Pronoia is the opposite of paranoia; it is the idea that the universe is conspiring to aid you. The two are equally delusional, because the universe doesn't actually care much either way.
What you're talking about is a little different, but stems from a similar concept. Humans have a funny way of processing chance. That is to say, we're fucking awful at it. We are empowered by a great mind for pattern-recognition, but that unfortunately leads us to some rather bizarre conclusions about the nature of the universe. People tend to think that, for example, meeting someone with the exact same name and birthday as you must be a significant coincidence. What are the odds! Of all the places you two could be right now, you happened to end up meeting in the same seedy sex shop!
But look at it this way - imagine every single thing that has ever occurred in your life as a discrete event. Not just the significant things, I'm talking about every single step you've stepped, breath you've breathed, steak you've eaten, dog you've punted. Every action you've ever taken is a different event. Now consider that each of these events could have afforded an amazing coincidence. One of those steps could have led you into a lightning strike. But they didn't. The vast majority of the moments in your boring life have involved no coincidence. So statistically, it's not so surprising that they occur sometimes. Don't even get me started on the idea that you're seeing lucky things as lucky because of the particular framework from which you're viewing them.
"It is no great wonder if in long process of time, while fortune takes her course hither and thither, numerous coincidences should spontaneously occur."
--Plutarch
Is it normal that I think that something might be protecting me?
← View full post
Pronoia is the opposite of paranoia; it is the idea that the universe is conspiring to aid you. The two are equally delusional, because the universe doesn't actually care much either way.
What you're talking about is a little different, but stems from a similar concept. Humans have a funny way of processing chance. That is to say, we're fucking awful at it. We are empowered by a great mind for pattern-recognition, but that unfortunately leads us to some rather bizarre conclusions about the nature of the universe. People tend to think that, for example, meeting someone with the exact same name and birthday as you must be a significant coincidence. What are the odds! Of all the places you two could be right now, you happened to end up meeting in the same seedy sex shop!
But look at it this way - imagine every single thing that has ever occurred in your life as a discrete event. Not just the significant things, I'm talking about every single step you've stepped, breath you've breathed, steak you've eaten, dog you've punted. Every action you've ever taken is a different event. Now consider that each of these events could have afforded an amazing coincidence. One of those steps could have led you into a lightning strike. But they didn't. The vast majority of the moments in your boring life have involved no coincidence. So statistically, it's not so surprising that they occur sometimes. Don't even get me started on the idea that you're seeing lucky things as lucky because of the particular framework from which you're viewing them.
"It is no great wonder if in long process of time, while fortune takes her course hither and thither, numerous coincidences should spontaneously occur."
--Plutarch