What Do We Deserve?

[Ozner]

Everyone's heard this before, and maybe they've said it a few times- "I don't deserve this!" or "he got what he deserved." People always try to attribute fairness to life, but then they say that bad things happen to good people, and vice versa. My question is, how can we decide what it is that we deserve? When something bad happens to someone good, does that mean that they didn't deserve it? Or are they actually a bad person or maybe they did something bad, and they do deserve it?

Take also payment into consideration. When someone does a job, they get some money or something for it. This is usually based on factors such as what the job was, how difficult it is mentally/physically/educationally, etc. But can someone ever be paid exactly what they deserved for the job, or is it always a little more or a little less?

What about life itself? Is there ever a time when someone doesn't deserve to live, or is life outside of this idea? Also, do all good people not deserve anything bad to happen to them, or is the the gift of life so great that there is nothing that we can do to be worthy of it, so we should accept all of the bad that comes with it?

[Mike G]

Interesting questions indeed. That said, I think you will get a multitude of varying opinions, none of which will provide concrete closure or a definitive answer. We humans deal tend to seek out and deal in absolutes. Unfortunately, reality doesn't.

Edited September 18, 2011 by Mike G

[Bendy Demon]

Everyone's heard this before, and maybe they've said it a few times- "I don't deserve this!" or "he got what he deserved." People always try to attribute fairness to life, but then they say that bad things happen to good people, and vice versa. My question is, how can we decide what it is that we deserve? When something bad happens to someone good, does that mean that they didn't deserve it? Or are they actually a bad person or maybe they did something bad, and they do deserve it?

Take also payment into consideration. When someone does a job, they get some money or something for it. This is usually based on factors such as what the job was, how difficult it is mentally/physically/educationally, etc. But can someone ever be paid exactly what they deserved for the job, or is it always a little more or a little less?

What about life itself? Is there ever a time when someone doesn't deserve to live, or is life outside of this idea? Also, do all good people not deserve anything bad to happen to them, or is the the gift of life so great that there is nothing that we can do to be worthy of it, so we should accept all of the bad that comes with it?

The concept of "deserving" is a totally subjective and arbitrary concept.

After all..who decides who is "deserving" of what? Society feels it is justified in making that judgment. Basically it is nothing more than a figure of speech.

I try not to see a persons circumstances or situations as a matter of "deserving" but rather the reaping of past events and actions.

If you keep whacking a wasps nest then sooner or later you're gonna get some nasty reprisals.

To me life is life, neither a gift nor a punishment..it's just existence.

[Average Fallacy]

What is being described here is basically "karma," or at least the most common definition of it. Personally, I believe that, in life, things just happen. A good person could be mugged or a bad person could be mugged, but it has nothing to do with what sort of person they are; just their timing and placing. It's all roll of the dice sort of chance when it comes to that sort of stuff.

When it comes to work, though, it's a much different and almost unrelated story. In placed like the United States, there is a set amount that someone must be paid, so they could so an outstanding job or an absolutely p***-poor job and get paid the same amount.

[TheNightOwl]

I think, really, anything can happen to anyone...life is basically all chance. Of course, people CAN control certain things that happen to them, like for example, if I go on the street and insult every person I see, sooner or later I am gonna get my butt kicked and it is not going to be by chance. Same thing with a person working hard and getting promoted, or being lazy and getting fired.

However, one could also argue that even our decisions are a product of chance. Take, for example, an Olympic runner who worked extremely hard every day for years to get where he is. True, he did play a part in being where he is because of what he himself did to get there. However, there is still much chance involved. This runner could have just as soon been born with some sort of spinal defect that would render him unable to walk or run. Or perhaps he could have been born with a differently developed brain and simply wouldn't enjoy running competetively, perferring to paint or something like that. I'm sure you see where I'm getting at. Even in situations influenced by people, chance always plays a large part.

