Does self-made only describe those achievers/overachievers with working-class backgrounds or can the term also include achievers/overachievers from the upper-class?
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those from humble economic beginnings only. ppl will assume you got some leverage/nepotism if you come from money originally.
It means being successful through your own means (e.g. hard work, an idea, a skill, a business, etc).
While possible, it is unlikely that upper class people didn't have any direct help from their families. It is possible for a child of a wealthy family to be successful on their own terms, but the public perception might be less glowing.
I think it can include people from upper-class backgrounds. As long as you built the thing that made you rich and didn't just inherit it from family, the argument can be made that you're self-made. Bill Gates is considered self-made but he didn't grow up poor. Same thing with Buffet. Even the people who do come from nothing often have a lot of help along the way and catch lucky breaks. IMO there is no such thing as truly self-made.
I agree with you. But this view is unpopular. By browsing the web, reading forums, etc., I gather that people can be so strict with their definition of self-made: the man/woman must have come from rags to riches, period.
Agreed. The strictly rags to riches definition of self-made makes for a better story. However, rags to riches and making all your money all by yourself isn't often the case.
On the extreme end, I think of Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood
The opening of the film was awesome
one of my favourite businessmen/rags to riches stories is Barry Hearne - started as an accountant, went to controller/cfo of one of his clients (materials company I think), worked on his own accounting clients in the evenings, then got lucky by buying some pool halls just as pool started to become televised. created snooker personalities similar to how Vince McMahon creates wrestling personalities. this led to him becoming an agent/promoter for different sportsmen, particularly boxers (Lennox Lewis, prince Naseem, Chris Eubank et al.). he tells his story on YouTube about how he grew up poor and his mum told him to be an accountant because she'd never seen a poor one.
hot take:
self made people don't exist. everyone who is successful got help from someone in some way.
I agree. I flip flop between your take and that of MaxEbic. Either there are no self-made people or there could be (including those with upper-class backgrounds as long as no large inheritance was executed). What I disagree with is the view that only rags-to-riches people who became successful can be crowned self-made.
Kylie Jenner
SKEET SKEET MOTHERFUCKER of course ha ha
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It isn't possible. No one gets where they are through their own efforts, by every possible definition.
There are degrees of "self-made", but only degrees. And yes, also almost by definition, people coming from a background of economic or social privilege will find it easier to be successful, so less credit is given.
I'm gonna echo others that there probably is no such thing as a truly self-made person. Somewhere, sometime, you'll get help from others - whether you know it or not.
But as far as my personal network goes, I think my first boss is the closest I can get to "self-made". Grew up in an uneducated and poor single-mom household, started working when he was 12. Put himself through college to become an engineer, worked two jobs to finance his own company, because no bank would lend money to him (shitty poor location / area where most businesses failed). Close to bankruptcy multiple times, but powered through it by just working more. Eventually landed a lucrative contract, which then resulted in more contracts.
He's rich today - but still works 12 hour days six/seven days a week, despite having multiple heart attacks and other stress-related conditions.
Is it a life I'd want to live? No. But I can't take away his sheer drive and determination.
A self made person is a baby dropped on an island who lives alone and was raised by wolves and later hunts and gathers alone and lives in a self made hut.
But, you could argue they aren’t really self made as the wolves provided assistance during infancy.
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