6 ms·

It's not what you know, it's who you know. If you're a poor kid that manages to mingle with the rich and famous, I'd imagine you'd have some pretty good opport

It's not what you know, it's who you know. If you're a poor kid that manages to mingle with the rich and famous, I'd imagine you'd have some pretty good opportunities come your way too regardless of education. That's the real factor here. If you're connected, you can sell your shitty web hosting to all your dad's friends, and you can have doors open for you with minimal effort. Regardless, there are rags to riches stories - sure, if you're poor you will probably have to play life in hard mode, but it's pretty cool to say "I started on $4.75ph, and now I make $100ph". There will still be struggles however - it's hard to buy a house when none of your family can act as guarantor, and you may have to help family members out every now and then. In the end, we all die, and life is what you make of it. It's also nice to remind ourselves every now and then of how much better off we are than 90% of the world still.

afarrell 10y ago
Actually, it is who trusts you to solve their problems. This is influenced by both what you know and who you know but also by your ability to communicate well, your ability to present a credible appearance, and your ability to actually deliver.
- LouisSayers 10y ago
  to a degree yes, but how many people subscribe to something just because it's "little johnny from two doors down". Many people will give you a shot just because you are close to them in some way. When you put someone credible next to someone close, you'd be surprised at how many people would choose the close person over the credible. Just look at how many family businesses there are - you can't tell me that the family members are always the most credible.
Mz 10y ago
If you're a poor kid that manages to mingle with the rich and famous, I'd imagine you'd have some pretty good opportunities come your way too regardless of education. In theory. It is a theory I would like to believe in. But as a homeless woman who has managed to become the top ranked woman on HN, a forum that has plenty of people with quite a lot more money than me, as well as expertise in making money online (the thing I desire to do to resolve my personal problems, rooted in an incurable medical condition), so far, it seems to have not done all that much for me. Being homeless has been incredibly eye-opening as to just how invisible you can be to people who think you aren't good enough for some reason. So saying "well, you just need to meet the right people..." sounds like yet another excuse to me for The Haves to wash their hands of improving the world and justify the suffering of The Have Nots as somehow all their fault. FYI: I was not only one of the top students of my graduating class, I was one of the top students in my state and in the country. I was state alternate for the Governor's Honors program at age 15 and I won a National Merit Scholarship at age 17. So my lack of ability to make connections that benefit me isn't because I am inarticulate or incompetent.
- dreamdu5t 10y ago
  Why do you think you're homeless?
  - Mz 10y ago
    It is a long story, rooted in the aforementioned incurable medical condition. Serious health problems are a common root cause or contributing factor to homelessness. (Source: I had a college class on homelessness and public policy some years prior to ending up on the street.) At this point, if I could come up with a few thousand dollars in relatively short order, I believe I could get off the street under circumstances that would not make my health worse. But that's a rather tall order to fill, given my current circumstances.
    - photogrammetry 10y ago
      Could you elaborate on your living conditions a little more? What is stopping you from gaining a place of residence?
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      - Mz 10y ago
        Could you elaborate on your living conditions a little more? What is stopping you from gaining a place of residence? I am quoting you this time so that if you change your comment completely for a fourth time, people will at least know what I am replying to. I have a deadly genetic disorder. I need a high degree of control over my living space. Renting is a no go. I need to go from homeless to homeowner. I think I could arrange that for around $10k, but, alas, I don't happen to have that kind of money just laying around somewhere.

afarrell 10y ago

Actually, it is who trusts you to solve their problems. This is influenced by both what you know and who you know but also by your ability to communicate well, your ability to present a credible appearance, and your ability to actually deliver.

LouisSayers 10y ago
to a degree yes, but how many people subscribe to something just because it's "little johnny from two doors down". Many people will give you a shot just because you are close to them in some way. When you put someone credible next to someone close, you'd be surprised at how many people would choose the close person over the credible. Just look at how many family businesses there are - you can't tell me that the family members are always the most credible.

Mz 10y ago

If you're a poor kid that manages to mingle with the rich and famous, I'd imagine you'd have some pretty good opportunities come your way too regardless of education. In theory. It is a theory I would like to believe in. But as a homeless woman who has managed to become the top ranked woman on HN, a forum that has plenty of people with quite a lot more money than me, as well as expertise in making money online (the thing I desire to do to resolve my personal problems, rooted in an incurable medical condition), so far, it seems to have not done all that much for me. Being homeless has been incredibly eye-opening as to just how invisible you can be to people who think you aren't good enough for some reason. So saying "well, you just need to meet the right people..." sounds like yet another excuse to me for The Haves to wash their hands of improving the world and justify the suffering of The Have Nots as somehow all their fault. FYI: I was not only one of the top students of my graduating class, I was one of the top students in my state and in the country. I was state alternate for the Governor's Honors program at age 15 and I won a National Merit Scholarship at age 17. So my lack of ability to make connections that benefit me isn't because I am inarticulate or incompetent.

dreamdu5t 10y ago
Why do you think you're homeless?
- Mz 10y ago
  It is a long story, rooted in the aforementioned incurable medical condition. Serious health problems are a common root cause or contributing factor to homelessness. (Source: I had a college class on homelessness and public policy some years prior to ending up on the street.) At this point, if I could come up with a few thousand dollars in relatively short order, I believe I could get off the street under circumstances that would not make my health worse. But that's a rather tall order to fill, given my current circumstances.
  - photogrammetry 10y ago
    Could you elaborate on your living conditions a little more? What is stopping you from gaining a place of residence?
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    - Mz 10y ago
      Could you elaborate on your living conditions a little more? What is stopping you from gaining a place of residence? I am quoting you this time so that if you change your comment completely for a fourth time, people will at least know what I am replying to. I have a deadly genetic disorder. I need a high degree of control over my living space. Renting is a no go. I need to go from homeless to homeowner. I think I could arrange that for around $10k, but, alas, I don't happen to have that kind of money just laying around somewhere.