It's why advice from successful people isn't always the best - the nasty truth about some fields/situations is that only a fraction of people can make it, but to those who *have* made it, success seems like a natural result of hard work, because they don't have a good gauge of how many external factors had to go into it. Term's most commonly used in financial circles, but has applications in multiple fields.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
Lil Wayne on BLM and the core issues had said in essence, he has never experienced what is being protested. He hasn't faced that kind of racism and has been very successful. He then alnowleged that his success isn't common to most people, that he felt lucky or blessed, and that just because he hadn't experienced it doesn't mean others haven't. You may have never had a close loved one die, or have been raped or (obviously) been murdered. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Life experience is subjective. Could depression be cured if the minority of the population suffering it were to just "be happier" like everyone else, or "pick themselves up by the boot straps"? Are so many lonely people single because they just aren't willing to work at finding someone? welcome to 2017, where Lil Wayne speaks wisdom and Morgan freeman sounds like your angry uncle giving a lecturer about all the "dead beats" on welfare who "just don't want to work."
Everyone knows that circumstances differ between people, but blaming circumstances like race or gender in this day and age is just an excuse. That's why both Freeman and Wayne are correct, but Wayne credits God while Freeman credits himself.
As an agnostic, I can only say with certainty that Morgan exists.
Well said famousone. You can change where you live and who you spend time with and it will certainly change the kinds of things that will likely happen to you. Most of the rest is out of your control.
Things will happen to you, Both good and bad and you don't have any control over that. The key is concentrate on the things you do have control over. And the ONLY things in life you have complete control over is your outlook on your situation and how you react to those things that will inevitably happen. Literally everything else in your life can be taken away from you. People who focus on their disadvantages are willingly giving up the only true power they have in life. It's actually sad if you think about it, because nobody has ever explained this to them. Why would anyone give up the only power they really have? Only because it feels good to feel bad about yourselfe......but thats a vicious downward spiral.
I agree with much about working hard seldom making your situation worse even if it isn't certain to make it better,, but it's an oversimplification that undermines the base issues. To change locations isn't that practical for everyone, and completely purging your social and familial circle and then re stocking it, changing your entire life? If it were so easy to "trade up" why aren't we all networking with bill gates or whoever is at the next rung on the success ladder from us? Race isn't an issue to success? According to whom? Because you've never seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, especially when a huge group of peoples experience tells them the contrary. As for a cycle of feeling bad making people feel good, I suppose it makes people feel better to blame others for not having the same advantages, in a society that requires a lower class to prop up each life above on the social ladder, it's too hard to admit we all play a part in others suffering.
Guest_, i'd like to address some of your questions/comments:
You said changing your location and people isn't practical because it would mean changing your whole life. Isn't that the point? Im not advising you move cities and call Bill Gates. But you could get to a different part of your current city. Dont change everyone you spend time with, just choose wisely which of those people you gather insight from. My point is that it's on you to do so.
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"If it were so easy to "trade up" why aren't we all networking with bill gates or whoever is at the next rung on the success ladder from us?" It's not easy! And thats probably why very few people are on a path of self improvement..... because it hurts at firs, it's very dificult and it hurts egos.
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I never suggested race isn't an issue to success. I'm sure it is for many people! But I gurantee you, at least in the US, that it's not a barrier as proven by countless successful people of all races and upbringings.
Think about it this way, imagine putting all of the worlds successful people in one giant room. What trate do you think they would share more in common with eachother; their race or the positive way they view their situation?
@ Princess Monstertru- Its very true that change is hard and hurts, and I didn't mean to be overly hyperbolic, just make a point simpler. You say as a truism that race is not a barrier in 2017 America. Let's agree it's not- in the way that a barrier prevents all passage. Race is a blockade, used to hinder the progress of those of certain races. We had a black president, it's possible. As I said, anything is possible, but here we are and you have to name instances of black success- no one ever needs to name White people who have succeeded. No one would be like "prove a white person has won an oscar," or "prove a white person has ever sat in the Supreme Court." Obama was americas black president, Hillary was "the woman running for office" but being a white male is not newsworthy. As I said before, because you personally haven't seen racism doesn't mean it isn't real. I have sat in hiring discussions where it was openly said as the reason- in the sf Bay Area americas liberal paradise.
As to your example- I feel the trait they will have most in common is they will mostly be pale skinned. Especially since America in general (our lower classes included) are in the top 1% of global earnings- and is mostly white by population, much like you may recognize other top earning countries. If you get only "legacy" money- mostly pale again. The list becomes even paler if you knock off those who's fortunes come from natural resource production native to their birthplace. Correlation and causation aren't the same and that applies to both our stances, but for so many people of color to all feel so strongly that race is an issue- there must be more to look at there. Unless you think that everyone is lying or trying to somehow work the system?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
*gets downvoted*
As an agnostic, I can only say with certainty that Morgan exists.
Things will happen to you, Both good and bad and you don't have any control over that. The key is concentrate on the things you do have control over. And the ONLY things in life you have complete control over is your outlook on your situation and how you react to those things that will inevitably happen. Literally everything else in your life can be taken away from you. People who focus on their disadvantages are willingly giving up the only true power they have in life. It's actually sad if you think about it, because nobody has ever explained this to them. Why would anyone give up the only power they really have? Only because it feels good to feel bad about yourselfe......but thats a vicious downward spiral.
You said changing your location and people isn't practical because it would mean changing your whole life. Isn't that the point? Im not advising you move cities and call Bill Gates. But you could get to a different part of your current city. Dont change everyone you spend time with, just choose wisely which of those people you gather insight from. My point is that it's on you to do so.
.
"If it were so easy to "trade up" why aren't we all networking with bill gates or whoever is at the next rung on the success ladder from us?" It's not easy! And thats probably why very few people are on a path of self improvement..... because it hurts at firs, it's very dificult and it hurts egos.
.
I never suggested race isn't an issue to success. I'm sure it is for many people! But I gurantee you, at least in the US, that it's not a barrier as proven by countless successful people of all races and upbringings.