The critical ingredient between the two sides in such debates is that one side believes that hard work is all you need to be successful, and the other side thinks it’s hard work and luck. And doesn’t tolerate the micro aggression or outright aggression exhibited by people who have both but their fragile egos can’t stand that they are anything but self-made, full stop.

There are things in my life that have gone spectacularly well, and some that have gone pretty badly. So here’s me in the middle, with a pretty okay life that others envy, but the bootstraps people look down on.