What Is Luck?

[Pioneer1]

 @ProfD you have often listed "luck" as a key factor in success along with smarts, charisma, and hard work.

Given your theological views, I'm curious as to what YOUR definition of luck is?

Not the dictionary definition or the "official" definition, but I'm interested in YOUR PERSONAL perspective of what "luck" is.

Do you think it's pure chance; or is there some sort of external intelligence of force that generates or guides it?

Obviously anybody can chime in on this....lol.
I tagged ProfD since he's the one who has mentioned this on multiple occasions.
But I'm happy to hear (read) other explanations and perspectives.
 

[ProfD]

 

6 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Given your theological views, I'm curious as to what YOUR definition of luck is?

My definition of luck is that it is doesn't require any action from the individual.

 

6 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

Do you think it's pure chance; or is there some sort of external intelligence of force that generates or guides it?

Of course, I believe it is pure chance.

[Pioneer1]

ProfD


My definition of luck is that it is doesn't require any action from the individual.

Ok.

 

 

Of course, I believe it is pure chance

Cool.

So what about somebody who was born into a rich family?
They didn't do anything to get those riches, but they benefit from them.
Do you think THAT'S an example of luck?


Also, do you believe a person can be "lucky"?
Meaning having frequent episodes of "good luck" far beyond what average chance would afford them?

[ProfD]

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

So what about somebody who was born into a rich family?
They didn't do anything to get those riches, but they benefit from them.
Do you think THAT'S an example of luck?

There were literally born lucky.

 

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Also, do you believe a person can be "lucky"?
Meaning having frequent episodes of "good luck" far beyond what average chance would afford them?

Sure.  But, I believe luck can be good or bad. 

[Pioneer1]

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

Sure.  But, I believe luck can be good or bad. 

I want to make sure I'm understanding you correctly.....

You believe that some people have routine good luck and some people have routine bad luck?

If so, I find that very interesting based on your definition of luck.

I know you said that luck is beyond THAT person's actions, but do you believe that there is another force, power, or authority BEYOND that person that may influence their luck?
That would take it well beyond mere "chance".

[ProfD]

53 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

You believe that some people have routine good luck and some people have routine bad luck?

Not routinely good or bad. Although, it would seem that some folks have *better* or *worse* luck than others.

 

53 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

I know you said that luck is beyond THAT person's actions, but do you believe that there is another force, power, or authority BEYOND that person that may influence their luck?

That would take it well beyond mere "chance".

You can ask me the same question 100 different ways and my answer won't  change.

 

I don't believe there is some force, power or authority influencing luck or anything else. Purely chance.

 

If such a thing existed...then, I'd question how it picks & chooses the winners & losers in this existence i.e. lucky vs unlucky.

[Pioneer1]

 

9 minutes ago, ProfD said:

You can ask me the same question 100 different ways and my answer won't  change.

 

 

ProfD

So you do you believe some people are just lucky (meaning good luck) through out life while others are unlucky (meaning bad luck) through out life?

[ProfD]

6 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

So you do you believe some people are just lucky (meaning good luck) through out life while others are unlucky (meaning bad luck) through out life?

I don't believe people are either lucky or unlucky throughout life. 

 

Good and bad luck can vary from one person to the next. 

 

A rich person can lose $100 dollars and not consider it bad luck. 

 

A poor person can find that $100 dollars and consider it good luck. 

 

The same $100 dollars meant different things to those two people.

[Pioneer1]

4 minutes ago, ProfD said:

I don't believe people are either lucky or unlucky throughout life. 

 

Good and bad luck can vary from one person to the next. 

 

A rich person can lose $100 dollars and not consider it bad luck. 

 

A poor person can find that $100 dollars and consider it good luck. 

 

The same $100 dollars meant different things to those two people.

Thank you for this clarification.

So you probably don't believe in curses either, correct?

 

 

[ProfD]

28 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Thank you for this clarification.

So you probably don't believe in curses either, correct?

Nope. I don't believe in curses either.

 

Otherwise, the Black folks in the Bayou or wherever should have been able to shut down slavery and prevent the system of racism white supremacy.

