In addition to glorifying the thuggish, our culture also works hard at diminishing the fruits of accomplishment. Over at CNNSI.com, they call the top 50 paid athletes the “Fortunate 50”.
Fortune? As in Tiger Woods got to his position by mere luck? The guy gets up and practices at 7:00am everyday. Sure, there are a few guys who make mega-bucks with sheer talent and little work–Alan Iverson comes to mind (he isn’t on the list, though). Of course, there are such people in all walks of life, not just sports.
That list is surely dominated by people who have busted their rears to get where they are. Yet CNNSI makes it look as though they achieved their heights by the whim of the gods.
