spurinna strongly advised him to be careful in March.
On the morning of March 15, the 3rd wife, Calpurnia Pizonis, begged her husband in every possible way not to go to the Roman Forum that day. She stated that she had a bad dream in which Caesar was killed by several men. But the husband refused to stay at home. Moreover, he did not surround himself with security and found himself alone against several dozen conspirators. They stabbed the dictator with knives, and the reason for this was the belief in their chosenness and lucky star.
On March 29, 1792, at the age of 46, King Gustav III of Sweden died absurdly. He, like Caesar, believed in his exclusivity and chosenness. Therefore, when on March 16 of the mentioned year I received an anonymous letter warning about an impending assassination attempt, I ignored it. On this day, a masquerade ball was held at the Royal Opera. The crowned lady arrived there at about 11 p.m.
The guards, who knew about the letter, strongly recommended that the king not appear in the hall where the dances were taking place. But the autocrat refused to take reasonable advice. He put on a masquerade costume, which included a mask, but hung a St. cross on top. Seraphim. Only members of the royal family could wear it. Thus, recognizing the autocrat was not difficult.
King Gustav III of Sweden
It was by this cross that the king was identified by the guards captain Jacob Anckarström. He approached Gustav III from behind and pulled out a pistol from under his fancy dress. At this moment, the autocrat turned sharply, as if sensing something. The conspirator's hand trembled. The bullet, instead of hitting the heart, entered the leg. But almost no one heard the shot, as the music was playing loudly.
The wounded king was immediately taken from the hall, transported to the palace and doctors were invited. They examined the wound and stated that there was nothing serious. But the matter was complicated by the fact that Ankarström loaded his pistol with shot and chopped rusty nails. Therefore, an infection got into the wound, and blood poisoning began. On March 29, 13 days after the masquerade, the King of Sweden died.
Roman Fedorovich Ungern
You can also consider fatalism in history using the example of Baron Ungern. This man was distinguished by amazing courage. He rushed to attack enemy machine guns and did not receive a single wound. Some unknown force protected him in the bloodiest battles. After one of the battles, traces of many bullets were found in the saddle, boots and horse harness. The horse was wounded, but the baron did not receive a scratch. It is quite natural that Roman Fedorovich believed in his exclusivity. At the same time, he wanted to know what his fateful path was, and therefore he turned to Eastern predictors.
One of the soothsayers took a lamb shoulder, examined it carefully and said that the dashing general had 130 days to live. The same period was given by 2 Mongolian monks, who also told fortunes on the bones.
The main fighter against Soviet power in Far East considered this number extremely unlucky. After all, it was the number 13 multiplied by 10. The Baron fervently believed in the prediction, but at the same time realized that until the fatal deadline arrived, nothing threatened him.
Baron Ungern in captivity
The fearless general liberated Mongolia from the Chinese invaders, and then turned his attention to long-suffering Russia. He set himself the goal of overthrowing Soviet power and reviving the monarchy. But the baron had very few forces compared to the Red Army. Therefore, he was defeated by the Bolshevik troops, while showing miracles of heroism.
The retreat caused discord in Ungern's army. A conspiracy arose against the fearless general. The officers tried to shoot him right in the field tent. But although many bullets were fired at the baron, none of them reached the target. However, luck had already turned against the gallant general. Soon he was betrayed by the Mongols, and captivity became the ultimate bad luck. Roman Fedorovich ended up with the Reds. He posed a terrible danger to them.
The captured baron was transported to Novonikolaevsk (now Novosibirsk). On August 26, 1921, a telegram arrived from Lenin. He demanded that Ungern be tried as quickly as possible and shot if his guilt was proven. On September 15, 1921, exactly 130 days after the prediction, a court hearing took place. The baron was sentenced to death and the sentence was immediately carried out. At that time, Roman Fedorovich was 35 years old.
Theodore Van Gogh
Fatalism in history is still relevant today. Here you can name the Dutch film director Theodore Van Gogh. He created a 10-minute film "Submission". It criticized Islam's attitude towards women. This caused discontent among a number of people holding radical views. Threats began to be received against the film director. The police offered Theodore protection. However, he refused, citing the fatality of fate.
The tragedy happened on November 2, 2004 in Amsterdam. The film director was riding his bike to work. Another cyclist caught up with him and opened fire. To the creator scandalous video 8 bullets were fired. The attacker then slit the bleeding Theodore's throat and stabbed him several times in the chest. The killer turned out to be Mohammed Bouyeri, a Moroccan by birth.
Fatalists in most cases are themselves to blame for the tragic end. But there's nothing you can do about it. If a person has formed certain views, then it is almost impossible to convince him. Hence the sad outcome, which is a consequence of human stubbornness and unwillingness to understand the obvious. But the predetermination of fate has nothing to do with it at all.