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If you go back in history, I believe you'll find that most socially advantaged people simply thought they were inherently better than others. That's true now,
by EliRivers 8y ago
If you go back in history, I believe you'll find that most socially advantaged people simply thought they were inherently better than others.
That's true now, is it not? It's certainly a common view. People who are rich deserve it; they are more deserving. They're better people. They must be, because how else would they be rich? In the US meritocracy (and indeed, many others), anyone who has done well must have done it through merit because that's how the system works, so they must be a better person.
- stickfigure 8y agoMy understanding is that a few hundred years ago most wealth was inherited land. Aristocracy was something you were born into. I'd love to see some statistics, but I believe the percentage of "self-made" people is much higher today. Modern society may have its flaws, but I do think this particular historical trend is positive.
- EliRivers 8y agoAlthough the trend is now heading back towards that (in some places, including the US and the UK); the wealth of your parents is a stronger indicator of future success than it was fifty years ago.