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I'm a believer in hard work pays off. I grew up poor, in projects (government housing) as a child in what must be one of the worst cities and regions in America
by ronnier 10y ago
I'm a believer in hard work pays off. I grew up poor, in projects (government housing) as a child in what must be one of the worst cities and regions in America (Port Arthur, TX). Lived in a normal house in middle school and high school in the same area, then got out of there around age 20. Then spent years doing almost nothing but working a full time job through my undergrad and grad school and studying every day. Also programmed on the side for people who found me through my website. After finishing up grad school, Amazon found me through that same website of mine. There was a lot of luck in there, but I believe hard work has paid off for me in ways I never imagined.
I guess my point is, if not for hard work, I'm certain I'd still be in that same area where each day is a struggle.
- solipsism 10y agoYou're missing the point, partly because of the imprecision of language. The article is about the idea that hard work will/must pay off. Here you are, talking about the fact that hard work might/can pay off.
- ThrowawayR2 10y agoIs he? Not doing hard work is guaranteed not to pay off.
- Gracana 10y agoIf you're rich, you can have fun doing whatever and enjoy the safety net that allows you to attempt whatever you like without devestating consequences of failure. Lack of hard work is only guarantee of failure if you're poor.
- marknutter 10y agoThe poor have a safety net too, though.
- metaphorm 10y agoyou've never been poor
- metaphorm 10y agothats not actually true though. what if you were born with a trust fund with $20 million in it at 5% annual interest. you will gain $1 million/year doing absolutely nothing. Our society is set up such that we massively protect unearned wealth and afford incredible privileges and powers to those who possess that wealth.
- ThrowawayR2 10y agoWe were talking about ordinary Americans, not the wealthy, so what's your point? Focusing on the wealthy is just envy and envy is never a useful emotion. Focusing on what you can do to improve your own situation is a much better use of time and that includes doing hard work and taking the chance that it will pay off.
- metaphorm 10y agothat old canard "its just envy, you're all jealous". no, absolutely not. I'm not jealous or envious. I don't want to have what they have. I don't feel bad about myself because I lack what they possess. My concern is for how power and privilege is wielded in our society. I want to live in a society that protects those who have very little, because those are the people that need the protection. Instead, our society protects those who have very much. That is unjust. My concern is for justice. Did that seriously not occur to you? Now who's the one having an emotional reaction.
- sharemywin 10y agoa lot of people play the lotto.
- v64 10y agoI don't doubt any of your story (I'm from outside Tyler and have a similar trajectory), but I know you know folks back in Port Arthur that never made it out. I won't speak for you, but I know my hard work was augmented by a healthy dose of luck as well, and luck ain't something you can control.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- ronnier 10y agoThere's also the anti-luck or what I'd call self inflicted pain put on themselves with drugs, alcohol, bad behavior, out of control spending, etc. If one can avoid those things through strong will and at the same time, work hard, then they'll likely do well. Close friends of mine that are stuck, well, they fell into the trap of those things listed and they tend to surround themselves with people doing the same, The bad choices they make end up being normal choices judged by their peers and they don't break free.
- sssilver 10y ago"self-inflicted" as in, the brain they happened to possess due to circumstances beyond their control happened to have the neural network that non-ambiguously led to those choices?
- j2bax 10y agoHow has your success been received by your family? Are they still mostly economically depressed? Just interested to know what the family dynamic is like when a kid breaks the cycle.