Can you help me counter the argument that "Everything works out for the best."?

Question

Can you help me counter the argument that "Everything works out for the best."?

Answer 1

In order for someone to know that everything worked out for the best, they need distance from you. But while you are in it, there is no way to counter that definition. That's one of those things where you need to get far away from it mentally, and to honestly feel that it's true.  

Answer 2

Well, the saying "Everything works out for the best" is sort of the opposite of Murphy's Law which states everything that can go wrong, will.... which happens to be my lot in life. :)

Answer 3

Have you ever heard of the law of cause and effect?

Answer 4

How does the assertion determine when everything is complete or "worked out"? Every set of actions has a continuing and resonating effect. At times, the best result might be achieved, but what about the next result, and the next, and the next?

"Everything works out for the best" is an attempt to salve our disappointed hopes.

Joe: "Bob jumped out of a plane last week."

Mary: "How wonderful, he always wanted to skydive."

Joe: "Bob's parachute failed."

Mary: "How awful."

Joe: "I was watching as he fell toward a soft mound of hay bails large enough to break his fall."

Mary: "Whew."

Joe: "But there was a pitchfork sticking straight up in the middle of the hay."

Mary: "Ouch!"

Joe: "Bob missed the pitchfork."

Mary: "Lucky break. I guess everything worked out for the best."

Joe: "No. He missed the hay too."

Answer 5

  Start by referring them to the book "Candide".  This book takes a rather scathing attitude about such a philosophy.

   Second, for someone to claim that is to argue from ignorance. You may ask them "how do you define best?" Then look to their argument and point out how your idea of best differs, especially in such situations as when large numbers of people are killed or hurt. They would have to know not only all the possible alternatives to the particular situation, but to rule out all those alternatives would be less satisfactory than the one that actually happened.

Answer 6

that's hard to counter for me because i've learned from every bad thing that's happened in my life. we all have the strength to get through so many things in life, and both good and bad situations shape who we are and who we become. also, many things happen to us that give us the experience to strengthen someone else in their time of need. i don't think we live life only for ourselves.  

Answer 7

Ask them if they really think that place crashes and terrorist attacks would be considered "the best" by the families of victims.