I think I am talking past you in some way; sorry about that. I am not trying to play word games or pull "gotchas" on your phrasing. I think I have a straightfo

I think I am talking past you in some way; sorry about that. I am not trying to play word games or pull "gotchas" on your phrasing. I think I have a straightforward underlying message; I hope you can hear it through my imprecise miasma of words. Maybe you already heard it, but are only replying to the remaining small tidbits you object to; I'm unsure. In truth, I have a similar frustration, where I feel the fragmentary quotations of mine you reply to do not give justice to the larger context in which they were written. But I don't hold it against you; I know that struggle. Anyway, one more attempt: You presented some simple advice ("It's not about working hard. It's about working smart."), and as mentioned I don't disagree with it per se. But in my life, I have seen that advice used "for evil", if you will. (I do not mean to imply that you intend it that way, of course). And in particular, I do find that people giving and following that advice are often either willfully or ignorantly (more often the latter) blind to the downsides that can go along with it — vis-a-vis empathy towards others, for instance. Of course, I do not mean to imply that you are blind to it. I don't know you. So, I hoped to give some voice to that other perspective, is all. I find it to be under-represented, in discussions like these. Hugely so. ---- Re: humans having two legs: I truly am not sure if you are messing with me, or if I really failed to deliver my idea so totally. I swear I don't mind if it's the former, though I feel it is the latter (: Help me improve my communications protocol? I thought our sequence went something like this: you: work hard and learn from your mistakes me: agreed. but also, beware of assigning blame for misfortune you: here are some examples of how learning from mistakes is useful/empowering [airliners, bikes] me: yes, and here are some examples of misfortune that's not blame-worthy [unlucky birth, etc.] you: my examples were not meant to be all-encompassing [humans have two legs] me: ??? Actually, writing it out maybe makes it more clear. Perhaps you feel I was disagreeing with your initial advice, and trying to counter it somehow. But rather, I am trying to add something to it; draw a bigger circle around everything on the Venn diagram, so to speak. Not cross yours out.