Greetings, friends!
People have always wondered why certain things happen in their lives that they themselves often have no control over. They could not always understand the real reason for the event, but they always tried to find an explanation - such is human nature. It was thanks to this curiosity that many millennia ago the belief in fate and its inevitability was formed.
Later, this worldview became an integral part of most religions, because destiny is a simple, convenient and comprehensive explanation for any event that occurs, good or bad, fair or not. In modern literature, this worldview is called fatalism, and its adherents are called fatalists. Today we will talk in detail about who a fatalist is, and at the same time we will figure out what is good and what is bad about this belief system for an ordinary person.
Who is a fatalist?
A fatalist is a person who believes in the predestination of significant events and the inevitability of fate. Usually this is a religious or very superstitious person, relying on a higher power in everything. He believes that he can have only a small influence on what happens to him, and all important events in his life are destined by fate. Fatalists believe in predictions, prophecies and omens, and tend to see the influence of fate (fate) in everything.
Belief in fate appeared at the dawn of human civilization, when the first religions arose. People liked to believe in divine predestination. And this belief has not weakened for thousands of years, despite the rapid development of society, enlightenment and scientific and technological progress. Even today, most people continue to share this worldview, believing that their lives are predetermined and that they themselves can influence only minor everyday events.
The most famous literary character associated with the word “fatalist” is, of course, Grigory Pechorin, a key character in the novel “A Hero of Our Time” by Mikhail Lermontov. He is arrogant, cynical and cold-blooded, often demonstrating courage and calmly risking his life because he believes that everyone will die only when they are destined to.
From a psychological point of view, fatalism can have a beneficial effect on the psyche, mitigating the stress of experienced troubles. It is very difficult for a person to admit mistakes that led to significant losses. But if he believes that the trouble that happened was prepared by fate, it is much easier for him to come to terms with it.
"Fatum" is fate
Indeed, from the Latin “fatum” is fate. Therefore, you can easily establish that fatal is:
- Destined by fate. Something mysterious, fatally determining a person’s life.
- Something that suggests tragedy, perhaps death.
But don’t be afraid, most often we are not talking about death, but rather about predestination. For example, you can hear from commentators at team sports matches: “This mistake by the goalkeeper turned out to be fatal for the team.” After all, the audience understands: the goalkeeper did not cause a fatal illness for all his teammates, and they did not die after the match. In this case, the goalkeeper's mistake is fatal, because it predetermined the result of the match and turned out to be fateful. “Fatal” is something that cannot have a happy ending.
Signs of a Fatalist
To better understand who a fatalist is, let's consider his most typical traits. As we have already found out, he completely relies on fate. This can manifest itself in different ways, but most often it is characterized by the following behavioral features:
1. Denial of responsibility
. A fatalist is a person who believes that he has virtually no influence on his own destiny, and any significant events occur in his life only because it was destined to be so.
2. Belief in fortune telling and omens
. People have always been worried about their future, so thousands of signs were invented, and such a craft as fortune telling spread throughout the world.
3. Pessimism
. Fatalists are more likely to believe in negative scenarios than positive ones, and are more often than not pessimists.
4. Lack of self-confidence
. If a person does not believe that he is able to influence his destiny, he develops the belief that little depends on him at all.
5. Disbelief in random events
. A fatalist does not believe in accidents. If an event is predetermined, it must happen. And if something unlikely happened, it was only because it had to happen.
When did voluntarism appear?
We figured out what voluntarism is, when did this phenomenon appear? In fact, such strong-willed behavior is inherent in human nature from the very beginning, and this trait was especially clearly manifested among leaders of different times. But the first hints in literary sources appeared during the time of St. Augustine.
This idea was formulated more specifically and vividly by Schopenhauer, already in the 19th century. He even devoted an entire philosophical work to this topic entitled “The World as Will and Representation.”
