Fate or Free Will?

“… whether Fate binds us down by an inexorable law, or whether God as arbiter of the universe has arranged everything, or whether Chance drives and tosses human affairs without method, philosophy ought to be our defense.” Seneca in Letters from a Stoic

How much power does an individual have in crafting his or her destiny? If the extent of power within human agency is uncertain, then is there a method of arriving to a logical conclusion by which to identify which view permeates human existence?

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Alone & Loneliness

“Loneliness does not come from having no people about one, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to oneself, or from holding certain views which others find inadmissible.” – C.G. Jung

A distinct difference exists between being alone and experiencing loneliness.  In Susan Cain’s book Quiet, she presents differences between introverts and extroverts and finds many people who embrace introversion crave being alone in solitude.  Introverts thrive, when they are able to read a book in the quiet comforts of a designated space made for the exact purpose, for example.  They are more energized and more focused, when they are alone.  Thus, the idea of being alone is not one to automatically elicit feelings of pity, sadness, nor discomfort.