[52-6F-62]

I think you're both right. I think your mention of luck and starting privilege plays a much larger role than we'd all like to believe or admit, though.

For (a crude) example, if we all drew the same conclusion that being wealthy and [say] a technologist living in a $10M condo in NYC with spending money and travel time was the ideal life style— many of use were born closer to that, even those born poor here, than say a peasant from the outskirts in Darfur.

That's one hell of a handicap.

Being intelligent, emotionally intelligent, charismatic, and tough will get you farther than if you weren't any of those traits personified. But on your way going about your business you're probably much more likely to be robbed of your acquired wealth and your life in some dangerous parts of those outskirts and so you just need that much more luck.