Or, put another way—
DO YOU BELIEVE THE
ARE NO COINCIDENCES?
There are those who think everything that happens (i.e. the
plots of our lives) are tied together in (or by) a mysterious force operating
beyond what we can see. They find proof of this everywhere.
That’s the school of No Coincidences.
Then, others believe everything is coincidental, and marvel
at what would have been had they made the slightest different choice at any junction.
That’s the school of charting on tabula rasa with meaning
coming out of choices combined with blind luck.
When we plot and tell stories, invariably our philosophical bias
on this matter comes through.
It was beautifully explored in the movie Sliding Doors. The film alternates between two storylines, showing two paths
the central character's life could take depending on whether she catches a
train.
*Spoiler alert!—
In that story, the surprise ending shows
that ultimately things turn out the same, though the road to that ending is
different.
This is my personal bias as well. The grand scheme is not coincidental;
the mini-turns along the way hold many different possibilities.
Writers are often reminded to tie the plot in a meaningful
way and never allow it to be a list of unconnected actions. This makes the bias
of a storyteller strongly leaning to the No Coincidences school.
Thus, writers tend to be the self-selected believers in
ultimate destiny.
Suits me.
