This World, They Made You Believe In
Let's remember that nobody, I mean not one person, did it their way or on their own. Let's take down this myth.
“I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.”
―Stephen Jay Gould, The Panda's Thumb: More Reflections in Natural History
I usually spend my mornings waking up with my coffee and listening to some news or a podcast, a YouTube lecture or such … This morning, while watching, I heard one of my biggest peeves come from the mouth of a Stanford educated tech babe - “I worked hard to get where I am. I did it on my own.” Spat out my coffee. Poppycock.
Just like Trump or Musk, you know the type, born into a well-off family, they ignore all their entitlements, their head start and portrait to the world they did all the hard work, are the genius that created their success. Bullocks.
I remember years ago reading Valery’s essay destroying the (at that time), well believed theory of “The Great Man”. Yet, we still as a society haven’t embraced the fundamental fairness and freedom of merit. It’s all a crock, this myth of the self-made man. It ignores the reality on the ground. All of us, are a social creation.
Most of the well-off in the world (you define that), 99% are so because of what they’ve inherited or the advantages acquired by the fact of their birth. Inheritance and the social headstart is the primary means of wealth creation in all societies, by far. No your hard work, earned income, your intelligence and creativity. And this goes far against a meritocratic ethos and world. However, most people do not question the practices of making and receiving bequests and inheritances. Just like most people don’t question the “I did it all on my own, my way.” mythology that flickers in our imaginations like a billboard on the street of life.
It takes money to make money. It does. There is a golden spoon many people are born with - it comes in many forms. Straight hard cash, assets, schooling, opportunities, skin color, social contacts, supports and standing … they all add up to show how financial success is a social and inherited phenomena. There are no great men. They’ve been made. And usually it is money that put them there.
I won’t drone on any longer, belaboring. I won’t throw many research reports at you. Actually, just wanted to introduce this poem below.
After spitting out my coffee, I went to the shitter to do my thing and think. Picked up a Bukowski volume from behind the toilet and found this poem scribbled in the pages.
P.S. - I’m definitely not a self-made man.
This World, They Made You Believe
Listen man,
I’m going to take it easy on ya,
Give it to you straight,
No preamble, no bun
Just the beef.
They just want it all.
It’s not enough
you’re scraping for change
the end of each week …
Not enough
you’re working 3 jobs and
don’t have time to
kick back with your kid.
Not enough
you haven’t the years
to pay them back for
the servitude they gave you.
They want it all.
Every last cent.
They’d take your soul
if they knew how to wrap it.
And listen man,
they are coming for more.
They’ll suck you dry
and when you fall down
on your sword
they’ll say,
you just weren’t cut out for it,
this world
they made you believe in.
Too bad, too weak.
And then,
they’ll be off to look
for another sucker.
Agree! Knowing the many advantages I grew up with....