Never thought of karma that way (as a westerner with no particular exposure to it). I always thought of it as, "Do good now and you'll be paid for it later." "

Never thought of karma that way (as a westerner with no particular exposure to it). I always thought of it as, "Do good now and you'll be paid for it later." "You are where you are because you deserve it, due to what happened in past lives" is a much sadder message. Good for societal stability perhaps, but horrible for ideas like individualism and self determination.