The reader responds on this thread:
It may be an “ethic” but not many people are really self-made. Society helps them out in numerous ways. Donald Trump wasn’t a homeless orphan who pulled himself up by his bootstraps. He instead worked for his millionaire father and attended the best schools, etc.
Society helps everyone, although unequally; I think the real point is that most are where they are due to family – and I meant that both positively and negatively, unfortunately.
And the other point is perhaps “myth” would have been a better word – true or not, this country was founded on the belief that a hard worker can improve themselves.
