song for theme #11A: Fatalism

“Fatalism” by Stephen P. Cook

to be sung to the tune of “Lodi”  by John Fogerty/Credence Clearwater Revival

Many many years ago

A notion in my head

I was powerless—God’s will

I couldn’t put it to bed

I don’t control my own life

This was planted in my brain

Oh Lord, got this fatalism

And pain

Often I hear people

Meekly accept poverty¹

Saying don’t question God’s plan

You know it’s meant to be

Hard work doesn’t matter

I’m resigned to my fate

Oh Lord, got this fatalism

Sad state

If I got reality cash²

Whenever someone said to me

This bad thing that happened,

You know it was meant to be

I’d get on that free will train

Ride ‘til my head got clear

Oh Lord, got this fatalism

Up here

[vocalist smiles and to points to brain]

SONG—NOTES / COMMENTS

1—There appears to be a link between the prevalence of belief in fatalism and living in poverty. It has been suggested that some

      poor people become resigned to their poverty and feel that no matter what they do, since they were destined to be poor, they

      can’t escape it.  An important realization, of many who have worked with helping people get off government subsidized

      welfare programs, is that escaping welfare/poverty begins with taking personal responsibility.  This is consistent with believing

      people have free will and that confronting the issue of whether to take personal responsibility is unavoidable.  The crux of the

      problem: a poor person who is fatalistic may not relate very well to the concept of taking personal responsibility.

2— Reality cash is metaphorically what you spend in the Reality Marketplace–an imaginary place (made real on the Project

       Worldview website) where important ideas, beliefs, values, and worldview themes are bought/ sold.  (see Part IIIb)

Comment: this theme can have value as emotional armor.  Believing “things are meant to be” can absolve you of personal responsibility, and conceivably shield you from blame or the burden of guilt. More generally a belief that you’re destined (or fated) to do something can provide an important sort of inspiration to keep going when stressful obstacles intrude that defeat less motivated people.  The downside: believing that your destiny lies down a particular path can involve fantasy/wishful thinking that creates a gulf between your own experience and reality—a chasm that interferes with learning from feedback. (Also see the next comment, for theme #11B.)