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I'll put this here, as I think this is a philosophical point.
I've noticed here over the past year many instances of what I call "The Fallacy of the Faster *****cat".
This was a mistake I made when I was much younger that led to unpleasantness more than once.
Simply put, some people are born more "capable" than others. Intelligence, charisma, looks, all confer advantages to those born with these traits over those who aren't.
What is easy for me (or you) may not be anywhere near as easy for someone else.
The way this manifests here is where those who obviously are in the "faster *****cat" subset assume that what they have accomplished can be accomplished by EVERYONE else if they just do as they did.
This is simply not the case. But I've seen a lot of intelligent, competent people get FURIOUS with others because they can't keep up, can't understand what is SIMPLE for THEM.
All things being equal, all people are not equal.
I've always been able to find work, regardless of the state of the economy, for instance. I have a HUGE skillset now, but this was true back before I had ANY skills to speak of. I'm very smart, not hideous, and possess a certain degree of charisma. I learn new things VERY quickly.
Does this make me "better" than others? No. No more than being able to run faster or lift more weight than another person makes them "better" than anyone else.
But in a race, the faster is will always win.
In a weightlifting contest, the strongest will always win.
(And I'm not referring to advantages that come from training or edcation, only those that result from the genetic roll of the dice, in these examples)
And the smart, attractive, charismatic person will virtually always win in economic competition over the less smart, less attractive, less charismatic person. "Drive" being equal.
My point is that far too many arguments here that revolve around issues of "fairness" and equality of opportunity and outcome from those in the faster *****cat class assume that all *****cats could run at the same speed if they just educated themselves and tried harder.
I don't believe this viewpoint is accurate as applied to the real world because people simply aren't born equally ABLED.
The "quick" kid and the "slow" kid are not going to have equal outcomes, even if their opportunities are equal. Doesn't mean we should intentionally damage the quick kids brain, just not get so "mad" when the slower kid can't "keep up".
So what do y'all think?
Do you agree that sometimes those of us who have no problem competing expect too much from those who are less well equipped?
We all know people who really try but just can't keep up. Is it ok for us to dismiss them as "lazy"? Tell them what we did that worked for us and then judge them ill if it doesn't work for them?
What are your thoughts on this?
I've noticed here over the past year many instances of what I call "The Fallacy of the Faster *****cat".
This was a mistake I made when I was much younger that led to unpleasantness more than once.
Simply put, some people are born more "capable" than others. Intelligence, charisma, looks, all confer advantages to those born with these traits over those who aren't.
What is easy for me (or you) may not be anywhere near as easy for someone else.
The way this manifests here is where those who obviously are in the "faster *****cat" subset assume that what they have accomplished can be accomplished by EVERYONE else if they just do as they did.
This is simply not the case. But I've seen a lot of intelligent, competent people get FURIOUS with others because they can't keep up, can't understand what is SIMPLE for THEM.
All things being equal, all people are not equal.
I've always been able to find work, regardless of the state of the economy, for instance. I have a HUGE skillset now, but this was true back before I had ANY skills to speak of. I'm very smart, not hideous, and possess a certain degree of charisma. I learn new things VERY quickly.
Does this make me "better" than others? No. No more than being able to run faster or lift more weight than another person makes them "better" than anyone else.
But in a race, the faster is will always win.
In a weightlifting contest, the strongest will always win.
(And I'm not referring to advantages that come from training or edcation, only those that result from the genetic roll of the dice, in these examples)
And the smart, attractive, charismatic person will virtually always win in economic competition over the less smart, less attractive, less charismatic person. "Drive" being equal.
My point is that far too many arguments here that revolve around issues of "fairness" and equality of opportunity and outcome from those in the faster *****cat class assume that all *****cats could run at the same speed if they just educated themselves and tried harder.
I don't believe this viewpoint is accurate as applied to the real world because people simply aren't born equally ABLED.
The "quick" kid and the "slow" kid are not going to have equal outcomes, even if their opportunities are equal. Doesn't mean we should intentionally damage the quick kids brain, just not get so "mad" when the slower kid can't "keep up".
So what do y'all think?
Do you agree that sometimes those of us who have no problem competing expect too much from those who are less well equipped?
We all know people who really try but just can't keep up. Is it ok for us to dismiss them as "lazy"? Tell them what we did that worked for us and then judge them ill if it doesn't work for them?
What are your thoughts on this?