Karma - it really does exist......
 

Definition:
Karma (car-ma) is a word meaning the result of a person's actions as well as the actions themselves. ... It is a term about the cycle of cause and effect. According to the theory of Karma, what happens to a person, happens because they caused it with their actions.
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Wanted to get your feedback, opinions, stories, and input.

I don't know if my perception is skewered or biased (probably is) but for many years now I have tried to be a good person. In the meantime there have been many situations where someone whom I thought was not a good person - got racked.

This hurricane for example (Sally) just hammered someone who was a real prick to me earlier in the year.

A coincidence?

Sally got worse once she landed - almost like she was on a mission.

I have never wished harm to any of these people - I'm more of an observer and have seen so many occurrences I can't help but think it has to be Karma.

What has been your experience with Karma?

What about your nemesis' neighbors? Was karma out to get them, too?

I think back to that Bill Cosby joke about getting on a plane. He understands that when it's your time, it's your time. But what if you sit on a plane and for the guy next to you it's his time....but what if it's not your time, yet?!

Not real Cosmically. , but feels good when the idea works out here and there.

That said, you do reap,what you sow and that’s sort of karma-ish. If you treat everyone around you bad, they will ultimately do the same, and the reverse.

Batchi ga ataru !!!

Nah, I don't believe in that. It is just coincidence.

I agree with you except for the times that I see it.

Klaatu barada nikto, I always say.

Karma is not dished out by Mother Nature. She specializes in fate.

Karma is dished out through the complex interaction between people. People will only put up with so much and then, given the proper circumstances; seek just retributions.

The most dramatic cases are reserved to those so arrogant or just stupid and mean and do not understand the value of having a working relationship, or tolerance of people you don’t necessarily like.

We had a real prick of a guy working for us in the 80's and early 90's. He was a field super and treated everyone like crap, even his family. I was locking up the shop on a night when a blizzard had started a few hours earlier. I saw this guys son walking down the block going to work, probably around 9:00pm. I gave him a ride and asked how come your dad wasn't driving you in these terrible conditions. He said that dad was tired and if he wanted to go to work then he should walk. Mind you, 8 inches of snow, sleet and 30+ mile an hour winds, not fit for man nor beat. The father was a real heartless person, ego and money driven individual.

Eventually we find out he is having our crews do work for him for our customers under his company name at a discount. He gets fired, and becomes a a city plumbing inspector, chief in fact.

A few years later he's wearing stripes in a NYS prison for accepting bribes. Things went downhill from there, divorce and 3 kids that hated him. Now his a cripple living alone in a bungalow in Florida.

F him, thanks Karma!

If Karma were really true Samuel Little would be suffering some horrible cancer or systemic nerve pain.

He is the most prolific serial killer ever.

https://nypost.com/2019/10/07/this-is-the-most-prolific-serial-killer-in-us-history/

The cops have found at least 50 at places he said he dumped the bodies. He has confessed to 93 murders. Yet he lives on health. At least he is in prison for life.

I should add that (I don't think) any of us necessarily wishes death or illness on anyone.

But after it happens.

That's when you tell yourself...."Yup....doesn't surprise me. He/she was on the wrong side of Karma..."

Go to a smaller scale.

Those who are around you.

Neighbors, relatives, co-workers, friends.....or just people you know who live in your area.

Those are the ones on my radar. Because I see things happening in person.

Little different when you are an eye-witness.

Karma is just a rationale for relishing in the misfortune of others whether it’s deserved or not.

We’re really not all THAT evolved yet.

coincidence. i find it hard to believe the powers that be will take time out of their busy schedule creating new life, checking up on photosythesis, etc to make sure hurricane Sally *****slaps some dude that was mean to you.

luck of the draw..

God works in strange ways all the time.
He made me steal from the coin dish to protect me from the priest that wanted me to be HIS altar boy when I was six years old, my Baba was pissed

Here's a current karmic favorite of mine, that makes me chuckle
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/27/us/hurricane-laura-confederate-statue.html

well you must think you're special. I think you're just quite troubled and a bit weird.

I bought a wrecked Karman Ghia and put the wheels and Michelin X tires on my VW sedan. The next week i wrecked my VW.
So yes, I took wheels from a Karman with bad karma and I got what I deserved.

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Just speaking for myself - not sure that I exactly "relish" at other's misfortunes......like I said:

You made it clear that he was a "real prick". Are you're telling me you didn't feel any enjoyment in hearing of his misfortune?

You've evidently thought about it enough to use it as the lead in to your thread. As Westley so aptly put it:

"We are men of action, lies do not become us."

I know I've often thought about these kinds of "Karmic" events happening to those I felt deserved it. I'm honest about the source of those thoughts and know I'm still on a path to total enlightenment. :D

I don't know how you think that calling someone a prick is the same thing as "relishing" any misfortune that should come their way.

If you can't see that these are two completely separate concepts......I don't know what to say.

For your benefit.......I will quote myself (again) from my first post:

Baz, what you may be hunting for is that these events are likely just a gentler form of schadenfreude.

only "observers" see (what they think is) karma........ to the victim, it is at worst really bad luck.

And bad luck, happens every day to otherwise very good people, as well.

Example, and tell me how you call this one:

Small town, married guy with a wife and son. Guy is a complete dick to everyone or a smarmy brown nose to those he cannot bully. His son, a high school teenager, has a bad experience with a chick at school. Depressed, he hangs himself from a tree in front of his parents house. His mother, a teacher, comes home and finds him.

No one in town likes this douche bag.......... but not a soul thinks what happened to his son and wife is "karma" on him..........

This is an example of a situation fitting the phrase: "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy".

Gretch......thanks for your post.

As I understand the definition of schadenfreude:
"pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune."

I know you said "a gentler form of schadenfreude" - but trust me.....as hard as it may be to believe.....in no way am I deriving any pleasure from anyone's misfortune. Not even a little bit. I'm more of an analyst or observer. Maybe even philosopher at times. I find stuff like this more interesting than anything necessary for my ego.

FWIW....I'm in a really good place in my life right now. Sure, I face plenty of challenges every day. But for me that's a good thing. No such thing as problems....just opportunities. I tend to be optimistic. Glass of water half full. The reason I mention all this is to try and put into context why I hold no ill will towards those who I feel are pricks. I've observed over the years that there's a bigger force than me in charge and because of this there's no upside in me hating on anyone. The only exception is those who seek to harm the innocents. Children and animals. When I see this happening - it really pisses me off to no end and those people can rot in hell as far as I'm concerned.

That old saying "what goes around comes around" seems to pretty much apply much the same as Karma.

"I hold no ill will towards those who I feel are pricks. I've observed over the years that there's a bigger force than me in charge and because of this there's no upside in me hating on anyone. The only exception is those who seek to harm the innocents."

I agree that hating is a waste of energy, because there is nothing constructive going on with just a "feeling".

And everyone's list of "innocents" is dependent upon their status in the world. For example some might find the damage politicians do to society to be harming innocents........... that makes them a legitimate target for hate, according to your formula.

Also, I am not so sure that there is anything wrong with a bit of schadenfreude....... as long as it is not "demonstrative", what is the harm in smiling knowingly when some ******* takes one in the chops?

It probably serves a purpose but I try not to go in that direction myself. Hasn't always been that way but I'm 66 and still dialing it in as I ease into my golden years. :p