Thread by @swardley

X : How did you create #WardleyMaps?
Me : Ah, it came to me in a flash of my incredible genius.
X : Really?
Me : No. I needed to solve a problem, I put in a lot of hard work and basically it was all down to a huge bucket load of luck ... a series of fortuitous accidents.

X : Luck?
Me : Yep. Luck and privilege generally determine most things. We obviously have this desire to believe that somehow we're special, that we live in a meritocracy in which our talent shines but ... that's mostly garbage ... actually, it's pretty much all garbage.

X : So, if you were born on a council estate then ...
Me : I was born on a council estate. I did go to Cambridge. But then that's my generation, I imagine it's vastly harder for kids these days. I had a lot of luck. Smartest person I know worked as a road sweeper ...

... and I mean that, smarter than anyone I ever met. If you think you're living in a meritocracy or you got where you are from talent then I would strongly suggest thinking about the role that luck and privilege has played.

People are always having a pop at those whose suffer under the stress of poverty. We don't give enough, we don't care enough. There needs to be more "We" in this society and a lot less "Me".

I always remember that "there but for the grace of God, go I".