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> Life's what you make it, and society can't offset your own will. That goes against pretty much everything I've seen (and read) of human behavior. Willpower a
by mercer 10y ago
> Life's what you make it, and society can't offset your own will.
That goes against pretty much everything I've seen (and read) of human behavior. Willpower and choice and good decisions are not somehow magically impervious to upbringing and context. In fact, I'd say as 'herd animals' we're more defined by the latter than by the former.
If you are right, and every individual can somehow decide in the same way regardless of context ('willpower'), the logical conclusions are rather uncomfortable.
We'd have to find a way to explain why large homogenous groups of people (grouped by race, gender, or whatnot) all make the same bad decision. If we believe they have the same ability to choose as anyone else, the only alternative explanation I can think of involve things like racism (they have a low IQ) or sexism (they just aren't meant to be in charge), and so on.
- charlesdm 10y agoAnyone in decent health and with moderate intelligence can achieve most things (s)he wants in life. People love finding excuses, but in the end, there's literally an opportunity to make money around every corner. Often it's just a matter of being willing to act on that opportunity. I don't really come from a privileged family and I haven't done too bad for myself at a (relatively) young age. I know plenty of others that have as well. Half of the problem of poverty is the mindset; some people have been let down so many times that they just don't care anymore. And yet, it takes a change of mindset to get out of poverty. To quote Napoleon Hill: "Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive And Believe, It Can Achieve".
- ionised 10y agoIs this satire?