Fate

        The poem “Fate” by Ralph Waldo Emerson describes that an individual’s life is completely determined by fate and supernatural forces or greater beings control. They can make a person’s life good or bad without explanation. When a person becomes rich and famous it is fate, not because of their own hard work and effort. If fate controls a person’s life what is the point of working hard? According to Emerson, a person can work hard and have a bad life or put forth minimal effort and live a bad life. If everyone accepted this no one would do anything, people would lie around and wait for fate to bring them fortune. A life controlled by fate means the individual has no power. A person has no control over his/her life, every decision they make is meaningless. Fate is the sole determinant of their quality of life. If a person’s destiny is to lead a poor, meaningless life, then no amount of effort they put forth will ever make a difference. In the poem, Emerson says that no individual knows their own fate because: it is incomprehensible. The only person who knows our fate is God, or “The Genius” he is referred to as in the poem. God created humanity so it is only logical that he would know our fate. If Emerson is correct and our lives are totally determined by fate then maybe it is better that only God knows our fate. A person who knows their fate is to be a millionaire will put forth no effort in life because they know they are set, and even worse they may develop a smug attitude towards people whose lives are not as good as theirs. In vice versa, a person who knows they are destined to be poor and petty may become depressed with life in general because they know their life will end up bad no matter what they do. A life ruled by fate is an empty life.