Comments on: It’s Better To Earn It http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/19/its-better-to-earn-it/ The Sweet Release of Reason Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:01:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Justin http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/19/its-better-to-earn-it/#comment-579079 Justin Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:58:04 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1417#comment-579079 What's worse, the phrasing of the luck question seems to very poorly match inherited wealth. I can imagine someone admitting "yeah, I was lucky" but without finding the phrase "was in the right place at the right time" to be too apt (as the lucky sperm reference makes clear). As for the latter questions--what weight should we really put in people's claims about the causes of their happiness? Seems like exactly the sort of question where one doesn't trust auto-theorizing, and should instead go for indirect evidence. What’s worse, the phrasing of the luck question seems to very poorly match inherited wealth. I can imagine someone admitting “yeah, I was lucky” but without finding the phrase “was in the right place at the right time” to be too apt (as the lucky sperm reference makes clear).

As for the latter questions–what weight should we really put in people’s claims about the causes of their happiness? Seems like exactly the sort of question where one doesn’t trust auto-theorizing, and should instead go for indirect evidence.

]]> By: Kevin B. O'Reilly http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/19/its-better-to-earn-it/#comment-579037 Kevin B. O'Reilly Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:48:13 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1417#comment-579037 I agree with markfarner that there's some poor wording. More interesting results might have been yielded, perhaps, with a statement such as, "I deserve the money I have." I agree with markfarner that there’s some poor wording. More interesting results might have been yielded, perhaps, with a statement such as, “I deserve the money I have.”

]]> By: markfarner http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/19/its-better-to-earn-it/#comment-579026 markfarner Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:41:48 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1417#comment-579026 If the report is accurate, the statement was not "the money I HAVE has come from being in the right place at the right time", it was "the money I have MADE". I would submit that even the most spoiled trust-fund kid would be able to distinguish between his inheritance and money he has earned through labor of some sort. I would also submit that the prevalence of poorly-worded questions such as this make putting any stock in surveys a fool's errand.... If the report is accurate, the statement was not “the money I HAVE has come from being in the right place at the right time”, it was “the money I have MADE”. I would submit that even the most spoiled trust-fund kid would be able to distinguish between his inheritance and money he has earned through labor of some sort. I would also submit that the prevalence of poorly-worded questions such as this make putting any stock in surveys a fool’s errand….

]]> By: Christopher Monnier http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/19/its-better-to-earn-it/#comment-579024 Christopher Monnier Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:58:11 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1417#comment-579024 > <i>I especially like the luck result. It’s hard work getting born to the right parents.</i> The chances that any single human would be born are essentially zero. The right sperm and the right egg not only from your parents, but also their respective parents and their respective parents etc. etc. all the way back to whenever... > I especially like the luck result. It’s hard work getting born to the right parents.

The chances that any single human would be born are essentially zero. The right sperm and the right egg not only from your parents, but also their respective parents and their respective parents etc. etc. all the way back to whenever…

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