3 ms·

I would argue that good ideas matter a lot, specifically what one studies and/or what job you choose to train for and how you go about doing so and how much tim

by zeroer 9y ago

I would argue that good ideas matter a lot, specifically what one studies and/or what job you choose to train for and how you go about doing so and how much time you dedicate to it.

dpark 9y ago
I think that's largely luck. Most people who go into engineering do so because they have some "natural aptitude". That's luck of the draw. Conversely, I'd say that studying history is also largely (bad) luck. A kid has some interest in it and they're too shortsighted to understand what it means to carry tens of thousands of dollars in nondischargable debt while working a low paying job because history degrees are not in demand. Of course, it's largely luck whether a person even goes to college. If you're born upper middle income or higher, college is basically a certainty. If you're born low income, it's much less likely.
- CuriouslyC 9y ago
  I think Luck is something people who've stopped struggling against mediocrity lean on so they don't have to feel bad. You have a huge degree of control over your life. I started in just about the worst position possible in this game, and now I make my own rules. I lived in a tent and got food stamps so I could afford to attend a community college. I studied whatever interested me, and I didn't decide on a specific track until I was about 120 units deep. I nearly lived in the library because I couldn't afford to buy textbooks. That isn't luck, that's determination. After college, I took several positions that paid shit, on the condition that they gave me a lot of free time, exposure to interesting new science and technology, and latitude in how I did my work. I used that free time to read scientific journal articles and practice my programming. That wasn't luck, it was an investment. Now I'm in the position of having almost total control over my work. I choose what I work on, how I contribute, and my work schedule. Beyond that, I'm nearly debt free - I had to take a 10 year mortgage to finance my house, but I'm going to pay that off several years early.
  - frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
    Sure but there are fewer and fewer people like you.[1] If you take it that social mobility is actually declining what are we to take that to mean? That more now than in previous times have "stopped strugging against mediocrity"? I don't really buy that, I'd say that it's that they're unlucky. Political forces beyond their individual control have influenced their chances to build a better life. [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/social-mobility-america/491240/ https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/social-...
    - CuriouslyC 9y ago
      The problem isn't that social mobility is no longer possible. The problem is that the current social narrative for how you achieve that mobility is no longer accurate. You can march for 16 hours a day and never reach your destination if you're walking in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, most people blindly trust the social narrative. As a result, rather than step back and question their direction, they proceed in an unproductive manner. When things don't work out, rather than admit their chosen path was poor, they blame circumstances.
  - sharemywin 9y ago
    So, you don't view it as lucky your were born with that much self worth to enable you to be that successful. I think most of the people don't invest in themselves because they see themselves failing at it.
    - CuriouslyC 9y ago
      I wasn't born with high self worth. My mom was a teenage single mother, I was put in special education classes throughout school, and I ended up dropping out at 16. I thought I was worthless. On the plus side, being so marginalized, I had absolutely no respect for the established order. I knew I was never going to win the game according to other people's rules, so I just followed my heart. It turns out that strategy works really well if commit to it fully and you stick with it long enough.

by zeroer 9y ago

I would argue that good ideas matter a lot, specifically what one studies and/or what job you choose to train for and how you go about doing so and how much time you dedicate to it.

dpark 9y ago

I think that's largely luck. Most people who go into engineering do so because they have some "natural aptitude". That's luck of the draw. Conversely, I'd say that studying history is also largely (bad) luck. A kid has some interest in it and they're too shortsighted to understand what it means to carry tens of thousands of dollars in nondischargable debt while working a low paying job because history degrees are not in demand. Of course, it's largely luck whether a person even goes to college. If you're born upper middle income or higher, college is basically a certainty. If you're born low income, it's much less likely.

CuriouslyC 9y ago
I think Luck is something people who've stopped struggling against mediocrity lean on so they don't have to feel bad. You have a huge degree of control over your life. I started in just about the worst position possible in this game, and now I make my own rules. I lived in a tent and got food stamps so I could afford to attend a community college. I studied whatever interested me, and I didn't decide on a specific track until I was about 120 units deep. I nearly lived in the library because I couldn't afford to buy textbooks. That isn't luck, that's determination. After college, I took several positions that paid shit, on the condition that they gave me a lot of free time, exposure to interesting new science and technology, and latitude in how I did my work. I used that free time to read scientific journal articles and practice my programming. That wasn't luck, it was an investment. Now I'm in the position of having almost total control over my work. I choose what I work on, how I contribute, and my work schedule. Beyond that, I'm nearly debt free - I had to take a 10 year mortgage to finance my house, but I'm going to pay that off several years early.
- frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
  Sure but there are fewer and fewer people like you.[1] If you take it that social mobility is actually declining what are we to take that to mean? That more now than in previous times have "stopped strugging against mediocrity"? I don't really buy that, I'd say that it's that they're unlucky. Political forces beyond their individual control have influenced their chances to build a better life. [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/social-mobility-america/491240/ https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/social-...
  - CuriouslyC 9y ago
    The problem isn't that social mobility is no longer possible. The problem is that the current social narrative for how you achieve that mobility is no longer accurate. You can march for 16 hours a day and never reach your destination if you're walking in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, most people blindly trust the social narrative. As a result, rather than step back and question their direction, they proceed in an unproductive manner. When things don't work out, rather than admit their chosen path was poor, they blame circumstances.
- sharemywin 9y ago
  So, you don't view it as lucky your were born with that much self worth to enable you to be that successful. I think most of the people don't invest in themselves because they see themselves failing at it.
  - CuriouslyC 9y ago
    I wasn't born with high self worth. My mom was a teenage single mother, I was put in special education classes throughout school, and I ended up dropping out at 16. I thought I was worthless. On the plus side, being so marginalized, I had absolutely no respect for the established order. I knew I was never going to win the game according to other people's rules, so I just followed my heart. It turns out that strategy works really well if commit to it fully and you stick with it long enough.