It was he who expressed the idea that human will is primary and capable of controlling the mind. Some time later, when voluntarism arose, F. Nietzsche was imbued with its spirit. He created an entire philosophy of his own, based on biological voluntarism. He believed that the natural need necessary for survival in society turns into the desire to have power over others.
Pros and cons of a fatalist
Based on the above, you may get the impression that being a fatalist is bad. However, people with this type of thinking also have quite pronounced advantages that greatly simplify their lives. The main advantage is that their psyche is not burdened with worries about their own mistakes. He immediately shifts responsibility for all failures to some external forces, and perceives all positive events with gratitude.
In contrast to this advantage, three significant disadvantages of fatalists can be identified:
1. Tendency to give up quickly
. A fatalist does not believe that perseverance helps achieve a goal. Therefore, when faced with the first failure, he often immediately stops trying.
2. Poor preparation for important events
. A famous Latin proverb says: “Victory loves preparation” (Amat victoria curam). There are many examples in history when great and successful commanders lost wars, believing that they were protected by an influential deity, and all battles would certainly be successful.
3. Superstition
. This character trait creates a lot of problems for the fatalist himself and his loved ones. He can change plans and give up important things if he had a “prophetic dream” or a cat crossed the road. In addition, fatalists often become victims of scammers who willingly take advantage of their superstitions.
What is voluntarism?
Let's start with what voluntarism is in simple words. This is a very stubborn and unyielding desire for one’s goal, the desire to certainly achieve what one wants, even if it seems impossible. A person stubbornly goes towards achieving a dream, without taking into account the objective factors that are an obstacle on the way.
For example, Valentin Dikul at one time showed psychological voluntarism, striving to get back on his feet, despite the worst and most hopeless forecasts from doctors. And he achieved his goal thanks to voluntarism, not otherwise.
Voluntarism is, in simple words, the desire to control and manage a situation under any circumstances. This reinforces the very origin of the term voluntarism (meaning the word will, from the Latin “voluntas”).
This concept came into use quite a long time ago, back in the 19th century, or more precisely, in 1883. Ferdinand Tönnies, a sociologist from Germany, was the first to use it.
He suggested that the energy of human will can lead to the emergence of stable social groups (in this case, we mean communities of people). That is, one person can gather around himself a group of people whom he can subordinate to his goals.
Why do people become fatalists?
If you correctly understand who a fatalist is, then it is already obvious to you that fatalism is not in the genes. This worldview is formed in a person in the process of upbringing, growing up and gaining certain life experiences. Most often, the reasons for the formation of fatalism are factors such as:
1. Beliefs ingrained in childhood
. Any child is inclined to take on faith what adults say. Often the beliefs laid down by parents, educators or teachers persist into adulthood. Therefore, children of superstitious or religious parents often become fatalists when they grow up.
2. Overprotection from parents
. Such parenting tactics almost always lead to the child growing up irresponsible. It is difficult for him to accept that responsibility for his own life lies with him. It’s better to attribute your mistakes to fate (read more about overprotection in this article).
3. Low self-esteem
. A person who does not believe in his own strengths tends to rely on fate and blame circumstances for his own failures.
4. Negative events
. Severe stress can break a person and make him weak-willed. And if a person does not believe in himself, he also relies entirely on fate.
5. Events that a person perceives as a “miracle”
. As mentioned above, people sometimes face serious troubles. But all troubles end one day, and at such a moment a person may form the conviction that some higher powers are protecting him.
The author's fateful mistake
Jack London is an eternal author, that is, he will be read as long as the English language and people capable of translating from it exist, but he also made a mistake that cost his hero dearly. The astute reader will understand what is at stake. Jack London believed: the most important thing in life is love, and when a person is deprived of love, then he has no reason to live. Martin Eden became a victim of precisely this attitude. And this quite fits the definition of “fatal mistake” - this is what predetermined the fate of the hero, played a cruel joke on him. Jack London's system-forming belief about love devalued Martin Eden's entire struggle for the right to be himself.
