Why People Believe in Fate

People believe in fate for many reasons. But, most people believe in fate because it makes their lives easier. Believing in fate or destiny has been what keeps many people from going insane for centuries. After all when something bad or hopeless happens in your life, it is much more comforting to think that it's fate or there is a higher power out there that directs everything the way it is. For some people, fate is very important in their lives.

Examples of fate at work

When you meet someone, for example, after searching for them for a long time, you tend to think that it is fate or destiny. Also when something is hard, when you are working against all odds it is easy to think that fate is against you and it's better to give up and go along with what fate wants.

You often see couples having problems (as most couples do) and they way that it seems fate is against us getting together. So, they give up and to avoid feeling bad, they tell themselves that it is fate. 

Why do people believe in fate?

People since the dawn of time have always needed something to give them approval of whatever they are doing. For a child, it may be his or her parents or teachers. For a teenage, it may be his or her peer or classmates. For an adult, it may be the coworkers, boss, the significant others. And, of course, ultimately people need to believe that God is watching after them and approving their decisions and way of life. It is the same with fate, when people need something to approve of what they are doing, they call it fate.

What if people don't believe in fate?

If people no longer believe in fate, then they will have to start owning up to their own decisions. People are often afraid of making the wrong decision so fate gives them an easy way out. If they make a wrong decision and, say, it leads to their financial ruin, it is hard for them to live with themselves knowing that it's all their fault and it could have been avoided but it's much easier to live with themselves if they believe that it is fate and they are supposed to be in that financial ruin no matter what decisions they made. See Should I believe in Fate for the pros and cons of believing in fate.