Yes, those things can pay off. My argument is not that such things do not exist, but that there are fewer instances of those at the very tails than there are of

Yes, those things can pay off. My argument is not that such things do not exist, but that there are fewer instances of those at the very tails than there are of talent-based success. You need only examine the right tail of the wealth distribution to see that this is so. The very richest people in the world are there because of their own skill and insight. Gates, Buffet, Bezos, Kochs. As you step further down into the wealth distribution, you'll see some family money, like the Waltons. If Sam Walton the original was still alive, he'd be near the top...but by exactly the process I described, his children are no longer there.