Choice, Chance, and Fate

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. -William Jennings Bryan

The theory of existing parallel universe(s) is often linked with the idea that each choice we make in our lives transports us from our current universe to a new one instantly. Ergo it is believed that our future opportunities, fate, and choices are altered each time we choose and enter into the universe corresponding to the consequences of our decision. There are infinite possibilities and when we decide, we are capable of controlling (to an extent) the outcomes of a situation. The bigger question, however, is to what extent do our choices change our fate? And how much control do we have over the outcomes and consequences of our choices? How much of our future and fate is determined by chance and how much by choice? If I wake up one morning and opt to wear a black shirt in lieu of a blue shirt, and it takes me four seconds longer to put on the former, would those four seconds have been used for something else (significant) in a parallel or alternate universe? There are those who would think so. I happen to believe in a less extreme theory. I don’t think that the color of a shirt or the song we choose to listen to on the way to class has a substantial impact on our entire lives. I do, however, find the existence of parallel universes fathomable relative to big decisions such as choosing or denying a school, career, relationship, or residence. There is never only one possibility for anything. If the outcome of a choice or decision is perceivable, then certainly it can exist somewhere else. Whether that somewhere else is only hypothetical or tangible, we may never know. We can’t be aware of ourselves in two universes at once, but can we exist in multiple universes without being aware of it? Or do we exist solely in one universe and travel to another via choices? And how do we explain relationships with other people? If we are constantly changing universes and opening up new chances, choices, and destinies for ourselves, are our friends and family the friends and family whose choices coincide with our own and thus bring them to the same dimension, or do we bring the idea of them with us? Are there are more questions than explanations in this entry? Yes, but it only seems fitting in a world of choices, chance, and fate. I chose to ponder with a microscopic chance of arriving at a finite answer (as is all philosophical thinking) and as fate would have it, I end this entry where it began: the theory of existing parallel universe(s) is often linked with the idea that each choice we make in our lives transports us from our current universe to a new one instantly. Take me where you must…I choose to post this blog.