Determinism, destiny or free will?

I would say determinism most closely sums up the course of life. Free will is a decision we make entirely of our own volition, But i believe that what we want is made up of the influences that raised and surrounded us or gave us our DNA. I dislike the concept of fate, the idea that in the end we are predetermined like entertainment. Aside from that, life seems random to me. Nature and nurture, evolution is what brings us where we are but that could be construed as fate. Due to this personality trait she had a kid who was always going to make whatever decision. But i believe life is random, that i am not going to die in x amount of years, i believe i could be electrocuted through this computer due to some freak water leak on the floor above right now, or on the way home because i read while i walk, or in 60 years. However, my genes, what I've been raised to do...i could have fast enough reflexes to remove myself from the computer in time because my grandma died from obesity and I've been keeping myself in tip top shape ever since. Also, 'i know that i know nothing' and Josie nearly just flipped my opinion on fate.

Shaping Life

The factors that shape your life?
You may have the standard answer "peers and parents," but really, there are SO many possibilities that shape your life, including your own, personal experience, government, school, advertising, etc. What are the other factors (other than peers and parents) that shape your life and how?

The media is the largest contributor to my personality. School shapes me, it trains me to function in the country run buy our government. Which leads to another big contributor to my personalty, and life, my peers. Second only to the media they get their influence from, i can determine what is wrong with my life and personality by taking my issue and comparing my reaction to a random variety of cliques made up of 5-10 people, ages 16-18, then finding the mean. Usually i do that part subconsciously.
Seriously, big life influences are whatever culture i am surrounded by growing up. Whether it makes for a complete revolt against that culture or a strong devotion to it, that is one. It can be tied back to peers and parents, but what cant? Peers and parents are vessels for the influence of the government and the media. For me personally, books have had a huge impact on my life. They aren't quite media because they are from so many time periods, and the topics are sporadic enough that the influence doesn't make me imitate pop culture completely.

podcast Draft

I believe in the importance of having an emotional outlet. Some activity that provides a sense of safety, home, and happiness. I have been sketching for as long as I can recall, not because somebody made me or because I wanted to be an artist, but because it makes me happy. Simple as that, sketching is like a battery charge for me. When I sketch I separate myself from a muddled personality I acquire from outside influences. When I was younger, sketching was all about what I would be when I grew up. I wanted to be a mermaid, so I spent all my time meticulously drawing mermaids, which brought them to life for me. Now that I am older, I am more interested in expressions and characters, and my outlet has developed along with me. I focus on fictional characters, sometimes ones i make up, sometimes taken from from other works, and i draw them in my style, smiling or running, or whatever it is i wish i was doing. Throughout my algebra 2 class, there was a character i drew in  margins periodacly.  I drew him throwing tantroms, laughing, screaming, and it was such an outlet for me, drawing him in class became something that could realise all my tension.

Having an outlet, which isn’t something someone else shoved down my throat to improve me on paper but a thing I chose, is liberating. I can draw something I dream of being, someone id like to meet, a different world that spins on an axis a little less balanced than our own.

 Other people’s opinions should not affect my outlet. I don’t do it to better mankind, , I do it for me. I do believe that having an outlet helps me to know myself better, and that if everyone followed this practice we would at least be more self assured of our actions.

I am not a follow-througher. I picked drawing because it is the only thing I have ever done 'religiously'. My belief sounds more and more like a cult with each passing sentence, but that’s good. It means that I believe, and have believed, that an emotional outlet is necessary for everyone. For me sketching is an escape from reality, and from my surroundings. If I am tired and self conscious I can draw someone confident and energetic, your outlet should allow endless opportunities for your mind to wander. Sketching, I can empty my mind to focus entirely around the thickness of a pencil line, or I can choose to do so on autopilot, milling my thoughts around. I can phrase it best as being my own world. A place where originality is easy to come by.

I believe everyone can have an emotional outlet. Entirely unrelated to mine perhaps, there are no limitations on what an emotional outlet can be, I am just damn glad to have one. Because when I go home tonight and I am stressed out about popularity or school or whatever my teen angst can imagine, I can sketch. The relief and sense of self that comes along with that is greater than any other repetitive activity I have ever known, and it’s almost always at my fingertips.