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A belief in meritocracy is not only false: it’s bad for you

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Fnord
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21 Mar 2019, 3:19 pm

Kraichgauer wrote:
Fnord wrote:
You all want to rely on random chance for your success, right? So, how's that working out for you? Have you won any lotteries lately?
Nope, random chance has never gotten me anywhere. My argument is, even trying hard doesn't always work out, as such things as employing people, or giving promotions, or buying works of fiction or other art forms, etc, is incumbent on others who may be prejudiced, or taken by someone else' charisma or good looks, or some other reason.
Preparation, effort, and perseverance don't always work out, but they certainly work out far more often than purely random chance.



BTDT
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21 Mar 2019, 3:24 pm

These days, you need more than luck to get a pay raise every year.



Last edited by BTDT on 21 Mar 2019, 5:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Kraichgauer
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21 Mar 2019, 3:39 pm

Fnord wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Fnord wrote:
You all want to rely on random chance for your success, right? So, how's that working out for you? Have you won any lotteries lately?
Nope, random chance has never gotten me anywhere. My argument is, even trying hard doesn't always work out, as such things as employing people, or giving promotions, or buying works of fiction or other art forms, etc, is incumbent on others who may be prejudiced, or taken by someone else' charisma or good looks, or some other reason.
Preparation, effort, and perseverance don't always work out, but they certainly work out far more often than purely random chance.


Doubtlessly true.


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Pepe
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21 Mar 2019, 6:30 pm

Fnord wrote:

While random chance* may be a factor in some success stories, those random chances* mean nothing if the person experiencing them is not prepared to exploit them.


I would say:
While random chance *is* a factor in some success stories...

And yes, people need to react when an opportunity arises...
Axiomatic...

Ignore the following nonsense if nonsense is not your thing... :mrgreen:

<creativity mode activated>

But someone has to be in a position to exploit opportunities in the first place...

Broadening the context of this discussion:
Your personal skills, abilities, potential, etc is predominantly determined by your genetic composition...
Had you been born with a less advantageous genetic combination, your options/opportunities would be less...

An opportunity of becoming a rocket surgeon may come my way, but I simply don't have "the right stuff" to perform surgery on rockets...
Simples... :mrgreen:

<reductio ad absurdum>
Would you be as financially fortunate had you been born into a family of baboons?
Hmmm...
Well, a talking baboon could make some serious dosh, so this might not be a good example... 8O