Did you ever run to school or work and missed all the buses and subways and arrived late? (I did...) Coincidence - great way to explain yourself out of the situation.
Did you know people who lost their jobs, family and health in the same time? Poor guy - coincidence.
While another suddenly got an extremely good job offer and found the mate of his life? He was just lucky - coincidence...
coincidence= the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection; also: any of these occurrences (Merriam-Websters)
In a video, I heard a few words by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz on this subject: "Belief in coincidence is neither scientific, nor religious. From a scientific standpoint, there is scientific determinism. Well, from a religious standpoint, there are things that are done which have an influence on the outcome. Coincidence is a way in which people trying escape bearing any responsibility"
He was commenting on an instance when in Israel there was a very long period of drought and people went to the Wailing Wall and prayed for rain - and voila, soon there it came.
(This quick thought just occurred to me now: there are so many people who are talking in a degrading way about religions, because "religion is not scientific", they say - but in this case, where was Almighty Science to bring waters from the sky that was so much needed? A humble question on the side note.)
Science and religion both have their values and uses, and they are great when they can give practical solutions to problems.
So what now with coincidence? Is there such a thing? What to do with it?
The above mentioned determinism is very much discussed throughout many fields of science: physics, biology, mathematics, and in philosophy etc. Let's let the scientists dispute it further, until they come up with answers that are really usable for everybody, even for the housewife and the bus driver. For any knowledge is only as good as it can be applied. In physics for example, determinism do have certain practical applications: if you are familiar with the related natural laws, you know why it will be much easier to glide downhill with your bike than push it uphill.
However, the definition of determinism used here implies that in certain situations one can't do anything, because everything has to go according the natural laws.
The only problem with this is that it puts one in an effect position and from that, you really can't and will not do anything to change things in life for the better.
"Yes, when one is over fifty, one puts on a lot of extra weight, that's the way it is."
"I have to bear with my husband's drinking, because men are like that."
"I could get a super good job, if the government didn't mess up this country."
"January is always the worst month, we never make any money."
And so on, this is how determinism reflects in everyday life. (Don't mix this definition with another one, where determinism = the quality or state of being determined, that is not what we are talking about now.)
That much about that. Let's take the religious standpoint Rabbi Steinsaltz mentioned: isn't it more practical? You have a difficult situation, problem - you can always do something about it!
Your 15-year-old kid is revolting continuously and you are not able to handle him? Instead of saying "Everybody knows that teenagers are like that", learn more about how to raise children, what is their mindset, how to communicate with them.
You always feel down when being in the near of a certain type of people? Instead of saying "They are just so stupid", learn about how to deal with such persons.
Your company has been hit very hard by the economy crisis? Instead of giving up and saying "Well, there is a crisis everywhere, of course we can't sell" and considering going bankrupt, burn the midnight oil and find more, new ways of promoting and selling your products.
I give this again from the Rabbi: "there are things that are done which have an influence on the outcome."
You can be cause and you don't even have to be religious for that.
How do you like this idea and how can you apply it to your life?
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Andrea Gerak
Photo: Niklas Sjöblom
About Andrea's Survival Guide
www.andreagerak.com
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