General Question

marinelife's avatar

Do people eventually get what they deserve?

Asked by marinelife (62485points) July 5th, 2008
18 responses
“Great Question” (0points)

We were once rear-ended on the freeway. We suffered back and neck injuries requiring medical treatment for months and limiting our lives a lot. We did not feel safe in our car so had to buy a new one. The scum-of-the-earth insurance company refused to pay anything even though they admitted it was their client’s fault. We went to trial, a horrible, soul-stripping process, and ended up with a few measly thousand dollars that did not even cover all of our medical expenses. A horrible experience that forever soured me on insurance companies and the legal system.

About a year later, the front page of the paper featured a photo of the woman who hit us standing in front of her house, which had been reduced to a pile of kindling by the giant evergreen that fell on it. I remember thinking that I really hoped she had the same company for home owner’s insurance that she did for auto insurance so that she would have to deal with them as a claimant.

It was one of the few karmicly satisfying experiences I have ever had. Do you think it happens a lot, and we just don’t see the outcome, or was it all just a great cosmic coincidence?

Observing members: 0
Composing members: 0

Answers

AstroChuck's avatar

I personally don’t believe in a world with order. I think things happen independently. But I am by no means spiritual, so I’m probably in the minority. However, it would be nice if karma were real.

PupnTaco's avatar

I don’t really believe in direct karma like that – I doubt “The Universe” cares about personal retribution – but that must’ve been very satisfying.

crunchaweezy's avatar

It must’ve warmed your heart to see her on the front page, I’m gonna have to go with coincidence.

tinyfaery's avatar

Karma, in the sense that everything balances itself, is the only thing I really believe in. In my world view, the universe is constantly seeking balance. If you project good, the universe will seek balance and return that good to you. The same is true for evil. Be satisfied no matter what you believe. I however, happen to believe that Karma did bite that woman in the ass. What became of all the other people invloved, let’s just hope they got their karma as well.

arnbev959's avatar

It all depends on whether anyone really deserves anything at all. In the case you mentioned it didn’t really seem that the woman who hit you deserved anything, unless she rear-ended you on purpose. Of course no one wants to pay for the damage they cause in an accident, that’s why they have insurance. If anyone deserves to have something bad happen to them, it’s the bastards who run the insurance company.

As far as karma goes, I don’t think the universe is set so that good things will inevitably happen to reward good people, and bad things to punish bad people. So called “Good” things happen, so called “bad” things happen, but it’s all just events that people perceive differently. That doesn’t mean that a person who treats everyone he knows like crap won’t end up being hated by the whole world; all actions have casual reactions.

Cardinal's avatar

coincidence, but a good one!

marinelife's avatar

Nice summation, ptp.

srmorgan's avatar

In my humble opinion, I believe in certain cliches—-

what goes around, comes around,
do unto others as they do unto you.
Karma,

who knows.

but if you treat people fairly and with respect, they won’t turn on you, they won’t have an axe to grind, and you protect yourself that way.

Just the musings of someone who has been around the block a few times.

SRM

wildflower's avatar

I totally agree with AC!
Having said that, I believe people’s attitudes and behaviors will make them experience the responses that are appropriate, i.e. a person who’s always happy and willing to help will be liked by others and get the help they need from those around them.

thebeadholder's avatar

I agree with Pete. Was it the woman’s fault or her sleazy insurance company?
That being said, I do believe in karma. I think what you put out there and do in this life will come back to you.
I can only hope he gets what he deserves.

shrubbery's avatar

I too agree with Pete. Who is to judge what someone deserves?

sccrowell's avatar

I agree with everything @petethepothead…

And although this does not apply in all cases, it definitely applied here! Long ago, my brother and I were hit by a car while riding a bike, driven by a pregnant woman driving herself to the hospital. I was injured pretty bad. Yet by all accounts. No one was at fault. I’d like to say, it happened because, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet, I can’t even say that, because, I knew it was going to happen, even before it did. “Actions cause Reactions”

JackAdams's avatar

Too bad the tree didn’t fall directly on her or her insurance company.

I believe that some folks get exactly what they earn, by their actions.

In Florida, some man did not get the settlement from a local GEICO office, that he felt he should have gotten, on his claim. True story: He went down to that local office with a gun, and shot/killed several employees of that local office, before police arrived and took him into custody.

Had GEICO been an honorable and decent company (and paid up, the way they should have done), their employees would still be alive.

Have you seen this?

evelyns_pet_zebra's avatar

karma is an illusion, created by the human mind that is hard-wired by evolution to find patterns where none exist. Plenty of people have wronged others and never gotten what they really deserve. Humans of course see the ‘hits’ and ignore the ‘misses’. If it is any consolation, no one gets out of life alive, so I’d say Death is the great equalizer.

BettyBoop's avatar

I really do hope that people get what they deserve. The pain of knowing that a bad person will just live his or her life in peace just pisses me off

evelyns_pet_zebra's avatar

@BettyBoop, funny you should mention that, I would assume that is probably the basis for the origins of quite a few religions.

If people really do get what they deserve, then that multi-billion dollar book contract I know I deserve can’t be too far off, can it? :-)

marinelife's avatar

@BettyBoop Welcome to the collective.

Just_Justine's avatar

I do believe what goes around comes around. However being rear ended is normally a mistake. I somehow think ones intentions set off an energy that attracts similar energies. We are all hit by mistakes, like you being hit and her house being hit. It is strange you saw that newspaper article though don’t you think.

Answer this question

Login

or

Join

to answer.

Mobile | Desktop


Send Feedback   

`