[Pioneer1]

ProfD

What do you believe the Black people of Haiti were using to win military victories against the United Western powers back in the early 1800s?
I know it's called Voodoo but what type of power do YOU think they were working with?

Even if you say you don't know, I'd be interested in any speculative theories you may have.

[ProfD]

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

What do you believe the Black people of Haiti were using to win military victories against the United Western powers back in the early 1800s?

I believe the people of Haiti fought back militarily just enough for the French to fall back in battle.

 

The French lost the revolution but won the war by putting Haiti in poverty into perpetuity.

 

Whatever the Haitians used back in 1800 hasn't worked ever since as they are still paying restitution to France. 

 

England did the same thing to their West Indian colonies. Pulled out and left while taxing them into perpetuity. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

I know it's called Voodoo but what type of power do YOU think they were working with?

I've answered above.

 

But. for as much as some Black folks believe in religion,  voodoo, witchcraft and other practices, none of it seems to work to the betterment of our overall net condition on the planet.

[Pioneer1]

ProfD

I believe the people of Haiti fought back militarily just enough for the French to fall back in battle.

The French lost the revolution but won the war by putting Haiti in poverty into perpetuity.

Whatever the Haitians used back in 1800 hasn't worked ever since as they are still paying restitution to France.

You make an interesting observation.

One that I also noticed when studying the Haitian Revolution.

If they did enough to whoop the French, and English too....why didn't they keep it up???

I have my own ideas as to what happened, but again...your observations are keen on this issue.

 

 

 

But. for as much as some Black folks believe in religion, voodoo, witchcraft and other practices, none of it seems to work to the betterment of our overall net condition on the planet.

Unfortunately, perhaps that's not the chief aim of most of those who practice it.

Perhaps most people who practice and engage in it do so for personal reasons.

[Delano]

On 1/6/2026 at 4:45 AM, Pioneer1 said:

you think it's pure chance;

If it's pure chance then it cant be luck. Since chance is random. Being Lucky implies favourable outcomes that are above what can normally be expected.

 

I am very lucky. I work in a gambling club every week a player tells me when i come around or serve them they get lucky.

Some magical beliefs can can effect both the individuals internal amd external world. However that is dependent on the individual.

 

I also think that are beliefs mot only shape how we see the world but but what objectively happens.

 

So i like mathematics and magic. A third of Isaac Newton's library were books on Alchemy. So it is possible to be mathematical and mystical. Its just not something most people are interested in or capable of doing in practice.

[Pioneer1]

Del


If it's pure chance then it cant be luck. Since chance is random.

Although I listen to and read various perspectives.......
Personally I'm of this belief myself.
However I put both "good luck" and "favorable chance" under the category of FORTUNE.

If something beneficial happens that was beyond our control, we don't know if it's luck or chance....but we know it was fortunate.

 

 

 

 

 

So it is possible to be mathematical and mystical.

 

Ofcourse.
The two aren't incongruent.

Infact, they are compatible because REAL magic often involves mathematics.

What the Western world calls "magic" and "mysticism" is really HIGH SCIENCE that White folks haven't figured out yet...lol.

If a bunch of Black folks deep down in the woods have been practicing it for thousands of years and won't tell White folks the secret...it's "magic".
But if a White man in glasses and a white coat figures it out and maps out the formula (math) for it....now it's "science".
Give him a prize for "discovering" it....LOL.

 

 

[nels]

On 1/5/2026 at 9:45 AM, Pioneer1 said:

what YOUR definition of luck is

What is luck? Perhaps it's the ability to visit this discussion board without having to wade through waste-high intellectual excrement? 

[Pioneer1]

9 minutes ago, nels said:

What is luck? Perhaps it's the ability to visit this discussion board without having to wade through waste-high intellectual excrement? 

If you're operating with Windows 11, just put AALBC at the top of the list in your FAVORITES bar (the little star icon at the top of your page...lol)




That way you don't have to scroll down through all of those right wing MAGA websites and podcast channels, and you can visit us directly!