Fatalism
Fatalism is the belief that everything is already decided by fate, so trying to change it is pointless. It's the mindset that says, 'What will happen, will happen,' making action feel unnecessary.
Fatalism is the philosophical belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable, rendering human effort futile. It asserts that outcomes are fixed by fate or destiny, regardless of individual choices or actions. This worldview often leads to passive resignation, as the adherent believes that nothing can alter the inevitable course of history.
What this means in real life
A student convinced they'll fail a test no matter what might skip studying entirely, believing effort is pointless. This mindset often becomes self-fulfilling: lack of preparation leads to actual failure, reinforcing the belief.
What it isn’t
Fatalism is not the same as pessimism. A pessimist expects bad outcomes but may still try to prevent them; a fatalist believes trying is pointless because the outcome is already set.
Commonly misused online
People often call any negative prediction 'fatalism'—e.g., 'It's fatalistic to say climate change can't be stopped.' True fatalism means believing *no action* can change anything, not just doubting one solution will work.