What is the world's greatest lie?

Paulo Coelho asks in his novel The Alchemist:

What is the world's greatest lie?

The character of Melchizedek, the King of Salem, asks this question of the main character Santiago early in the book.

Melchizedek answers his own question with "... that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us and our lives become controlled by fate."

So really, the question we need to ask ourselves is:

Do we accept the power of fate - that our destiny is at the whim of external forces beyond our control?

Or do we decide instead to find our agency, like The Clash asked:

When they kick at your front door, how you gonna come?
     - The Clash(QQ50230)

Asked by: Paulo Coelho
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alchemist_(novel)

All questions with these tags: Assumptions - Priorities - Literature - Power

Source: The book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

(Image from Eglinton Dragon :: seemsArtless )

Other important questions to consider

May 15, 2024

Are you confusing the model for the territory itself?

In his podcast Team Human Douglas Rushkoff asks: Are you confusing the model for the territory itself? All the Team Human podcasts are worth listening to - in episode 287 (March 20, 2024) _The Model is Not the Territory_ Douglas...

April 18, 2024

How long will you remain a fool before asking a question?

Confucius made the important observation: The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life. There is no reason to expect you'd know all the answers, and if you aren't strong enough...

November 04, 2024

Are you confusing correlation with causation?

Causality or correlation? Over the generations we have been rewarded for quick, simple pattern matching - something drops out of a tree, assume it is a snake and run. If you are wrong and it was a vine or branch, no harm done....

? > !! - QQ65776

Recent articles

September 20, 2015 - filed under Ponderances

Who can you 'uplift'?

Elizabeth Nyamayaro reminds us how important it is to help other

May 02, 2014 - filed under Ponderances

On finding new, uncertain games

Are you only playing the games you know you can win? Roger Martin on the fear of failure.