# Do you deserve what you have?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-deserve-what-you-have/558582>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 27, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-deserve-what-you-have/558582 "2010-10-27T21:00:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-deserve-what-you-have/558582/21 "2010-10-28T18:16:28Z")

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> [@silenus](#):
>
> In the words of Marcus Cole: _I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be much worse if life were fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?’ So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe._

That quote makes sense to me. I can see some comfort in thinking that the universe is trying to defeat me with malice. Then, every time I fail at some effort I can think it’s because it’s the way it’s supposed to be. No responsibility of mine.

But it seems a pretty glum perspective which would put me constantly in a defensive position - always doomed to strife and misery and being treated unfairly because it is somehow ordained. I think a lot of people subscribe to that position.

In my world view I wouldn’t call the universe hostile or unfair. I believe the universe demands balance - in the large view and not apparent sometimes in the more narrow view.

I’d be more apt to describe the universe as indifferent to the individual in its effort to maintain balance in all. And to me that’s all the more reason to allign myself with natural forces rather than struggle against them. When I do that I think I’m more inclined to see my actions as making a positive difference.

It follows from that that when I have success (as a result of efforts on my part) I have played a part in that and deserve the results.

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**Author:** ![axaxas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@axaxas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/axaxas)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-deserve-what-you-have/558582/22 "2010-10-29T17:14:39Z")

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I’m not rich, i’m lazy. That’s fair. I just hope that if tomorrow I begin hard work, it pays off (with money and accomplishment, of course) just like laziness have done.

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