Luck as a concept has always been an important aspect of the human experience. Contemporary times might sometimes demonise it a little due to the predominant belief in control. Modern people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own fortunes.
Still, chance holds us under its spell, from no deposit bonus offers lurking online to the romantic notion of meeting the right person at the right time. This article will explore the alluring history of luck and its enduring significance today.
Good Fortune and Ancient Agency
Although luck is often seen as a passive concept, our ancestors had to work hard to earn it. Unlike its sister concept, fate, fortune was not considered fully out of reach. The former concept represented something nobody had control over.
Think of King Oedipus or Gilgamesh. These ancient heroes were far from being ordinary, but even their high status and extraordinary capabilities were not enough to erase their destinies. It might sound pessimistic, but the role of fate was to represent the great equaliser and reinforce the idea that even the most powerful individuals have to answer to higher laws of the universe.
For the mighty, it was a humbling reminder of their own mortality; for the oppressed, it was a way of dealing with what they could not change. Luck, on the other hand, was attainable through magic. Our era loves the idea of magic, but through the fantasy genre, we have relegated it to something unnatural and accessible only to the select few.
In the past, magic was an everyday activity, a part of every religious system, and a form of agency that allowed even the most unfortunate individuals to avoid complete passivity. Let us summarise the numerous ways people of the past invoked fortune through spells.
Sympathetic Magic
You have all heard the phrase “fake it till you make it.” The principle of sympathetic magic relies on similarity and imitation to achieve its goals. For instance, those who wish to attain a certain ability would either mimic it or use an object, animal, or plant that resembles it.
Walnuts resemble the brain; therefore, they must be good for solving health issues associated with the brain. Ancient hunters would often wear horns and animal hides to become more like them and, of course, have more success hunting them.
Identifying with something was a path to better understanding and a higher likelihood of success. We similarly still influence our luck by changing our appearance, outfits, or emulating wealthy or romantically attractive individuals who possess what we feel we might lack.
Amulets and Talismans
Good and bad omens were a normal part of the ancient world. Still, people hardly just sit and look for signs that would predict an outcome. If it were important to them, they would try to influence the hand of fortune.
Protective amulets, mojo bags, and talismans were common decorations dedicated to warding off negative influences, while other symbols or objects were believed to attract good luck.
“Think of knucklebones or four-leaf clovers. Contemporary places that operate on chance, like casinos, still often use the familiar symbolism to affect and influence their players,” says Isabella Pritchard, author and a gambling expert at NZ-CasinoOnline.NZ.
Stars and Nature
Apart from specific objects, people have often turned to astrology, plants, and animals to improve their fortune. These elements were studied and combined in complex ritual actions to sway the hands of gods and spirits in favour of a desired outcome.
To avoid bad results, people would pick or avoid certain days or hours to act. From ordinary folk to kings and popes, attempts to bargain with luck were equally evident. Some major thinkers of past centuries were critical of such attempts.
For instance, Aristotle warned that something dependent on coincidence cannot bring true happiness, and Buddha advised people to focus on developing their minds and inner worlds rather than chasing money, joy, or power.
The Everlasting Allure of Chance
Modern society presents self-sufficiency as an ideal attitude. Only through one’s own hard work and action can one reach success and happiness. Nevertheless, this approach does not fit real life.
Unfortunately, other factors govern our outcomes, just as they always have, and people in vulnerable and less privileged environments and communities are painfully aware of this fact. But even people with a lot of control over their circumstances still crave luck.
What makes chance so enticing, even to those who seemingly do not need it?
The Unexpected Thrill
Too much control and comfort result in boredom. Unexpected excitement, rewards, and even losses affect our organisms and brain chemistry, sometimes making us feel more alive. That is why we love gambling, twists and turns in movies and TV shows, and all the little things that take us by surprise.
Not knowing what lies ahead is a part of life’s appeal. It can bring uncertainty and, if too frequent, can cause mental health issues and traumas, but a fine balance between stability and risk is what most of us crave. Not having any control is jarring. Lacking some control is thrilling.
Last Thoughts
A lucky coincidence appeals to modern humanity just as it always has. Rewards boost our dopamine release, thrills and surprises break our comfort zone and transform the world into a more wondrous place.
Many of the symbols and rituals around fortune are still present in pop culture, and all of us sometimes inexplicably rely on them to try to influence a certain outcome. Although coincidence should not be seen as the sole reason behind someone’s success, being aware that, regardless of our technology and education, some things are still outside our control, alleviates pressure and guilt associated with what we or society perceives as failure.
Also, our ancestors developed pearls of wisdom we still rely on today. Coincidence, lucky or not, is only the tip of the iceberg, and true happiness and success come from our minds, hearts, experiences, and inner balance.
