fatalistic

Fatalistic is an adjective describing beliefs, attitudes, or styles associated with fatalism—the view that events are predetermined and inevitable, leaving individuals with little or no control over outcomes. In common usage, it can describe a resigned or accepting stance toward life events, particularly when people feel that effort to change things is futile.

The word derives from Latin fatalis "fateful", from fatum "fate". In English, fatalism and fatalistic have been used since the early modern period to characterize both philosophical positions and general attitudes toward chance or destiny.

In philosophy, fatalism is the thesis that all events are fixed by fate or necessity, so that human actions cannot alter predetermined results. This is contrasted with determinism, which asserts that events follow causal laws, and with the belief in genuine free will. Some discussions explore whether apparent agency can exist within a fatalistic framework.

In psychology and sociology, a fatalistic attribution style describes explanations that attribute events to impersonal forces or fate, often associated with passivity or resignation. Critics argue that fatalistic thinking can reduce motivation or proactive coping, though supporters may view acceptance as adaptive in the face of unchangeable constraints.

In literature, film, and everyday discourse, fatalistic themes explore destiny, inevitability, and human limits, sometimes inviting reflection on the balance between choice and circumstance.