For all of the random knowledge stashed in my head, I find I keep coming back to a few pretty fundamental beliefs.  The one I quote perhaps the most often is that you only get out of something what you put in.  In other words, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Online, this is most often brought up in the more ridiculous complaints and demands.  "Teach me how to fly!"  "Why didn't I pass my exam after lighting an intelligence candle?"  Just saying "those are unreasonable expectations doesn't usually fly, so I attempt to offer some sort of explanation that hopefully will sink into the brains of such deluded people.

If you want to fly, you have to overcome gravity.  Period.  For humans, this generally involves an engine.  Can you look me in the eye and honestly say you think you can generate that kind of power through some gestures and wishful thinking?  Likewise, I don't care how good you are at magic...no amount of energy will make information spontaneously appear in your head.

But the premise can be applied in mundane life as well.  if you want to accomplish something, you're going to have to work for it.  Sometimes we get lucky, but no one can live off of luck.  It frustrates me when people complain they "can't get a break."  Is there something you really want to have happen in your life?  Then why aren't you doing something about it?  I'm not saying effort guarantees success, but effort pretty is much a prerequisite for success, and people who complain about the lack of luck are most often people who aren't doing anything other than hoping something drops in their lap.  That's not how the universe works.

2 comments

  1. Josephus // July 9, 2010 at 5:31 PM  

    This reminds me of the story of the man down on his luck who is desperate to win the lottery. He goes to church and prayers to God to win the lottery - nothing happens. Next day he goes to church and prays again, same thing happens. On the third day.... still nothing. This goes on for a week. Then the next time he prays he trembles at the Voice of the Amighty boomimg through the church:

    "GIVE ME A BREAK.... AT LEAST GO OUT AND BUY A TICKET!!"

  2. Rob Taylor // July 10, 2010 at 4:43 PM  

    I have known several Wiccans who complained that their prosperity spells weren't working ... even though they didn't go out and try to prosper. The same with love (or lust really) spells cast by a women who then not only made no attempt to contact the target (or victim as I would call him) but spent the next fews days not showering, puttering around in sweatpants and doing her best to repel attention.

    Spells set up the circumstance for you to get what you want, you still have to get it. I always tell people that a god spell is like a boost or a helping hand, it makes things easier but not easy.