Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Luck can certainly play a part too (I would say most significantly what "lot" you are born into), but people often tend to make their own "luck."
Joey, people don't make their own luck. If you have luck, you're lucky. Why waste your time looking down and chastising those who weren't so lucky? That's what I don't get about the so-called "haves" in this country. You think they'd be content and happy with what they have, but instead, they seem to be out to make everyone who wasn't so lucky feel like putting a bullet in their head.
Luck can certainly play a part too (I would say most significantly what "lot" you are born into), but people often tend to make their own "luck."
Your lot in life is one example. When you are born is a factor, 14 of the richest 75 humans ever to have lived since the PHARAOHS were born within NINE YEARS of each other in the SAME COUNTRY (the United States) in the 1830’s.
Or opportunity luck mixed with hard work (The 10,000 hour rule) The Beatles got by pure luck a chance to play in Hamburg Germany in the early 60’s, they went on to play hundreds of shows for 8 hours a night, 7 days a week. Few if any bands have ever been able to play that much together.
Bill Gates at 13 was lucky enough to go to a school with a kid whose parents worked for a Tech company and they helped to raise money to put a computer time sharing terminal in Bills school, one of the few non college terminals. In High School he lived down the road from a University that happened to have free open commuter lab time between 3-6 am, so he would go down every night to program. He had 10,000 hours of programming before he was out of High School, more hours than most if not all computer professors.
Being born in August gives you the best chance of being a Pro Baseball player.
Your lot in life is one example. When you are born is a factor, 14 of the richest 75 humans ever to have lived since the PHARAOHS were born within NINE YEARS of each other in the SAME COUNTRY (the United States) in the 1830’s.
Or opportunity luck mixed with hard work (The 10,000 hour rule) The Beatles got by pure luck a chance to play in Hamburg Germany in the early 60’s, they went on to play hundreds of shows for 8 hours a night, 7 days a week. Few if any bands have ever been able to play that much together.
Bill Gates at 13 was lucky enough to go to a school with a kid whose parents worked for a Tech company and they helped to raise money to put a computer time sharing terminal in Bills school, one of the few non college terminals. In High School he lived down the road from a University that happened to have free open commuter lab time between 3-6 am, so he would go down every night to program. He had 10,000 hours of programming before he was out of High School, more hours than most if not all computer professors.
Being born in August gives you the best chance of being a Pro Baseball player.
There are tons of examples.
This was pretty interesting, thank you.
Luck can also be a matter of perspective. I used to work with this woman. She's naturally beautiful, for one thing. She has a husband who just adores her, has money, a gorgeous house, and she's lucky besides: We used to have a 50-50 at our holiday party, and she would just buy one ticket because she said she always wins something at raffles and whatnot, and she did. She always won.
Meanwhile, I've never been able to afford my own home, had a bad marriage, don't win squat at any games of chance. I used to look at her and wonder how some people get so much handed to them.
Then I had a daughter and she had a son a couple of years later. My daughter, now in college, is truly physically beautiful, smart, and a good person besides. Her teenaged son is autistic and has terrible behavioral problems that they have been unable to control through the usual methods of treatment and education for such kids.
Joey, people don't make their own luck. If you have luck, you're lucky. Why waste your time looking down and chastising those who weren't so lucky? That's what I don't get about the so-called "haves" in this country. You think they'd be content and happy with what they have, but instead, they seem to be out to make everyone who wasn't so lucky feel like putting a bullet in their head.
Most satisfaction in life comes from feeling superior to other people. Wealth, good career, family... are nothing (well, almost) without a poorer ******* without those things to feel superior to.
And, of course, protection of wealth&status has a lot to do with it. Demonizing results in redirection of frustration&dissatisfaction inward which shields "winners" from "losers" in the most cost effective fashion. Just imagine Rome of Spartacus, instead of rebelling all the slaves blame themselves for their lot in between "bettering themselves" through education and career training, making themselves competitive in plantation marketplace and attending positive thinking classes
Joey, people don't make their own luck. If you have luck, you're lucky. Why waste your time looking down and chastising those who weren't so lucky?
Why not try reading and actually comprehending my post? I'll try one more time:
Luck can certainly play a part too (I would say most significantly what "lot" you are born into)
Get it that time? geez
My 2d part about people often making their own "luck" was to point out that it's not terribly rare for one person to bust their butt and EARN what they get while another doesn't, then the 2d one goes "oh look how he has more than me, he's so lucky." THAT is what I meant by "making your own luck." ie what some people call "luck" isn't luck at all.
The woman mentioned above might be a good example, or provides some good general examples at least. Having inherently attractive features is indeed lucky. But I've known women who weren't attractive despite such features because they didn't take care of themselves.....they were overweight or filthy or "grunge" or whatever. And they weren't poor. Conversely, there are women who are very attractive, but don't really have much "natural beauty" - but they took care of themselves, dressed sharp etc. ie made the most of what they had; their attractiveness was not handed to them.
Similarly, a successful marriage (or even long-term relationship, for that matter) is not "lucky." Anyone who's been married - make that any adult with even a modest degree of intelligence - knows that. It's hard work.
