Okonkwo, like most people, has a hard time taking responsibility for his own life; he blames his misfortune on his chi. Do people today blame misfortunes upon outside factors to absolve themselves of personal responsibility?

This is really asking for your opinion rather than mine. Certainly people to blame external forces rather than their own reactions and behaviour. To some extent this is human nature. Our ego protects itself by blaming others for the misfortune of the self.