You reap what you sow, or Karma?

[Edbear]

When people talk about Karma it is almost invariably referring to a bad person getting their comeuppance, either immediately or at a future time.

However it is also true in general life so that we all talk about personal responsibility and working hard to achieve our goals. At the same time we look at the lives of ourselves and of others and consider that if in a good place it is due to our hard work, diligence and learning but if in a bad place it is due to circumstances beyond our control. "It's not my fault."

How much of our success or failure is due to circumstance and how much is a result of reaping what we have sown? I believe that until we reach the age of understanding, adulthood or where we can make our own choices, we are products of circumstance but beyond that we can become whomever and whatever we wish to be. Some will be in a better state of circumstance than others but despite any disadvantages we can repair, recover and progress as we wish.

I think it would be interesting to see how everyone views their life and their current situation and to what extent they apportion their current state to circumstance or Karma.

I have no agenda in posting this beyond curiosity and learning about people.

[mashman]

I don't believe in Karma... I am a leaf on the wind unless I decide to be the wind.

[Maha]

I am what I am, and where I am today, because of my actions...Karma had nothing to do with it.

[Skiwi]

Unless you get off your ass and ride to the top of the mountain you dont ever get to see the view, conversely if you run with mongrels youre bound to get bit eventually.

In short IMHO it's a mixture, good and and bad shit happens all the time, whether your standing close enough to catch a whiff of it usually comes down to your choices leading up to that moment.

[tigertim20]

happiness is knowing that karma cant really get you.
you might not have a choice about what options you have, but you do get to choose which option you pick.
Two friends of mine argued this point once while on the piss.
one who disagreed asked,
'so youre telling me if you are tied to a chair, unable to move, and someones is pointing a loaded gun at your head, you have a choice as to whether you live or die?
the other lad replied 'no, Im saying you have a choice as to whether you close your eyes and die silently, or die scared and screaming, or looking the bastard in the eyes with contempt - you might not have great options, but you have options none the less'

Karma is BS - you are who, what and where you are because of the options you chose.

[Scuba_Steve]

to me reaping the sow & karma are effectively the same thing, just different words for it. Karma comes about because you have reaped what you sow.

[Zedder]

to me reaping the sow & karma are effectively the same thing, just different words for it. Karma comes about because you have reaped what you sow.

Or in other words, cause and effect.

[Edbear]

Karma is originally a Hindu belief but it has been Westernised and means similarly to reaping what you sow either for good or bad. If we are where we are through our own choices, that is Karma or reaping what we have sown.

"Time and unforeseen occurance," or circumstance, happens to us all and may be for better or worse and may be partly due to our choices at the time or completely out of the blue. We reach our goals depending on how we plan and how we respond to circumstance.

[blue rider]

or as the ladies said in my family,

what goes around comes around......

we are the sum of our actions, circumstances might help or hinder at the beginning, but eventually we are responsible for our actions.

what goes around comes around....

[James Deuce]

If karma is "real" then not only am I a despicable person, every person who believes in karma thinks the same of me.

If personal responsibility is the obverse of karma, then the same is true.

Life isn't black and white.

[Pussy]

Lie down with dogs, and you're sure to get fleas.

[Zedder]

If karma is "real" then not only am I a despicable person, every person who believes in karma thinks the same of me.

If personal responsibility is the obverse of karma, then the same is true.

Life isn't black and white.

Grammar Nazis' are despicable people though.

[Virago]

Grammar Nazis' are despicable people though.

Please remove that apostrophe.

[Nasty]

If karma is "real" then not only am I a despicable person, every person who believes in karma thinks the same of me.

If personal responsibility is the obverse of karma, then the same is true.

Life isn't black and white.

You and me both James.

[Zedder]

Please remove that apostrophe.

Well done that man!