Equality and ability

I've lately been coming to terms with the idea that not all people are created equal. By this I mean that some people have certain aptitudes that may make them "successful" by the measures of our society, while others may not possess these abilities.

This idea is certainly not in agreement with traditional American values. A common theme in our culture is that hard work will earn someone success. That is, everyone has the capability to be successful. Of course, I don't think that anyone would argue against the idea that success is most commonly achieved through hard work. So, the idea that every person is created equally would imply that those who are not successful did not work hard enough to achieve success.

I find it dubious to believe that the difference between a homeless person on the street and a successful corporate executive is simply their willingness to work hard. So many differences between the two people's pasts exist that their current plight can't be correlated entirely to work-ethic.

The reason this is important is because success is typically equated with money. Now, of course I understand that money can get us what we want, but beyond that, money is a means of security. In America, those with large sums of money can afford very good health care and need not worry about how to support themselves in retirement. In some sense, money frees one from the anxiety felt by a lot of people struggling to earn an income. This anxiety is towards an unknown future: poor health, a broken vehicle, fires and natural disasters, etc.

I did not make an attempt in this writing to be rigorous. Instead, I wanted to clarify some ideas that have remained muddled inside my head. I should make an effort in the future to expand upon what success means, and whether or not a division of people into rich and poor classifications is fair or useful. I should also attempt to address the maxim "money cannot buy happiness."