My parents, my teachers, my friends, all said I would make millions because I was good with software. In retrospect, what the hell did they know about software?

Anyway, money and fame see pretty vapid. Could I utilize more money? For sure, but a regular job in this economy puts me well into the rich category globally speaking. I can buy a coffee at a cafe, and ride my bikes in good weather. I've got it made.

Hahahaha. Oh my.

Quote from this page: "Becoming rich and famous is mostly a matter of luck."

Quote from page linked to FROM THAT SENTENCE:

"3 Ways To Increase Your Earnings Potential

Want to learn PROVEN ways to build wealth? Sign up for this free 3-part course that shows you how to become wealthier. "

And his sales pitch to get me to buy into his advice is that his advice is meaningless and its all luck?

> In 1985, Neil Postman, who was a media critic, wrote a book called Amusing Ourselves to Death. Postman argued that the media de-emphasizes the quality of information and over-emphasizes our desire to be entertained. Remember, that book was written over 35 years ago in an age without the internet and social media…

When I read that I knew the article was by someone who was young, because all those trends described in the article started before social media. But they did start when “media” started measuring their success based on user time consumption (post advertising).

> We’d rather have a real picture in a lavish private jet over a real experience that’s normal.

I think this is where the author sort of misses the mark with the article. Because that is exactly an example of how many people actually don’t want to be consumers, but rather producers.

Now, you can think that’s a bas thing. I certainly think it’s sad to see children who would rather be YouTubers than scientists, but at least those children still want to make something with their lives. I’m not sure whether social media has made it easier to become rich and famous, but at least you don’t have to deal with editors to even get your content put on MTV.

> Kittens learn that from observing their mother. As far as I know, cats can’t communicate the way we do, so they learn by copying each other’s behavior.

I’m not going to pretend to know how cats work, but we had a rescue kitten that never saw it’s mother (or any other cat) so anything and it still used the litter box.

> Same strategy, same actions, different times, different outcomes. Becoming rich and famous is mostly a matter of luck.

I play Blood Bowl, it’s basically chess mixed with dices. It’s very unbalanced and leans much more heavily into the dice side than the chess side. After around 2000 matches I’ve learned that it’s indeed great to be lucky, but to win consistently you need to be lucky at the right times.

I personally prefer that sort of thinking because it indicates that you need to set up your circumstances to capitalise on the luck that comes your way.

So what is the best way to deal with the delusions harbored by people?

Present evidence that they are incorrect? No, it tends to get ignored and ridiculed. (This even happens here, on this hallowed haven of intellectuals who deal only in pure logic.)

Convince them into changing their delusional beliefs through emotional appeal? Sometimes, though that may be how they acquired them in the first place too.

Any others?

> Ask 100 ten-year-olds what they want to do, and I’d guess 99 of them will say something that’s related to becoming rich or famous: A musician, YouTuber, actor, NBA player, Elon Musk, and so forth.

Pretty sure when I was a kid people wanted to be astronauts, actors, sportspeople, singers or musicians, or other things might make one rich or famous. When you’re ten years old that’s what you do, non?