Who determines one’s condition in life?

I have long-held that one’s condition is life is largely, perhaps exclusively, the result of personal decisions, choices and activities. Of course, there are some exceptions. There are individuals who simply face overwhelming odds beyond their control, but these people are the small minority.

What are some of the things that get in the way of our progress as individuals and as a society. Here is my list.

🔻Failure to learn while in school
🔻Dropping out of school
🔻Becoming pregnant outside a marriage
🔻Getting someone pregnant
🔻Drug and alcohol abuse
🔻Reckless, unhealthy lifestyle
🔻Living above ones means
🔻Irresponsible borrowing and debt
🔻Dysfunctional family situation
🔻General financial ignorance
🔻Poor work ethic
🔻Failure to protect oneself from risk via insurance
🔻Failing to plan for the future, including saving
🔻Entering and remaining in abusive relationship

There may be others, but this is a good start.

For decades the government has attempted to fix the plight of many Americans in poverty or otherwise underprivileged with scores of programs and laws and trillions of dollars. The results have been marginal at best. In fact, by some measures there has been no progress.

If there is any validity to the above list (comment if you disagree), then our basic approach to solving social problems is flawed. Our focus should be more on changing destructive social and personal behavior.

Here is a very interesting article attempting to document a similar perspective.