The origin and history of fatalism
Above, we considered fatalism mainly as an individual worldview, formed in a person under the influence of certain circumstances. But fatalism is a belief system that has existed and developed over many centuries. It is generally believed to have originated in Ancient Rome, a civilization with an elaborate and well-structured polytheistic religion.
Fatum in ancient Roman mythology was the personification of fate. The ancient Romans believed that the fate of a person was determined by special deities - Veils. Ancient Greek mythology also described deities responsible for the fate of people - Moira. Other ancient religions also placed great emphasis on fate, prophecy, and destiny. But it was the Romans and Greeks who were the first to identify fatalism as a separate belief system.
All modern religions have the concept of retribution for good and bad deeds. This is also a type of fatalism, since the essence of such beliefs is that a person’s future is determined in advance, and having committed certain actions, he will no longer be able to avoid retribution. In addition, almost all religions describe the “End of the World” in great detail. It is interesting that most religions have a negative attitude towards everyday prophecies and fortune-telling (and perhaps for good reason).
All kinds of soothsayers, fortune tellers and astrologers skillfully exploit the tendency of most people towards fatalism. And a completely modern person with a good education can order an individual horoscope, believing that the movement of Jupiter somehow predetermines his fate. And the reason is not that he is not able to think rationally. For him, this is an excellent opportunity to shift responsibility for his own life to fate and not waste emotional energy on doubts and worries.
What is fatalism in philosophy?
There are at least three types of fatalism:
1. Religious. This is the worldview of those who believe that the destinies of all people are determined by God.
2. Logical. This is an ancient philosophical doctrine that asserts that everything in the world is not random, and all events have cause-and-effect relationships.
3. Pessimistic. It is typical for moments when a person is in a difficult psychological state - stress, despair, aggression, and the like. In such cases, people often blame anyone for their problems (the weather, circumstances, people around them) and believe that everything that happens is the machinations of “villainous fate.”
Fatalism in philosophy is a movement about the subordination of man to his “omnipotent” fate, about the laws of social history, about the predetermination of harmony and elementality. In relation to a person, logic in fatalism in this case is considered as an external manifestation of natural changes, social patterns or supernatural forces. Such fatalism is, in simple words, similar to the expression: “if you are destined to be hanged, you will not drown.”
Some philosophical movements call fatalism a lazy (not convincing) argument when determining the attitude to what is happening.
Examples of voluntarism
To understand who a voluntarist is, let's dive into history. Emperor Caligula is usually used as a prime example. The head of the Roman Empire, a cruel and despotic ruler, was capable of demonstrating this trait of his character. He wanted to be considered a god and therefore tried to change the economic laws of the empire, contrary to common sense.
A lover of luxury and considering the state treasury to be his own wallet, in a short time he managed to ruin the once prosperous state. The most amazing thing he did characterizes him as a person divorced from reality and floating in his fantasies. Not only did he imagine himself to be a god, but he also came up with a completely “magical” way to restore the economy.
He ordered the shells to be collected and used instead of coins. Of course, this idea was not successful, because the shells were of no value, unlike real money. The Romans did not support this idea and the emperor’s idea was expected to fail.
Khrushchev's voluntarism
Another example of political voluntarism is the strategy of N. Khrushchev. He was so passionate about the idea of agriculture that he took steps that made him question his common sense.
Of course, such a policy bore fruit, the development of virgin lands was of great importance for the country, but his other instructions were completely insane. For example, the desire to sow all fields with corn or cultivate southern crops in northern latitudes, turn back rivers and demolish mountains clearly illustrate his inexorable willful desire to change the world for himself.
Voluntarism in the film “Prisoner of the Caucasus”
What is voluntarism in Captive of the Caucasus? In fact, Nikulin’s hero, pronouncing this word, has no idea what it means. The reaction of the other participants only fuels the interest of the audience and creates intrigue.
