I recently watched Woody Allen’s ‘Match Point’ – a great thriller about how a person is moved to kill his mistress when she threatens to divulge their affair to his wife. Other than its taut storyline and intelligent screenplay, what I found most interesting about the movie is its philosophical exploration of the role luck plays in our lives. The movie begins with Chris, the main character, narrating:
“The man who said "I'd rather be lucky than good" saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn't, and you lose.”
I agree with Chris there. The intervention of chance in our lives is not limited to big, obvious occurrences like winning a jackpot, or being in a road accident. If we look deeply enough, a lot of our successes have to do with being at the right place at the right time. Or meeting the right person.
Less obviously, what Warren Buffet calls ‘Ovarian Lottery’ plays a much bigger role. Some of us are fortunate enough to be born with above average intelligence, among parents who were inclined to, and could afford to prioritize education. We happen to be born in a country that was politically stable. If I were born with below average IQ, or worse, with a genetic disease, I would have stood very little chance. If one is born in a village in a poor, strife-torn African nation, it is impossible to escape poverty and a life of misery.
Given how vulnerable is a happy life to chance events, I agree with another quote from the movie, which says, "To never have been born may be the greatest boon of all."
No comments:
Post a Comment