Thursday 4 October 2018

Meaningless tautology/platitude of the week

From The Metro:

‘Anyone can succeed, given the opportunity,’ says May

Well duh, doesn't answer the question whether everybody is given the same opportunity (they aren't), and even if they were, not 'everybody' can succeed, most of us just bumble along*.

She then gives examples of a few Cabinet Ministers with 'humble' backgrounds and misses the point that by definition, only a few people will ever become Cabinet Ministers. It's a bit like the Lottery presenters on telly saying "Good luck, everybody!".

Also, the article uses two different spellings: "Barnado's" and "Barnardo's", only one of which is correct.

* For clarity, I have somehow hit the sweet spot by simply always taking the line of least resistance/doing the most obvious thing and have bumbled gently into a well above average job/lifestyle/home with mortgage long paid off etc. Some might actually consider me to be a 'success story'. If only Her Indoors hadn't decided to piss away half of it on private school fees...

7 comments:

Bayard said...

It also leaves the concept of "success" conveniently nebulous.

I presume, since she is a Tory, "success" for her means gaining wealth or power or both and this is the meaning we are supposed to take. I am sure she wouldn't consider living quietly on £10K doing a job that you enjoy and not being in debt a success.

benj said...

No equality of opportunity until we are equally compensated for our loss of opportunity.

Take that May.

Lola said...

Nonsense. Absolute nonsense.

The government cannot 'give' you 'opportunity'. Opportunity just arises. The trick is to spot it and capitalise upon it. And the welfare state and the current indoctrination style state education system is entirely antipathetic to any form of 'training' for opportunity spotting.

This is May at her nannying, statist, only government can fix it worst.

Mark Wadsworth said...

B, good point. Most people are happy if they can bumble along, same as their peer group. It's the bloody high achievers who spoil it for everybody by making us feel bad about it.

BJ, she won't go there.

L, not so hasty. Our PM gives the example of Sajid Javid. Quite clearly, had his father not come here from some third world hellhole, young Sajid would not have had the opportunities he had. Developed, civilised, democratic, non-religious based societies (like the UK) give people more and better opportunities. You and me included.

Lola said...

MW. Or, SJ dad came here because he spotted the opportunity of coming to the UK and all its advantages, and made the effort to do so. By simple observation a large proportion of the Indian subcontinent immigrants are very 'enterprising', indicating an ability spot an opportunity. And yes, the UK gives people education 'opportunity' (e.g.) but it's still up to you to recognise and exploit it.

Bayard said...

"It's the bloody high achievers who spoil it for everybody by making us feel bad about it."

Only because the disciples of Dr Goebbels, the advertising industry, are determined to make us so. It's quite easy to have the attitude "well bully for him, but I'm quite happy as I am", but they don't want you to have it. Otherwise they can't sell you that BMW 7 series that the high achiever drives round in.

Striebs said...

I get the impression that a lot of doors were opened for Ms May solely as a favour to her highly regarded and liked father .

Ironically she seems not to have developed any of his admired qualities .

Nice people are winners before the game starts Teresa .