Nothing about the word is 'self made', you owe it to so many behind the scene

There is no such thing as a self made man/woman. Let’s ask some questions to ourselves to get the right perspective: Would Bill Gates be equally successful if he was born in extreme poverty in a remote part of Africa? Would so many Indians would be doing well in IT without the firm and subsidized education and an open market? OR would all Indians in IT would have done well if they were in a country which had no opportunities or extremely poor education? Even the poorest person who rises up the rank does so because somebody brought him/her to this world. Somebody provided minimal food n medicines to grow up, somebody believed in him/her to provide their first opportunity!

So the struggle and journey of individuals may vary but no one is self made. We are all dependent right from birth to the time we exit this world. Everyone loves a great success story. Since childhood, many of us have been taught that anyone can work their way up to success with just hard work and responsibility. If you live in the U.S., you probably recognize that philosophy as the “American Dream”. We are overwhelmed by a plethora of stories on social media detailing the successes of the “self-made” rich and famous, and that we can be like them once we’re equipped with the right mentality. Even I used to believe that.

However, the self-made myth is mostly at odds with reality. It covers up the systemic barriers to gaining wealth, and the increasing decline of social mobility. Now let’s examine some of the major models of self-reliant success. Every year, Forbes magazine puts out a list of the 400 richest people in the U.S. They state that the list “instills confidence that the American dream is still alive”, and that 70% of those on the list “made their fortunes entirely from scratch”.

The claim was later fact-checked by researchers at a Boston-based group, United for a Fair Economy. They concluded that most of the ultra-rich were born with significant economic advantages, and have benefited from a level of privilege unknown to most Americans. More than 60% of those on the list all grew up in privilege, with inheritances up to $1 million. Take for instance, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and arguably one of the richest CEOs in history. His story is frequently told as if he were totally self-made.

There’s no denying that Bezos is a talented and smart individual. But as for the “self-made” claim, in 1995, a while after he launched Amazon, there was a 70% chance as he told his investors that the company would fail. But Jeff’s parents simply invested about $250,000 to save the business. Having parents that can afford to give you that start-up capital is a rare privilege. Furthermore, Amazon, like many other major businesses, is noted for its harsh exploitation of employees that has prompted many strikes and boycotts against their seeking profit.

We need to cut back on telling stories about how many business people made it big armed with only personal responsibility and self-reliance. It even sometimes reinforces the idea that if you’re poor, it’s because you made bad choices. Practically all the world’s most financially successful people made it with at least some help. America gave a chance to hard working people to become self made success stories.

Perhaps not on the scale of “The Men Who Built America” great documentary on those true self made men who changed the world. It sounds obnoxious sure - but it is true- America is the only place where true self made success can occur and it is the engine of all innovation. I believe it is because of the founding of our country - people came for freedom and had the bravery to fight for that. It is is America’s DNA to be Free thinking and innovative. Stay blessed! #kishoreshintre #possessedbywritingspirit