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> Bill Gates famously took weeks away in a cabin to get work done. Ruth Bader Ginsburg would work like crazy during the week while spending some time with her y
by bergstromm466 6y ago
> Bill Gates famously took weeks away in a cabin to get work done. Ruth Bader Ginsburg would work like crazy during the week while spending some time with her young child during that time, only to sleep the entire weekend to catch up.
To me stories like that just play into the dangerous idea of magical voluntarism in our current culture
- ineedasername 6y agoMy interpretation is that magical voluntarism is just a newer name for "prosperity gospel". The same criticisms apply- that individuals are somehow fully in charge of their circumstances, that a strong will and focus are all that matter, and if you fail it's because of you, nothing else. In the prosperity gospel it tells people they'll be successful if they are devout and earn God's love, and if they are not successful it is because they haven't earned it from God. As with magical voluntarism, if can and is used to justify all manner of things, including disdain for the poor or sick, because they must have done something wrong to get there.
- Robotbeat 6y agoI honestly think extra hard work actually makes a significant difference for rising above, even though it's probably a bad idea to expect it of everyone. Necessary but not sufficient for rising above.
- zhengiszen 6y agoBill Gates was born in an environment of rich people, his father then himself was friend with Warren Buffet... Maybe there is a myth...
- Robotbeat 6y agoAs I said, necessary but not sufficient. There are a lot more failsons descended from rich folk than there are Bill Gateses out there. If it was just pure hard work alone that determined success, the women of Subsaharan Africa would all be billionaires. Necessary but not sufficient. (Side note: Africa will become rich by the end of the century.)