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It's a poor lens through which view the world. In the same way there are no criminals or good or bad people. Sure, I don't believe in free will either, but fr

It's a poor lens through which view the world. In the same way there are no criminals or good or bad people. Sure, I don't believe in free will either, but from a practical point of view, you should probably give some credit to millionaires who made it without getting money from anyone. And you should give even more credit to millionaires who made it starting with a poor family. Similarly I won't trust criminals as much as non criminals, even if I'm sure they could have been different if their lives had different circumstances. Of course we're lucky to live in the richest society ever created in history which gives us opportunities our ancestors didn't have. You can thank capitalism for that. I feel good about my economic success (almost 1M with just contracting and a failed startup behind). Sure, I'm thankful that my family could afford a computer when I was a kid but nobody really encouraged me to follow this route or gave me any money. My teenage years were all fighting with my parents to stay more on the computer and work while they wanted me to study. And everyone kept telling me there was no money in software development.

steve_adams_86 4y ago
I like to remind myself that had I been born just about anywhere else in the world, I wouldn’t be as fortunate as I am. At least not financially. I’m not a millionaire, but I earn more than almost everyone I know. It’s a matter of where I was born, when, hobbies I fell into, etc. I mean, I grew up poor as hell, undiagnosed ADHD, the whole deal. I was dealt a pretty bad hand, but placed somewhere with so much opportunity that it worked out despite that. You can frame it a lot of ways. Yes I worked hard, I tried to do my best (and still do!), I just don’t feel self made. Having said that, I wouldn’t argue that you aren’t self made. You certainly didn’t have everything handed to you, and I’m sure you’re a hard and smart worker. If anything I’m just cognizant of the person I easily could have been, or the life I could have had, were a few variables to change very slightly. Being born before/away from computers would have been a disaster for my career potential, I think.
- esarbe 4y ago
  I'm in a very similar situation. > Being born before/away from computers would have been a disaster for my career potential, I think. Oh, yes.
esarbe 4y ago
> In the same way there are no criminals or good or bad people. I'm not arguing that no one bears the moral responsibility for their actions or that there are no laws to determine who's a criminal. > Sure, I don't believe in free will either, I didn't make any statements about determinism. > Of course we're lucky to live in the richest society ever created in history which gives us opportunities our ancestors didn't have. You can thank capitalism for that. > Sure, I'm thankful that my family could afford a computer when I was a kid but nobody really encouraged me to follow this route or gave me any money. It's been pretty much the same for me. I think the main point I'm trying to convey is; hard work is not enough. Many people work hard all their live and don't get anything other than a body broken by destitution. Hard work is not the point of the "self-made" millionaire; luck is.
- steve_adams_86 4y ago
  Yes, I’m fairly sure a lot of people in this world earn a fraction of what I do but work harder, are smarter, etc. They just happened to not be born in Western Canada, in my case. I’ve blown so many opportunities and still managed to succeed. Life is on easy mode over here.

steve_adams_86 4y ago

I like to remind myself that had I been born just about anywhere else in the world, I wouldn’t be as fortunate as I am. At least not financially. I’m not a millionaire, but I earn more than almost everyone I know. It’s a matter of where I was born, when, hobbies I fell into, etc. I mean, I grew up poor as hell, undiagnosed ADHD, the whole deal. I was dealt a pretty bad hand, but placed somewhere with so much opportunity that it worked out despite that. You can frame it a lot of ways. Yes I worked hard, I tried to do my best (and still do!), I just don’t feel self made. Having said that, I wouldn’t argue that you aren’t self made. You certainly didn’t have everything handed to you, and I’m sure you’re a hard and smart worker. If anything I’m just cognizant of the person I easily could have been, or the life I could have had, were a few variables to change very slightly. Being born before/away from computers would have been a disaster for my career potential, I think.

esarbe 4y ago
I'm in a very similar situation. > Being born before/away from computers would have been a disaster for my career potential, I think. Oh, yes.

esarbe 4y ago

> In the same way there are no criminals or good or bad people. I'm not arguing that no one bears the moral responsibility for their actions or that there are no laws to determine who's a criminal. > Sure, I don't believe in free will either, I didn't make any statements about determinism. > Of course we're lucky to live in the richest society ever created in history which gives us opportunities our ancestors didn't have. You can thank capitalism for that. > Sure, I'm thankful that my family could afford a computer when I was a kid but nobody really encouraged me to follow this route or gave me any money. It's been pretty much the same for me. I think the main point I'm trying to convey is; hard work is not enough. Many people work hard all their live and don't get anything other than a body broken by destitution. Hard work is not the point of the "self-made" millionaire; luck is.

steve_adams_86 4y ago
Yes, I’m fairly sure a lot of people in this world earn a fraction of what I do but work harder, are smarter, etc. They just happened to not be born in Western Canada, in my case. I’ve blown so many opportunities and still managed to succeed. Life is on easy mode over here.