I SAY, Right on..... Cheerskep Armando Baeza
On Aug 18, 2012, at 12:10 PM, [email protected] wrote: > In a message dated 8/18/12 1:25:45 PM, [email protected] writes: > > >> I would like to point out that we are not all created equal and that most >> of us are further penalized for not only race, gender, and class but also >> for education and ability - seemingly the deck is stacked against most of >> us >> > 'Penalized' is the wrong word. > > I'd suggest that 'restricted' might be better here, but even that is too > gloomy, too focussed on the morose possibilities in life. Freud had an > interesting phrase: "Anatomy is destiny." I won't try to grapple with what he > had > in mind in the essay where the phrase appears, because he too focusses on the > bleak. > > The fact is we can also be ADVANTAGED by anatomy. We see that regularly in > great athletes. We see the advantages of an attractive appearance, a strong > immune system, of stamina mental and physical. The many aspects of high > intelligence are the lucky advantages of anatomy within our skulls. > > Don't reply by pointing out that many athletes, entertainers, and smart, > healthy, rich folks have been "unhappy". That would trend toward saying none > of us has a chance to be contented. And it would be as unconvincing a > response as asserting that no black female born into a poor family has ever > eventually led a satisfying "happy" life. > > The sweeping "seemingly the deck is stacked against most of us" is too > morbid a generalization. And, without qualification it's useless. It becomes > useful for many when it's modified to something like "seemingly the deck is > stacked against most of those who elect to forego higher education". There > are many things that are beyond our electing for ourselves -- being taller, > smarter, impervious to germs. But some things yield to effort, and to abandon > effort because of a belief "the cards are stacked against me" is > self-confirming pessimism.
