The desire to be struck by disaster, to survive a plane crash or lose everything in a fire. It's a paradoxical longing for catastrophe as a way to simplify life and test one's resilience.
From the Greek goddess Lachesis, one of the three Fates who measured the thread of life, determining how long each person would live. The term evolved to describe the strange human desire to have fate intervene dramatically in our lives.
Lachesism reveals our complex relationship with control and meaning - sometimes we unconsciously crave disaster because it would give us clear priorities and eliminate the paralysis of too many choices. It's why survival stories fascinate us; they represent a simplified life where only essentials matter.
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