Do you feel, generally speaking, that people tend to reap what they sow?
Nope, not in the least bit. From my experience, God has a thing for idiots. It’s uncanny.
No I don’t believe that at all. There are many people who do terrible things and never pay for it in the end. It could be true in a social sense that if you act like an asshole and people know you are one they will treat you like one, but I don’t believe it goes beyond that in some supernatural sense. Didn’t Josef Mengele live his last days in relative ease, drowning after having a stroke while swimming at the beach?
I have no rational basis for the belief, but I think, yeah, what goes around comes around.
Actually, if I think about it for a while, maybe it’s not that irrational. After all, if a majority of people believed it, it would be incentive to do good. Then there would be more good to go around. Y’know? (I’m having some health problems right now that have me somewhat, uhhh, medicated; sorry if I’m a bit less than coherent).
Part of it, too, may have to do with my spiritual beliefs. The people who do good in this world may not get the best in this world, but they will in the next world (these are only my personal beliefs; I’m not trying to preach or force my beliefs on others).
I will say that my husband (who is, just ftr, an atheist) and I always have tried our best to be compassionate and generous. Prior to about a year and a half ago, when he started a new job, he was very underemployed for a couple of years. Those were tight times. The compassion and generosity of others often kept our utilities turned on, and food on the table.
That’s how it seems to work with me. Whatever I do, good and/or bad, it always comes back to me. So, I try to do the best I can with what I’ve got. Makes my life much easier!
I wish it was the case. To many people go without justice for their shitty acts. Many good people continue to get the shit end of the stick.
Thank god, no. I’m not the worst person in the world, but I’ve been thoughtless, mean-spirited, selfish and foolish often enough to be glad I don’t have all that coming to me. I only have to look at the recreational outrage posts in the pit to see that people much better than I have suffered much worse.
what goes around come around…
yeah sure… its a comforting lie that people tell themselves when they feel shit upon…
the only “truth” to the statement is that people that live greedy selfish lives are generally surrounded by human vultures when they die…
the poor, if they are lucky, are surrounded by loved ones
FML
Hasn’t been my experience at all.
I am hopeful that it’s true, but I don’t have enough evidence.
On the other hand, what comes around the mountain will be driving six white horses. That’s one of the basic truths of my childhood. 
In many cases, yes. People who are assholes tend to eventually piss off the wrong person and they get subjected to their own behavior, or they get punished for it.
Certainly has been my experience in the workplace, at least. The nasty folks get fired.
I think it does. Sometimes it just takes a whole lot longer than it should.
I believe that what goes around comes around. I have been arguing this with a good friend lately. The way I see it, most people who do wicked things, are miserable people. You see? It starts coming around before it even goes.
My mom is an angel. Her sister is a demon. I am not kidding! She has very few redeeming qualities. None that I am aware of. She has always been wicked for the sake of it. She never helped my mom when she was down, but my mom has always looked out for her.
My mom is always the one smiling. She is full of love and sharing and caring, and even though she has less financially than my aunt, she is generally very happy.
My aunt on the other hand is miserable, envious, jealous and bitter. Karma at work.
I believe this. Shiny happy people are not cruel.
So if you’re eagerly awaiting the lightning bolt that will destroy that person who wronged you, you’re likely to be disappointed.
But if you take a moment to consider whether a person who is genuinely happy, secure, and comfortable in their skin would behave so badly, you’ll realize that, trite as it sounds, simply being themselves is plenty punishing.*
*Yeah, yeah… this is obviously not universally true. Being that guy who is mean to you is probably sufficient punishment for being that guy who is mean to you. Being Hitler is probably NOT sufficient punishment for being Hitler.
It is one of the mild superstitions that I don’t really believe if forced to examine it, but I like to believe it, so I do, casually.
It keeps me going if I can tell myself, “He’ll get what’s coming to him,” after being completely unable to stop someone from doing something rude and awful.
Aye. We have a saying in Spanish, “cree el ladrón que todos son de su condición” - a thief believes everybody steals. I used to think it was bollocks, but then I realized that it’s a pretty basic truth: our first assumption when meeting someone is that they’re basically like us. And people who claim things like “everybody cheats on their SO” (to pick one) - well, if they haven’t it’s not for lack of wanting. People who are always looking for ways to hurt others are always thinking about causing pain and about how to defend themselves - not only do they “shell” themselves from the other nasties of their likelihood, but also from the kindness of those who are not like them.
Does this mean they’re unhappy? Maybe not. But so far, every nasty sonabitch I’ve met was also bitter as all get out. If that makes them happy, we have different definitions of happiness.
In general, no. Like boytyperanma said, too much goes unpunished and too many people get totally shat upon by life for no reason.
That being said;
1> Sometimes you just gotta help that Karmic Justice thing happen to people. Even in subtle ways.
2> In the end, you create your own Heaven or Hell on this Earth through your choices in life.
I think it usually works out that way. Not always, but usually.
Usually, yes. Not because they build up some supernatural debit that must be paid, or Karma, anything so Zen. Because after they make a whole lot of bad decisions and anger a whole bunch of people, most won’t be so lucky so as to avoid having to jump their own wake at some point. Conventional wisdom has this one right.
I wish I knew how to pronounce that in flawless Spanish. I would be flipping it off my tongue, rolling the hell out of my Rs all the time. I like that quote alot.