What I have learned... (#2170)

Not everything I have learned can be written about at any one sitting but I can write about segments of information that have come to me through either experience or logical reasoning. One such subject that comes to mind is the idea that somehow I have made my own way in life and it is a reflection on my character that I have done so. Instead, what I have learned is that for the most part no effort on my part has been the deciding factor. Most all my survival skills rest with paradigms outside my control. I have been fortunate much more than cleverly intuitive or rolled sleeves hard working. So for anyone to give me an accolade for any type of success is just blowing hot air. I say that because there are too many who are not finding any success through no majority fault of their own. It is at best to describe success as a crap shoot. Some will win but may will lose. Despite any and all effort given by each and every individual. So for this notion that we fail because we are not clever or that we don't put enough effort into being successful is a lie. The winners in economic life always seem to think they are winners because of some great gift they have. They seem to think that their efforts are somehow more magical than others'. What they fail to see or understand is that we have a society that favors privilege and advantage over equality of opportunity. Now this isn't spilled milk rhetoric, this is just calling out social and economic processes that have inherent bias and prejudice. So if the winners continue to see themselves as elite we are not progressing toward an enlightened society but instead toward an illusion of what our selfish egos demand. We are all the same trying to make our way in a world where success is rigged to less of us than more of us. It must be recognized by all before we can change it from a survival of the fittest competition to a partnering endeavor where we all can succeed.