Destiny and Free Will

This is a rant.

I get frustrated when people push on me the idea that I chose to be born on earth and everything that happened in my life as well. Maybe that's what they did. I didn't, though. If people are choosing all the lives that have happened on earth, then they must be some real masochists. I'm not really even talking about my life here. There are a lot of lives where people are born in fucked situations that they weren't able to escape. I guess some people might say that they learned a lesson for their next life, and you could say that about anything, but all lessons aren't necessarily beneficial. Plus, it seems really cruel to tell someone that their life is fucked because they need to learn a lesson and maybe their next one will be better. Because well, like I said, everyone isn't able to escape their situations in life, even when they try.

It also frustrates me because people who push this belief on others are also pushing their self concept on others. My view of the self isn't that I have a set in stone 'higher self', but that it can change and has to do with what I'm compatible with here and now, on earth. I understand that I could decide to identify differently. Heck, I could identify as the whole universe if I wanted to. I suppose it would be correct on some level. But personally I don't feel like I benefit from that. I'm not judging anyone who does though.

And also when people think that believing you chose what happened to you is more positive than not. For them, maybe it is. Like most spiritual beliefs, I'm sure it can bring comfort. But for me, it just doesn't.

I'm not looking for people to explain this belief in the comments. I respect it. I just don't want it forced on myself and others who don't resonate with it.