What if luck IS random and lucky people like to try to convince you that it’s related to will, work, and attitude to alleviate a sense of guilt about their success?
Don’t get me wrong, chance does favor a prepared mind but isn’t it funny how luck seems to stratify along racial and socio-economic lines? There is a lot we can do to optimize our own circumstances, but if anything I think luck (uncontrollable chaotic probability) is more downplayed than it should be especially for attribution of success.
The problem is you just read the headline and don’t know about “fortune” the author uses to explain random chance…
Like, you had no idea what the author was talking about, but still had enough confidence to type all that out
I have zero doubts if someone experience a positive result and you can’t immediately see why, it gets chalked up to random luck (what this author calls “fortune”).
Even tho it’s the result of effort that you can’t identify.
isn’t it funny how luck seems to stratify along racial and socio-economic lines?
You did stumble onto something there where resource scarcity forces short term thinking, but because you didn’t read the article, you think thats an argument against it instead of an argument for it. And almost certainly are unaware of the decades of scientific research proving that point.
People that aren’t worried about food and housing, naturally plan further ahead which can come off as “luck” at first glance.
Edit because I’m a nerd and looked into it:
Luck comes from Old German and comes down to “has good results at improbable odds”.
Until almost the 1500s “luck” wasn’t used in English, they had “speed” which is why when people want sound old times they say “good speed” when saying farewell, and everyone thinks it just means “get there fast”.
“Chance” was random. We still see this with the line between “games of chance” with roulette, and games like poker alternating between “game of luck” and “game of skill”.
Because those were interchangeable to a certain extent.
The problem (as it often is) is people only learning words via context. And over centuries it gets confusing as fuck because we stop caring about what words mean and care about how people use them.
I think this is the origin of “tower of babel” too, it wasn’t about everyone speaking the same language, it was about everyone using the same words and everyone meaning something different. The lesson was supposed to be that language rules need to be logical and enforced to maintain understanding, rather than just describing what the uneducated masses are saying.
Are you just assuming I didn’t read it because you disagree? I read it hoping that since it was posted on Lemmy maybe it wasn’t the same numbing dribble that the wealthy abuse to defend their privilege, but it was exactly that. This lady’s book is probably displayed proudly in many a wood-trimmed home office.
Why in the world would you have zero doubts about something being random and chalk it up to hidden effort? The universe is dominated by chaotic forces. What an inflated self view to assume that much of anything isn’t prone to randomness.
Are you just assuming I didn’t read it because you disagree? I read it
My bad, was giving you the benefit of the doubt.
Why in the world would you have zero doubts about something being random and chalk it up to hidden effort?
The same reason I know not to touch the stove even if I just turned it off, because it takes a while to cool down even tho it doesn’t look hot.
That’s a good example because most children need taught that, and I know I just whiffed, but you know not to touch a stove right after turning it off, right?
If you never learned that lesson, as an adult you may think someone who has never burned themselves on a stove are just incredibly “lucky”. (The issue here is you think that means it’s random chance, be cause you don’t know what luck actually means).
It’s hard for you to comprehend that someone is using context clues,logic, and general planning to know before they touch it whether it’s hot or not.
Like, that’s exactly what you’re doing right here:
Why in the world would you have zero doubts
You can’t understand it, and I didn’t take the time to explain it. Even after attempting to explain, you still may just write it off as “bullshit” but if this was real life and you saw I experienced consistently improbable positive results, you would fall back on it being “chance”.
It’s literally a coping mechanism older than humans, the only problem is most people don’t learn about it. Or for people who legitimately read the entire article, just aren’t capable of grasping what’s happening.
Fortune captures what is beyond our control, while luck is the result of the choices we make and the chances we take.
Immediately idiotic premise. The defining character of luck is it is seen in the elements outside of one’s control. The results of one’s actions are called consequences, not luck.
I agree with that…
“Fortune” is winning the lottery.
“Luck” tho, I’ve had a lot people get shitty about how “lucky” I am and that even when I have a negative consequence, it’s basically nothing.
That’s not because I’m Mr Magooing myself thru life or have some sort guardian angel watching out.
I just plan ahead and know how I’ll pivot ahead of time if something bad happens. So when something bad happens, I don’t panic, I just go to whatever plan B was and that makes it look like everything went to plan.
To my friends and family I breeze thru life without a care, I was just worried about the bad shit that could happen today long ago. Just basic planning ahead.
People use “lucky” when they don’t understand how someone could see something coming. It’s the same as when people thought lightning had to be Sky Daddy getting upset
The human brain loves explanations but hates thinking, so when it can’t find a good explanation, it writes it off as luck. And most people are so out of touch with their own brain, they can attribute gut feelings to a sense of luck, reinforcing their own belief that they are lucky despite there being a logical reason we had that feeling. Our conscious minds just aren’t in the loop as much as people assume. So when a nonverbal part is trying to communicate, the “why” is extrenous info, evolution just cares if you listen, it didn’t matter if you took the time to consciously understand why you needed to listen.
So we called that “luck” because that’s easier than realizing that not everyone is equal and the “lucky” person was just putting in more effort mentally than their peers were capable of.
???
You are lucky enough to be in a position to prepare for and seize opportunities. Your take on luck seems to be driven by Survivorship Bias.
It is possible I misread, long day at work.
I don’t know if you misread, but yeah, your comment is exactly what I’m talking about.
You know nothing about my upbringing, but any explanation other than “some people make plans I can’t comprehend” is more attractive to you.
Even after I clearly said I get it from my own family, and logically you have to know that means a similar (if not exactly the same ) upbringing.
I didn’t need an example, but thanks for providing one anyways
The best part of this response is, “you know nothing of me, but I who also know nothing of you can judge you.”
This is the same thing…
You think you’ve said “nothing” and I’m making random assumptions and when I’m right it’s because I’m “lucky” and you’re just wrong because you’re “unlucky” and because you think that means “chance” it becomes something outside of either of our control.
That gives lots of warm and fuzzies…
But it doesn’t convey what’s actually happening. I’m still using logic and context clues, but be sure that’s not enough for you to have built a picture, you assume no one else could.
Logic.
In general, I agree. To win a lottery, you need two things: buying a ticket, and win a lottery. A ticket comes first tho.