Is anyone here a Yuppie brave enough to come out of the closet? (Chicago: high crime, school district)

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

The top 1% also earn nearly 22% of all income.

Seriously, all of us who have been blessed with financial success should be a lot more humble. Although there is some component of innate ability (intelligence, hard-work, etc), there's a lot more that's out of our control (primarily, but not exclusively circumstance of birth.)

I'm not 'blessed' with financial success, I'm 'blessed' with a strong work ethic, a solid family background, etc. My financial success I worked for and earned.

That's like me complaining about a professional athletes' salary because they were in the lucky sperm club and have the God-given abilities to play a sport professionally.

[Venom]

Originally Posted by lenniel

I'm not 'blessed' with financial success, I'm 'blessed' with a strong work ethic, a solid family background, etc. My financial success I worked for and earned.

That's like me complaining about a professional athletes' salary because they were in the lucky sperm club and have the God-given abilities to play a sport professionally.

Sure budd.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by lenniel

I'm not 'blessed' with financial success, I'm 'blessed' with a strong work ethic, a solid family background, etc. My financial success I worked for and earned.

That's like me complaining about a professional athletes' salary because they were in the lucky sperm club and have the God-given abilities to play a sport professionally.

Your financial success has a lot to do with the blessing that your were endowed with (solid family background which instilled in you a strong work ethic.) Not everyone was as fortunate to have such a background. You don't need to defend your financial success. Just be aware that many of the people who never are financially successful had the same abilities as you, but were not given the upbringing and opportunities to enable them to succeed.

[Avengerfire]

^ There is only enough room in the economic spectrum for a certain percentage of middle-high,high,and very high earners. That is the way the cookie crumbles. There are plenty of people that have the abilities AND the upbringing,but had no such luck with opportunities.^

It is easy to succeed at a high level when one has all the breaks coupled with opportunity and upbringing.

Some people neither have the upbringing nor the ability yet still succeed at a high level because of opportunities (which in some cases can be called luck or breaks.)

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

^ There is only enough room in the economic spectrum for a certain percentage of middle-high,high,and very high earners. That is the way the cookie crumbles. There are plenty of people that have the abilities AND the upbringing,but had no such luck with opportunities.^

It is easy to succeed at a high level when one has all the breaks coupled with opportunity and upbringing.

Some people neither have the upbringing nor the ability yet still succeed at a high level because of opportunities (which in some cases can be called luck or breaks.)

A lot of it involves being at the right place at the right time.

I just finished reading the fascinating book "Outliers", by Malcolm Gladwell which goes into great detail about how random luck plays such a great role in life success. I highly recommend it.

[Venom]

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

[softdev]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

It is easy to succeed at a high level when one has all the breaks coupled with opportunity and upbringing.

Woe is me. People with this attitude will always stay in the lower class. None of my family & friends waited around for these breaks or opportunities. We go out there and make them for ourselves.

[Lookout Kid]

There was a book put out by the New York Times called Class Matters. It's basically a collection of articles about the issue of class in America, and it's really a fascinating read. It looks at all of the factors that play into a person's social class, and how different turns in life can lead to different outcomes.

[NSX]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

^ There is only enough room in the economic spectrum for a certain percentage of middle-high,high,and very high earners. That is the way the cookie crumbles. There are plenty of people that have the abilities AND the upbringing,but had no such luck with opportunities.^

It is easy to succeed at a high level when one has all the breaks coupled with opportunity and upbringing.

Some people neither have the upbringing nor the ability yet still succeed at a high level because of opportunities (which in some cases can be called luck or breaks.)

Very well said.

[softdev]

Yea, it's all about those lucky breaks... Those "lucky breaks" really helped me earn 2 degrees in Electrical Engineering from one of the most challenging schools in the country. They also help me work 14 hour days to be the best at my craft, which has earned me a leadership position and the salary to match at such a young age. How many people here complaining about "lucky breaks" have the drive to do that? Yea...didn't think so.

As long as you keep up the class warfare and thinking its just about lucky breaks, you'll spend your life bitter and never get ahead. Meanwhile, I'll keep getting those "lucky breaks" (i.e., working hard) and you'll be a waiter for the rest of your life.