STREET DOGS: Of genetics and cosmic dice
Michael Shermer's insights on the role of circumstance and luck in life
From Michael Shermer at Scientific American, on the role of circumstance and luck in how lives turn out: The luck of being born in the first place — the ratio of how many people could have been born to those who actually were — is incalculably large, not to mention the luck of being born in a country with a stable political system, a sound economy and a solid infrastructure. The luck of having loving and nurturing parents who raised you in a safe and healthy environment, provided you with a high-quality education and instilled in you the values of personal responsibility. The luck of being born at a time in history when your particular aptitudes and passions fit that of the zeitgeist. What about intelligence and hard work? Surely they matter too. Yes, but behavioural genetics tell us that at least half of intelligence is inheritable, as is having a personality high in openness, conscientiousness and the need for achievement — all factors that help to shape success. The nongenetic co...
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