6 ms·

In my studies of history, I'm finding this current thrust of individuals as stores of wealth over firms and nations to be quite interesting. Back in the colonia

In my studies of history, I'm finding this current thrust of individuals as stores of wealth over firms and nations to be quite interesting. Back in the colonial period, everything revolved around national wealth. The crown alone sanctioned and funded expeditions, chartered corporations, and fought wars. Over the last few centuries, power gradually shifted to the firm, then to markets, and now finally to individuals. Used to be, you had to pick the right parents, pick the right industry, and hope the political winds don't shift against you to earn a decent, livable life. Now, all you need is intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships. No longer is a job loss catastrophic. Just about anyone born in a Western nation can, if he decides to, gain an education and make his way up the social ladder. This is completely unprecedented from a historical perspective. The ability of the not-well-off to earn and enjoy the benefits of education was far and away only the province of the extremely gifted, the John Rockefellers of the world. It's easier than ever for someone born dirt-poor to become a CEO or politician. Soon the world will turn completely on merit. It'll be fascinating to watch the way our societies go next. Certainly affluence will continue to push out into the developing world. But how will modern Western societies evolve? Will we conquer aging and produce scions of unimaginable ability? Death is the ultimate limiter of the power of individuals.

CPLX 10y ago
> Soon the world will turn completely on merit. lol
- gm-conspiracy 10y ago
  I enjoyed reading Atlas Shrugged, but I understand it is a work of fiction.
krapp 10y ago
>Now, all you need is intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships. No longer is a job loss catastrophic. Just about anyone born in a Western nation can, if he decides to, gain an education and make his way up the social ladder. What Western nation do you live in? Because in the Western nation I live in, both job loss and education can be catastrophic for many people.
- DanTheManPR 10y ago
  We have a long way to go. But the western world of today is, in a historical sense, unprecedentedly meritocratic.
  - gm-conspiracy 10y ago
    Did you mean hysterical?
- camelNotation 10y ago
  If it's catastrophic, you're probably not taking advantage of the resources available. I know many people who feel pigeon-holed or trapped simply because they are unaware of how insanely easy it is to drop what you're doing, go to school, and get hired elsewhere. There are so many resources and options out there if you're willing to weather the change. Most people are just too scared to consider it and they misinterpret that as a problem with the market itself.
  - CPLX 10y ago
    > I know many people who feel pigeon-holed or trapped simply because they are unaware of how insanely easy it is to drop what you're doing, go to school, and get hired elsewhere. There's quite a few people that you don't know then. The median personal income in the US is $30,240 for all workers over age 15 with income. That means half of all working people in the US have less than $30k a year in income. What percentage of your "know many people" sample make less than that?
    - camelNotation 10y ago
      I made about 22,000 a year when I quit my full time job in retail, went back to school, and now I make far more. It's hard being poor, but much of the struggle is brought on by a lack of awareness. I know this because a huge portion of my sample were people that worked alongside me. There is a lot out there to help people get from the bottom up, they just have to look for it in the right places. With an income as low as mine, I paid essentially nothing for college and qualified for all sorts of assistance and tax breaks. It can be done, you just have to be willing to work hard at it and get the help that's already there.
burkaman 10y ago
> Now, all you need is intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships. No longer is a job loss catastrophic. Just about anyone born in a Western nation can, if he decides to, gain an education and make his way up the social ladder. This still only applies to people who have picked the right parents and the right industry. I get that the historical trend is toward social mobility and equality, but "all you have to do is decide to succeed" is still an idealistic cliche, and probably always will be.
HarryHirsch 10y ago
intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships You weather hardships with money. What's with this four-minute-man talk?
MrZongle2 10y ago
"Soon the world will turn completely on merit." My money is on general AI and widespread sustainable fusion reactors before that happens. The crab mentality is strong, and those who can merely talk a good game will do their best to maintain the status quo.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

CPLX 10y ago

> Soon the world will turn completely on merit. lol

gm-conspiracy 10y ago
I enjoyed reading Atlas Shrugged, but I understand it is a work of fiction.

krapp 10y ago

>Now, all you need is intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships. No longer is a job loss catastrophic. Just about anyone born in a Western nation can, if he decides to, gain an education and make his way up the social ladder. What Western nation do you live in? Because in the Western nation I live in, both job loss and education can be catastrophic for many people.

DanTheManPR 10y ago
We have a long way to go. But the western world of today is, in a historical sense, unprecedentedly meritocratic.
- gm-conspiracy 10y ago
  Did you mean hysterical?
camelNotation 10y ago
If it's catastrophic, you're probably not taking advantage of the resources available. I know many people who feel pigeon-holed or trapped simply because they are unaware of how insanely easy it is to drop what you're doing, go to school, and get hired elsewhere. There are so many resources and options out there if you're willing to weather the change. Most people are just too scared to consider it and they misinterpret that as a problem with the market itself.
- CPLX 10y ago
  > I know many people who feel pigeon-holed or trapped simply because they are unaware of how insanely easy it is to drop what you're doing, go to school, and get hired elsewhere. There's quite a few people that you don't know then. The median personal income in the US is $30,240 for all workers over age 15 with income. That means half of all working people in the US have less than $30k a year in income. What percentage of your "know many people" sample make less than that?
  - camelNotation 10y ago
    I made about 22,000 a year when I quit my full time job in retail, went back to school, and now I make far more. It's hard being poor, but much of the struggle is brought on by a lack of awareness. I know this because a huge portion of my sample were people that worked alongside me. There is a lot out there to help people get from the bottom up, they just have to look for it in the right places. With an income as low as mine, I paid essentially nothing for college and qualified for all sorts of assistance and tax breaks. It can be done, you just have to be willing to work hard at it and get the help that's already there.

burkaman 10y ago

> Now, all you need is intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships. No longer is a job loss catastrophic. Just about anyone born in a Western nation can, if he decides to, gain an education and make his way up the social ladder. This still only applies to people who have picked the right parents and the right industry. I get that the historical trend is toward social mobility and equality, but "all you have to do is decide to succeed" is still an idealistic cliche, and probably always will be.

HarryHirsch 10y ago

intelligence and mental fluidity to weather hardships You weather hardships with money. What's with this four-minute-man talk?

MrZongle2 10y ago

"Soon the world will turn completely on merit." My money is on general AI and widespread sustainable fusion reactors before that happens. The crab mentality is strong, and those who can merely talk a good game will do their best to maintain the status quo.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]