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Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
That’s simply not true. If parental money and influence do little to improve the outcomes of children, then why do they spend so much time and money on schools, classes, programs, a house in the right neighbourhood, tuition, etc?
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because every little bit helps? Again, I never said there weren't any advantages - why is nuance always such a challenge? No one suggested that parents shouldn't try to help their children.
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In fact, if you honestly believed bright and ambitious children will succeed no matter what, then you would not devote any resources to aiding your own children - they’ll either make it or not make it on their own, right?
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this is just brutal logic, sorry
Why shouldn't people be free to pursue any path they like, any potential source of an advantage they believe might help them? If you think reading a particular book will help you get a particular job, why wouldn't you do it?
Please explain to me what you think we should do? Should families not be allowed to try to improve their children's lives? Pursuit of success is the driving force of our economy and society.
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That may be so. But you don’t think a couple where each set of parents can kick in $100k towards a new house and a couple that has no support will have very different experiences on the property ladder? And that this will impact their own children in turn.
The argument boils down to parental money doesn’t have much of an influence on generational wealth, but it’s absolutely vital I’m able to provide it anyway. And that doesn’t make any sense.
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Again, the logic is flawed.
I never claimed that advantages weren't beneficial. Pursuing advantages is a logical - and desirable - behavior for people to pursue.
What I was saying with respect to inheritance is this: someone claimed that inheritance creates this unbridgeable advantage and class separation. I suggested that the evidence doesn't really support that.
Most importantly, I keep coming back to the question: should we eliminate the pursuit of advantage? Working for an advantage for yourself or your children is a good thing. Having societal infrastructure that permanently creates a class system that separates the haves from have nots is not desirable. However, the evidence suggests this doesn't happen as much as some people think. Also, the alternatives aren't good.