Nirth: I did not mean success as having it all or whatever but well, feeling happy or content with what you can get I suppose. I'll try to make it clear: it's very obvious trying hard, having the attitude, believing in yourself and all that is important if you want to make a positive change in your life but none of that means squat if the environment is hard enough that it won't make a difference.
Then you are not speaking for everyone. My grand father grew in a family with 11 children of both illustrate parents. (they were too poor to go to school). He used to tell me stories of him being with 11 kids under one roof, they lived in a house with 2 rooms so everyone pretty much slept in the living. They didn't have much to eat and most of the day they would just eat one meal a day. Him and his one year older brother were pretty close and he used to tell me stories about him having ONE clean and neat shirt and when they did go on date, they used to swap shirts with multiple brothers because they couldn't afford more. Also they used to lie to every girl about their situation at home because they were a bit embarrassed about it (although it wasn't their fault).
Their father worked in coal mines but still managed to make enough money to send the older kids to school and eventually college. Meanwhile the younger brothers weren't much interested in education instead they used to sell lottery tickets and chewing gum on the streets in order to provide for themselves. They also worked at restaurants and their mother gave them plastic bags in order for them to fill it as much as possible with food and bring it home.
So the older kids did manage to make some living for themselves and all ended up with high paying jobs and even though their social status was low, they managed to get respect in society. And after some time the older sons became the father figure and send the little brothers to school as well. But my grand father wasn't much into school. And yes you are right because of his environment and hanging with the wrong crowd plus he was working as a kid so education didn't interest him. Instead he found his solution and career in sports. He started to go to martial art classes, He became obsessed with it and started to discipline himself in it. Eventually he ended he got a chance to teach CQC to British soldiers during WW2 (after he moved to England) and later moved to US to instruct US army rangers. Using close combat training/self defense training in army was a fairly new concept in Europe and in the US (unlike Japan en China). And when I was younger I did visit him and believe me his friends and his pupils used to say how great he was and how much he used to inspire them all.
So he did managed to make something out of himself. He always used to tell me that you aren't successful if you make it in an environment where everything is provided to you. If you manage to lift yourself up and make use of your life in a messed up environment then you have achieved something in your life.
But I do get your view and off course your external surrounding plays a big role and affects your life but then again we humans are survives. And even though our environment was dry, harsh, we managed to move from the continent of Africa and populate the rest of the planet. All I'm saying that no matter what people around me say or do, I'll always will believe in myself. Even if I'm the only one. Rather that than belonging to a numb mass.
Nirth: You misunderstood my entire point. If you have the option to try a different way then that means you're not in the position I'm talking about. Get back to this thread once you lose that "I'm a positive person!"-attitude that makes it possible for you to deal with hardship and you will know what I mean.
And how exactly does ignorance breed arrogance? What I meant was that when you're are successful due to your belief that you're the source of it you will want more of it and you become arrogant.
trentonlf: Let's see, I grew up in an abusive household (physically and mentally) with no escape. I held my fathers hand as he died with no chance of saving him. Just these two situations alone are terrible things to go through that I would not wish on anyone. Did I take the negative path of self destruction from them, no. I chose to look on the positive aspects in and around my life. So I can assure you that no matter what happens I will always have the "I'm a positive person" attitude.
Glad there are still people like you around ;) People don't know how hard life is unless they have been through some stuff... (I certainly can't imagine what you must have been through but sitting around and feeling sorry for yourself will only make things worse I think)
