Lucky

No, I do not intend to express my views on what it is. Even with my extensive experience with the phenomenon, I’d dare not try to unravel the mystery… lest I stumble upon some… err… forget it, the sentence is far too flowery anyway.

Here’s what wikipedia has to say about luck! It’s quite an interesting read. For those of you who don’t have the time, here is an extract that I found particularly interesting:

“Some encourage the belief in luck as a false idea, but which may spawn positive thinking, and alter ones responses for the better. Others like Jean Paul Sartre and Sigmund Freud, feel a belief in luck has more to do with a locus of control for events in one’s life, and the subsequent escape from personal responsibility. According to this theory, one who ascribes their travails to “bad luck” will be found upon close examination to be living risky lifestyles. On the other hand, people who consider themselves “lucky” in having good health may be actually reaping the benefits of a cheerful outlook and satisfying social relationships, both of which are well known statistically to be protective against many stress-related diseases. If “good” and “bad” events occur at random to everyone, believers in good luck will experience a net gain in their fortunes, and vice versa for believers in bad luck. This is clearly likely to be self-reinforcing. Thus, although untrue, a belief in good luck may actually be an adaptive meme.“

Risky lifestyles.

That rings a bell… well, more like an alarm really… maybe even a bloody klaxon. Risky – yes, that would be an excellent word to describe the kind of way I live. A lot of the things I do, hardly ever (mostly related with academics and riding (motorcycles)) make logical sense. However, I do believe that the outcome of a significant majority of such risky events have turned out to be quite favorable. Don’t ask me how, because that would just one among the other myriad of things in my life that I do not have a clue about. Ask Mr. Freud, I’d say.

Heck, the funny thing about it is that you could accuse me of being overly cautious at the same time with regards to a lot of other things (mostly everything other than academics and riding). Makes me wonder whether I should be taking more risks. Maybe… maybe (whoa! Look! There, that’s me being cautious!)… it just might work. I’m gonna think about it.

Catcha’all later.