Edited September 19, 2011 by TheNightOwl

[Ozner]

Lots of very good ideas... I thought of something else also. What about how we treat each other? Do we usually treat other people how we think they deserve to be treated? I think our moods effect this a lot and sometimes we seem to reflect our emotions onto them instead.

[bLu3 de 3n3rgy]

Because there is a fairytale thinking (probably rooted from religion) that 'good' people deserve only 'good' things to happen to them. And vice versa for bad people, as how could a 'god' or higher power let something bad happen to a 'good' person.

I know not everyone thinks this way, but many do as they are taught to believe this is how the after live may be set up. Good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell.

Also value is a subjective measurement really, and i would say the value we place or do not place on things, currencies, people, family, opportunities is what dictates most in life.

[mklsgl]

Lots of very good ideas... I thought of something else also. What about how we treat each other? Do we usually treat other people how we think they deserve to be treated? I think our moods effect this a lot and sometimes we seem to reflect our emotions onto them instead.

Even 'The Golden Rule' is subjective, isn't it?

[Trog]

If we follow the pathway that we asked for in this lifetime then there is no random , every thing that we asked for will come to us .... Every one of us sat down with our Spirit Guides before we reincarnated and discussed in full what lessons we wanted to learn in this life and those lessons are reflected in our birth date .

Our birth date is in fact chosen by us , haven't you ever heard of the mother tobe who gives birth unexpectedly early , the baby wouldn't wait , or the baby came late , he was due two days ago but still hasn't made his entrance .

We can all calculate our own path , that's why Pythagorus was asked to work out an easy to follow set of calculations that any one could use and understand .... But life throws up too many choices and then it becomes confusing , sometimes we stray off the pathway , that's called Freewill , some members reading this post have reincarnated especially to show you how to get back on course , that's the job they asked for , they're on their eleventh pathway .

I realize some members reading this are multi millionaires , most aren't , haven't you ever wondered why you aren't ? .... I can tell you why , it's simple , you decided not to ask for wealth in this lifetime , most old souls wont ask for wealth , because poverty always follows wealth , we've all been there and done that and didn't like fighting the rats and cats to scavenge food scraps from garbage cans .

Good question Ozner , what pathway are you on ?

[Ozner]

Good question Ozner , what pathway are you on ?

I'm not sure yet, sometimes I seem to be only wandering

[Habitat]

I think Trog was referring to a numerology 'pathway'. I'd be mightily surprised if numerology had anything to it, but Trog seems like an intelligent fellow, so who knows ?

[Ozner]

I think Trog was referring to a numerology 'pathway'. I'd be mightily surprised if numerology had anything to it, but Trog seems like an intelligent fellow, so who knows ?

In that case I am even less certain, I don't know much about numerology but I would like to know more.

[little_dreamer]

Generally people do the best they can, given what they know at a given moment. If I had infinite knowledge and resources, then I would be able to be endlessly kind and generous. But I was born with limited resources and energy. So there's always the nagging feeling of "I could have tried harder" or "I could have done more".

[Trog]

I'm not sure yet, sometimes I seem to be only wandering

Hey Ozner .... Good sense of humour ... now I know why you're wearing all those bandages , you can't see the path .... If you add up your birth date until you get a single digit , that's the number of the pathway .... You may've reincarnated to do amazing things ....

But seriously , numerology teaches us that if we don't follow the pathway we asked for , then we don't pass our test at the end of this life , and we get to repeat this life over and over again until we follow the path and learn our lessons and pass our test .

This is why nothing ever changes , most of us are repeating life after life , what we're doing to-day our forefathers were doing 200 years ago , the only difference is , they did it with more style .

[FlyingAngel]

But seriously , numerology teaches us that if we don't follow the pathway we asked for , then we don't pass our test at the end of this life , and we get to repeat this life over and over again until we follow the path and learn our lessons and pass our test .

No wonder why I have déjà vu

[Trog]

No wonder why I have déjà vu

You know how to make a man laugh , that has to be a good sign .