School Powerpoint on psychology and the Odyssey

1. Psychology for Dummies: Chapter 2 Fate Vs. Free Will: Is man in control of his own destiny?

2. Since the beginning of man’s existence, there has always been question as to whether his actions are his own, or those of a higher being. Are we fated to make some decisions that will lead us to our ultimate downfall? Is it possible to defy these events, if they exist? Or perhaps do we only have ourselves to blame for our actions? While there is a divide between these two schools of thought, they can both be used to help understand our life. The following chapter contains information on these two philosophies that can help to better yourself. While it may seem unrelated, the epic, The Odyssey, helps to convey both sides of this puzzling question. The first example of a clash between fate and destiny is Odysseus’ meet with Poseidon’s one-eyed son Polyphemos. Polyphemos is a Cyclops who captured Odysseus and his crew along in his adventure. While Odysseus was captured, he schemed to figure out a way to get out of the Cyclops’ lair. By telling Polyphemos that his name was Noman, Odysseus was able to escape, but not before boastfully revealing his true name. As a result of our hero’s misjudgment, Polyphemos asked his father Poseidon to punish this Odysseus who so brutally blinded him. This is one of the clearest

3. examples of free will. While Odysseus was smart enough to concoct a plan to save himself and his crew, he was foolish enough to reveal his actual name to the Cyclops. While he was ignorant of the relation of the imprisoning Cyclops and the mighty earthshaker Poseidon, his boasting would soon turn troublesome for him. Had Odysseus not divulged his name to Polyphemos, then Odysseus may have been able to clear himself of the grudge bore against him from the god of the seas. Since Odysseus’ journey had to have been made by ship, it would now seem that his sailing to Ithaca would be impossible. One can really learn something of Odysseus’ mistake. By saying one boastful statement, Odysseus sealed his fate for the next few years. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have defeated someone, it is clearly evidenced that making that person more mad will only result in pain for you. As shown in Figure 2-1, people who are not boastful in situations of victory lead happier futures. The key to happiness that can be learned through this section of Odysseus’ journey is humility.

4. Another example of fate vs. free will is the instance of the bag of winds that Aiolos gave to Odysseus. After receiving a bag of winds from the god of the winds Aiolos, Odysseus and his men were finally in sight of Ithaca. However, his crew members had something that was bugging them. They thought that the god had given Odysseus a bag of jewels and gold. In curiosity, the crew opened the bag only to be blown back to the island of Aiolia. Aiolos decided that the Odysseus was no longer worthy of his help because he was instructed not to open the bag. This part of Odysseus’ adventure shows both instances of fate and free will. The more obvious example is that of free will. The crew had the choice of not opening the bag, or selfishly looking inside it to see what was inside. Because of their ignorance, Odysseus was even more delayed in his journey home. This can teach us that sometimes, some things are better left off as unknown. This further proves the saying “ignorance is bliss.” When seeking self-satisfaction, one can learn that meddling in affairs that are not related to him can cause problems for many people. However, when one turns the to the perspective of Odysseus, this can exemplify fate. Odysseus was so close to returning home to his family, but higher powers seemed to have other plans. As we learn later in the

5. epic, Odysseus would soon have to endure several more trials before he could finally return home safely. This is actually closer to the beginning of his failed attempts at returning home, showing that he had to go through more experiences before he could get home. This instance of fate can show us that sometimes the distinction between fate and free can come down to perspective. The last example from the Odyssey that demonstrates instances of fate and free will is Odysseus’ voyage to the Underworld. Odysseus and his men had settled into life with Circe, a goddess, after some misunderstandings to start. After they had been there for a year, Odysseus’ men reminded him of his home. When Odysseus asked to leave, Circe told him that he must travel to the Underworld to meet the Theban prophet Teiresias. Teiresias told Odysseus of two possibilities of returning home. The figurative fork in the road was the island of Thrinacia. Teiresias prophesized that if he and his crew ate the god Helios’ cattle, which reside on Thrinacia, misfortune would befall them. However, if they didn’t they would return home safely. The prophecy alone shows fate because these choices would soon be apparent to Odysseus and he would soon have to choose his path.

6. This prophecy shows that there are always different paths that you can take in your odyssey of life. If you choose the easy way out all the time, you may not be prepared for the tough challenges that come along the way. This prophecy also shows instances of free will. When Odysseus and his crew finally got to Thrincia, they chose to eat the cattle, thus sealing their destiny to suffer. If they had withstood their hunger, the crew could have survived, not only Odysseus. Unfortunately, they ate the cattle and the crew suffered the consequences. Fate and free will can be difficult to decipher sometimes. But if you go your life believing it is fated to be one filled with suffering, then learning to insert a little free will into your decision making process can reassure you that your life is able to be turned around. Conversely, if you believe that your choices in life have caused you nothing but grief, you can take comfort in knowing that maybe you were destined to experiences these events to live a fated, preferable life.