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Comment by hmokiguess | Hacker News Reader

Some people aren't very self aware of their own bubble and how luck plays a role in their life.

who's to say OP hasn't suffered or otherwise disadvantaged himself in upholding that moral?

Exactly. Plus, many people don't seem to understand the word "avoid" (it's come up in my own bubble recently). It doesn't mean "never." For example, a vegan would not say "I avoid eating meat." Furthermore, because someone successfully avoids now doesn't mean they went through a period of being unable to in order to earn the privilege to do so regularly.

Your exemple says much more: a short definition of veganism may use "never" and not "avoid", but a more complete, thoughtful definition encompass catches it:

> [...] which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable [...]

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism

Ha, fair! It was an example off the top of my head and used based on my experience of how vegans talk, but yes, it's not a perfect example. But then if we're going down the rabbit hole then nothing is really absolute when it comes to what we should and shouldn't do. An actual software example would have been better:

"Avoid strong coupling between modules" v. "Never upload raw keys to a git server."

Pointing to luck renders all advice meaningless.

Much advice is meaningless, baseless post-mortem correlations from people trying to justify their own success.

"Buy more lottery tickets!"

no, it's "buy lottery tickets to exclusive lotteries".

the ability to enter such lotteries is where success lies. either through connections or ability.

If you need connections and ability then you are back to luck.

those can be cultivated.

To a degree maybe but the degree differs dramatically for different people. To give an extreme, someone with a significant disability growing up in an impoverished family in the middle of nowhere is generally going to have very little opportunity to cultivate connections and ability.

In my metaphor, "lottery winners" is already representing exclusivity.

Luck can mean opportunity, but doesn't reflect on capability, availability,or outcome.

People who say that tend to make their own bad luck and not get nearly as far in life.

Not that luck doesn't have a role, but everybody gets it.

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