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quinnox

(20,600 posts)

20. or if you know the right people

Tue Sep 4, 2012, 02:26 PM

Sep 2012

or are born rich. It makes it a lot easier, I reckon. "Born Rich" is a pretty good documentary, one of the old money kids explains what he thinks about the typical conventional wisdom such as that republican meme in the OP.

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I'm so tired of the Republican meme, "if you work hard, you can achieve anything" [View all] Terra Alta Sep 2012 OP

Read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell... porphyrian Sep 2012 #1

I think too of Michael Sandel, the philosophy professor... CBHagman Sep 2012 #30

From a NYTs review of the book Outliers... Kurovski Sep 2012 #32

somewhere along the line, that saying got perverted... phantom power Sep 2012 #2

it's ironic. Terra Alta Sep 2012 #35

Horatio Alger is peddled so much so Republicans can say that if he/she can do it, so can you.... AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #3

ah, give em a break. That used to be true, back before Reagan. librechik Sep 2012 #4

I was a fetus when Reagan was sworn into office Terra Alta Sep 2012 #36

it is one of their more popular ones quinnox Sep 2012 #5

That's true if you are some reasonably rich person who can get gov't grants thecrow Sep 2012 #6

Some claim it is the health care costs treestar Sep 2012 #17

The typical GOPer is living in dreamtime, totally delusional and in denial of what others go through reformist2 Sep 2012 #7

The GOP is the Worlds Largest Cult n/t AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #13

That's code for n..rs are lazy and worthless. ananda Sep 2012 #8

I know what Republicans would say to some of those people AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #9

I followed every rule and failed spectacularly anyway. hifiguy Sep 2012 #10

Republicans would say: "It's your fault you have aspergers" AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #12

Repukes would tell you Asperger's is just a made up disease Terra Alta Sep 2012 #37

Agreed. it's dishonest, patronising, and contemptuous bullshit. Kurovski Sep 2012 #11

Singers had to be discovered by the right people, actors had to star in the right movie.... AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #19

Yes. It is almost cruel to tell young people it is an automatic outcome. Kurovski Sep 2012 #23

I agree. And mostly they are from the older generation who came of age in the 1950s treestar Sep 2012 #14

Well there are various ways to look at this dmallind Sep 2012 #15

or if you know the right people quinnox Sep 2012 #20

Yep - working hard is indeed not the ONLY way to increase chances of success dmallind Sep 2012 #27

The US has the lowest upward mobility of all industrialized nations nichomachus Sep 2012 #16

if you work hard enough, one day you can make other people work hard BOG PERSON Sep 2012 #18

Republicans seem to have a unwavering inability to look beyond their own personal experiences Proud Liberal Dem Sep 2012 #21

Hard work doesn't guarantee success most of the time it's about opportunity and connections. craigmatic Sep 2012 #22

My dad worked hard, but he also worked in a job before that got him the social skills... AZ Progressive Sep 2012 #24

Sounds like "The Secret" longship Sep 2012 #25

you forgot to mention "and if God believes you are worthy" MariaM83 Sep 2012 #26

The harder I work the faster the rich pull the rug out from under me. liberal N proud Sep 2012 #28

I have some questions about the meme mazzarro Sep 2012 #29

So what's your meme? "Don't bother working hard, you'll still be a loser" ? crazyjoe Sep 2012 #31

Well it does not seem to be... Kurovski Sep 2012 #33

"I've got mine, so FU" is thier Motto. The system is rigged and they like it that way. /nt MatthewStLouis Sep 2012 #34