Money can be lucky - if you inherit it or win the lotto. How many people does that describe? Of course there are subtler ways to be lucky in that way.......but I would say most people doing well for themselves - and I don't necessarily mean stinkin rich but at least living comfortably - earned it, for the most part.
Why not try reading and actually comprehending my post? I'll try one more time:
Luck can certainly play a part too (I would say most significantly what "lot" you are born into)
Get it that time? geez
My 2d part about people often making their own "luck" was to point out that it's not terribly rare for one person to bust their butt and EARN what they get while another doesn't, then the 2d one goes "oh look how he has more than me, he's so lucky." THAT is what I meant by "making your own luck." ie what some people call "luck" isn't luck at all.
The woman mentioned above might be a good example, or provides some good general examples at least. Having inherently attractive features is indeed lucky. But I've known women who weren't attractive despite such features because they didn't take care of themselves.....they were overweight or filthy or "grunge" or whatever. And they weren't poor. Conversely, there are women who are very attractive, but don't really have much "natural beauty" - but they took care of themselves, dressed sharp etc. ie made the most of what they had; their attractivenes was not handed to them.
Similarly, a successful marriage (or even long-term relationship, for that matter) is not "lucky." Anyone who's been married - make that any adult with even a modest degree of intelligence - knows that. It's hard work.
Money can be lucky - if you inherit it or win the lotto. How many people does that describe? Of course there are subtler ways to be lucky in that way.......but I would say most people doing well for themselves - and I don't necessarily mean stinkin rich but at least living comfortably - earned it, for the most part.
Joey, US society is a giant pyramid scheme, in which there will always be winners and losers, no matter how yard ye' work. A truly just society would be a society in which hard work really did = rewards. Sadly, ours isn't such a society. Our society is based on a false promise, i.e. the "American Dream", designed to coerce everyone into believing that they can make it, allowing them to be controlled by their corporate masters. Can't have any form of socialism, 'cause that's just wrong. Let's defend the great and wondrous corporations, because they can do no wrong and they represent freedom. That, in itself is the biggest lie that many Americans have swallowed, hook, line and sinker. Sad that only a few of us still live on to see outside of the box. You'll always have poor people...people who stack shelves, serve you your cheeseburgers and sweep your streets for a living. In other countries, these people are still respected and not denied dignity like they are here. More fool ya' for believing the corporate spiel and the lies that make you parrot the same "personal responsibility" nonsense. Not everyone can go to college and get a degree and if they could, high school degrees would be as worthless as used toilet paper.
there will always be winners and losers, no matter how yard ye' work.
No argument there.
Quote:
A truly just society would be a society in which hard work really did = rewards. Sadly, ours isn't such a society.
Of course it is. Just not all the time. As I've already said, there are all kinds of examples, circumstances, etc etc etc. There are no absolutes here and - for the last time - I did not say hard work was the be-all/end-all to success. OK?
Quote:
Our society is based on a false promise, i.e. the "American Dream", designed to coerce everyone into believing that they can make it, allowing them to be controlled by their corporate masters. Can't have any form of socialism, 'cause that's just wrong. Let's defend the great and wondrous corporations, because they can do no wrong and they represent freedom. That, in itself is the biggest lie that many Americans have swallowed, hook, line and sinker.
Sorry but that's pretty ridiculous. Good luck finding someone who believes "corporations can do no wrong." Tell you what, poll the streets and let me know what the % of people who buy that is. I promise you it'll be single digits. Easily.
Quote:
You'll always have poor people...people who stack shelves, serve you your cheeseburgers and sweep your streets for a living. In other countries, these people are still respected and not denied dignity like they are here.
Really? All other countries?
You need to get out more.
Quote:
More fool ya' for believing the corporate spiel and the lies that make you parrot the same "personal responsibility" nonsense.
Yeah "parroting" personal responsibility sure is nosense. Ironic you should use that term, as you frankly sound like a kid who is parroting what he heard an older relative or perhaps a friend say.
Quote:
Not everyone can go to college and get a degree
Not everyone has to. But many can, if they truly want it bad enough.
Of course it is. Just not all the time. As I've already said, there are all kinds of examples, circumstances, etc etc etc. There are no absolutes here and - for the last time - I did not say hard work was the be-all/end-all to success. OK?
Sorry but that's pretty ridiculous. Good luck finding someone who believes "corporations can do no wrong." Tell you what, poll the streets and let me know what the % of people who buy that is. I promise you it'll be single digits. Easily.
Really? All other countries?
You need to get out more.
Yeah "parroting" personal responsibility sure is nosense. Ironic you should use that term, as you frankly sound like a kid who is parroting what he heard an older relative or perhaps a friend say.
Not everyone has to. But many can, if they truly want it bad enough.
Some can but there will stil be tons of people poor it wil not solve the problem completley.
I agree with you. Poverty is not a choice it is truly a social problem that many in our society would rather ignore than get to what is casuing it and work on that in order to create more effective change. We might want to remmber poverty can happen to any of us. Put yourself in a day in their lives and then maybe we would be more interested in developing ways to put a dent in this social issue.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ironic you should use that term, as you frankly sound like a kid who is parroting what he heard an older relative or perhaps a friend say.
