[ccernaf]

You're ignoring the systematic factors that lead to one person being able to attain car-repairing skills over the other.

"Al, in fact, was a former Lamborghini tech. What’s that training worth? Do most poor people have it?"

No one is denying that Al probably put in a lot of hard work, but that he was able to get to that point is a part of privilege too.

[diydsp]

You seem to claim that privilege will give you skill. It will not. You need sweat to gain skill.

Here is a quote from someone who actually became a Lamborghini tech[1]. It supports my statement that sweat is more important than privilege in acquiring skill, emphasis mine:

"i did need not go to any toher after school like audi etc. i got perfect attendence and didnt have a grade under 94. i always went to another school at night during my course in high performance engine building. just work hard and when you go to school work hard. more than half the kids sat thier all day talking about cars and didnt care about there grades. and the most important thing you need luck. haha to be honest. i am a technician here on the service side. you never know unless you try. every body told me i was nuts cause i sent about 60 resumes to every top dealer and performance shop that had something to do with lambo and ferrari and all these great companys, and i got it. just work hard and dont give up. my first day at work i got to work on and drive the veyron. it was insane "

[1] http://www.lamborghini-talk.com/vbforum/f4/how-become-lambor...

[ccernaf]

I never claimed that you needed only privilege to gain skill, or that you didn't need sweat to gain skill. What I said was that even those who work hard were able to do so (able to work hard) because of some privilege that they had.

[diydsp]

> "those who work hard were able to do so [...] because of some privilege they had."

Yes, this is where you are wrong. It is possible to work hard without starting from privilege. Try re-reading your statement in a week when you are less attached to it and see what you think:

Working hard does not require privilege.

Working hard is a choice every individual makes, every minute of the day.

It is possible to work hard with starting from privilege and then gain skill.

Skill is gained by hard work and is earned. It is not the result of privilege.

Skill is not the same as privilege. Skill is earned by sweat and can not be granted.

Privilege can grant many advantages, but it can never confer skill.

Skill can only be earned.