How Modern Society Views the Concept of Luck

The School of Life offers an insightful look at the way modern society perceives luck, particularly noting how luck is really the antithesis of individuality. Instead, many believe that they are in charge of making choices within their own lives and therefore responsible for both the consequences and the benefits of these decisions. Though some do believe in serendipitous influence, technological advancement in the sciences has further taken luck out of many equations. But they do warn not to presume that luck does not exist, but rather to respect its existence out in the ether

We resist the notion that luck can play a significant role as much in our failures as in our successes. Luck is a substantial offence against modern ideals of control, strategy and foresight. …Modern civilisation itself could be viewed as a gigantic protest against the role of chance in human affairs. Science, insurance, medicine and public education take up arms against luck, and have won enormous battles against it, so many in fact, that it has grown devilishly tempting to believe that we may have vanquished it altogether. However, luck is a fearsome enemy; its territory is fluid and its power unpredictable and tempestuous.