In this thicket of predestined failure lie most of the difficulties of the inner city.

ECONOMIST: Chicago's current success may be about as good as it gets

But the notion that we must be adversaries is not predestined -- not when we consider the past.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Holds Town Hall with Chinese Youth

Various explanations have sought to elucidate why some groups prosper whereas other peoples seem predestined for perpetual impoverishment.

FORBES: North Korea's Plight Proves the Power of Markets

While the increase in money certainly raises the prospects of higher price levels (inflation), it is by no means predestined.

FORBES: Why Fed Printing Money Is No Magic Bullet For Gold

In urban Europe, there is nothing predestined about the clash of civilisations.

ECONOMIST: Muslims and city politics

Even for the superpower, such an enterprise is not predestined to succeed.

ECONOMIST: Israel and Palestine

The six million men, women and children exterminated by the Nazis belonged to a great people not predestined to martyrdom, but the victim of gratuitous barbarism.

NEWYORKER: Witness

"She knew she was predestined for this role, " says Fontaine.

CNN: Biopic breathes new life into Coco Chanel story

Catching Fire seems predestined to be successful, what with the fabulous Jennifer Lawrence reprising her role as Katniss Everdeen and the fact that the Oscar-winning writer of Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy, is writing the script.

FORBES: 'Hunger Games' Director Gary Ross Won't Be 'Catching Fire'

Our future has never been predestined.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama on Infrastructure Investment

None of that progress was predestined.

WHITEHOUSE: Weekly Address: Giving Thanks for Those Who Serve