I'm not even talking about super powerful people either. I was friends with the secretaries at my college. So often I needed something printed or to use equipment. They had me.
I refuse to forget those who built me up. A lot of others didn't get those chances.
Is being nice and decent and caring about people merit? Is valuing the dignity of those around me, and wishing for their success merit? Is sharing warm smile merit?
I don't think the term merit has much utility, but I know the type of person I value differs with some people.
So many of the things I aim to do in my real life are meant to repay the blessings others gave to me.
I wasn't entitled to their love or grace, but they gave it. I give it forward with thanks.
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What is "genetic determinism"? Because a lot of things seem to turn on the definition of a term that a lot of credible people disagree on.
Another question:
If child A has a higher PGS for trait X than child B and the environment is considered fair, isn't the argument people make that child A is expected to have a better outcomes on X?
Isn't that deterministic?
Maybe that's too simplistic on my part. Maybe a PGS is simply a number that when interacting with the environment can produce any sort of outcome after all.
But I don't feel like that's the narrowness with which I encounter them in the wild.
The amount of black PhDs and accomplished professionals I've seen on this platform dismissed as undeserving is mind blowing.
The ones that are embraced are often willing to toe the political line of being "not like the rest".
So some of us no longer really buy the lie of "meritocracy". We no longer have a desire to gain the approval of those for whom by being us, we'll never be good enough.
Malcolm X's words ring true to this day. And still, we rise.
One privilege my kids have is parents that can shower them with so many things to exercise their intellectual abilities, including love, time and means.
I think of the gap between my childhood and their own. My mother was attentive and 100% dedicated to baby me, but she didn't have money or means, and life was generally hard.
So my children and me both got love, but means makes so much of a difference.
Having educated parents is also a giant privilege. I didn't have that.
This house has over 1000 books. Not only are these kids expected to read, but it's...safe. They read what they want and take their minds in their preferred direction. That choice is amazing.
It's been 5 years since Razib said this in 2017. I wonder if he'll pull it back or give the standard "5 more years".
They are not usually saying it's true. It's always just "it's an open question", and they always want policy and actions to take into account that "black" people are just genetically inferior.
The acceptance of this idea in the mainstream is telling.
We don't tend to do what we love the most, or what we could be best at. We do what is likely to make us the most money or see that our bills are paid.
That is such a loss to the world and ourselves.
I had another session teaching kids coding today. I really love teaching. Whether it's being a coding teacher, college teacher or chess coach.
But those were hard to get to or hard to make a good enough living from.
When you're the first of your generation to go to college or to get an advanced degree, the bar for what you have the luxury of doing is so much higher.
It's still a sacrifice though. We're rewarded with money at the cost of our dreams.