Voluntarism from Prisoner of the Caucasus is a popular expression that took on an independent life after the film was released. In fact, there is subtle humor about politics hidden in the scene. What's funny about this phrase? It turns out that the film was released in theaters in the late sixties. It was then that the Khrushchev era ended and the Brezhnev era began. As is always customary in our country, the new government criticizes the outgoing one.
Khrushchev condemned Stalin for the “Cult of Personality,” and Nikita Sergeevich himself was later ridiculed for economic voluntarism. He expressed himself in two well-known phrases: “Develop virgin soil” and “Grow corn throughout the entire country.”
The persistent politician did not take into account the economic feasibility of his aspirations, being guided by ambitions and dreams. Actually, voluntarism has the same meaning in the Caucasus as throughout the world, it just became so popular thanks to the vivid images and excellent acting in the film “Prisoner of the Caucasus.”
Voluntarism in politics
The most common form of voluntarism in politics is when officials and other figures in power consider achieving personal goals a priority. They neglect the interests of the people who brought them to power and ignore the needs of the people. Such individuals, divorced from reality, prefer not to notice the real political picture.
They are compared to spoiled children who avoid responsibility and become overly interested in their toys.
Often minor officials are guilty of this, so their actions go unnoticed. A supporter of voluntarism can do enormous harm, especially if he is a supporter of bureaucracy and is not able to master at least the basics of political culture.
Khrushchev's voluntarism is so highlighted in history precisely because he was a key figure and the fate of the whole country depended on him. Although many of his ideas were sound and are still bearing fruit, some innovations, divorced from reality and existing only in his ambitious fantasies, absorbed resources without bringing the expected fruits.
Khrushchev's voluntarism found its place in world history and became a source of political jokes. And one such example is the film “Prisoner of the Caucasus” with its veiled political humor.
Economic voluntarism
In this case, we are talking about behavior that contradicts existing economic rules and requirements. In this case, there is either denial or ignoring of the problems that grow due to such behavior. The result of this phenomenon is a slowdown in economic development and the emergence of crisis situations. Voluntarism in economics is closely related to politics, because both of these spheres exist parallel to each other.
An example of such activity is the same Khrushchev. Sowing vast territories with agricultural crops that were not adapted to natural conditions was doomed to failure. At the same time, enormous economic resources were used in the form of peasant labor, technology and transport deliveries of new crops to remote regions.
Caligula also showed himself as a person who was unable to choose the right strategy for the development of the economy of the Roman Empire. It is impossible to simply collect shells from the coast and use them as a means of payment. This is clear even to a child, because money in any form must have its own value. What value are shellfish if they don't even have pearls? Of course, zero. This is exactly what economic voluntarism looks like in historical examples.
Voluntarism in psychology
Although it sounds unexpected, there is voluntarism in psychology; it is an important human ability that is responsible for self-organization. In this case, this character trait appeared in us as a result of evolution and became another important tool for survival. It allows you to fight and overcome life's hardships. A person is able to start life over with a new leaf precisely when he has a tendency towards psychological voluntarism.
The main factor of success in this case is the desire for self-development and the desire to move forward. This means that pronounced willpower works for the high organization of our thinking, helping to find inner strength. Voluntarism is inherent in mentally healthy, strong-willed individuals, only it manifests itself on the scale of one life, and not of an entire nation.
Voluntarism in philosophy
There is still no single definition of what voluntarism is in philosophy at the moment. Each era has had its own proponent of this idea and put forward a personal formulation. In the Middle Ages, this idea was an illustration of God's will as the driving force of existence. However, followers of the idea agreed on some formulations, highlighting two directions:
1. Will is more important than reason. Because it is energy, it underlies everything that exists. This idea was adhered to by such representatives of voluntarism in philosophy as Nietzsche, Schopenhauer and Schelling. 2. Reason is more important than will. The most concise formulation of this postulate belongs to Cicero. He gave the following definition as “reasonable desire”. It is this interpretation that is most in demand in our time.
