[quote=ocrenter]My point is most people will settle into what their genetic predisposition and socioeconomic tendencies guide them toward. It is the default, it is what comes easiest. And while a select few will be able to go against the grain, the vast majority will not. And that vast majority will take perfectly fluid and malleable situations with multiple possibilities and outcomes and turn them into very predictable singular outcome scenario and blame such outcome on fate.[/quote]Here’s the definition of fate: “the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.” So, genetic predisposition and socioeconomic tendencies are all part of fate IMHO. I’m fully aware we do have choices, but looking back, my choices are either to do OK or crash and burn. I was never given a choice to do exceptional. I was never given a choice to play bball like Mike, or play golf like Tiger, or be smart and ingenuitive like Gates, Brin, Jobs, etc. So, I accepted my fate that I will never be rich like them and be able to live their lives. Because of my genetic and personality predisposition (fate or just plain old probability), I’m able to brake free from the heard (sometimes). Maybe that’s what I’m destined to be or how well off I would be.
Here’s an example of in when you’re born will make a HUGE difference: If you’re born around 1980 and study software engineering, when you graduate in 2002 with a BS in Engineering, you’re faced with the .com crash. So if you’re lucky enough to get a job, you’d be paid crap. You’d save for a few years and got married, so decide to buy a place around 2006. You’d be screwed. But if you actively go against the heard, which is probabilistic-ally low, then you’d be a little better off, because then you can buy in 2008-2011 for a pretty big discount. However, lets take that exact same scenario, but lets say you’re born 6 years earlier in 1974. You’d be graduating with a BS in Engineering in 1996. Lets say you’re just as lucky in landing a job and your company when IPO. You also found a wife and decide to buy a house 4 years after you graduated. Since you have $1-2M due to stock options, you’re able to either buy a huge house in very nice area or be able to buy a nice primary and many rentals. If you just follow the heard and keep on working, you’d still be very well off. If you go against the heard like your personality dictate, you’d sell all your rentals and primary in 2005-2006. Rent and buy back in 2008-2011. You see how being born 6 years apart can yield a drastically different financial outcome. This is assuming you’re keeping all variables the same.
