Social work pessimism.

I often get frustrated with the idea that anything is achievable with hard work. I understand this thinking has diminished a bit with the recession because people understand that bad circumstances can befall any of us, and it's not due to individual failure. However there is still the presumption that each of us has the power to change our own circumstances. We need to set goals and never give up. Look at all those people born into poverty who are now lawmakers and educators. The Colin Powell argument. This is a hard thing to argue against, because it really does sound logical. Just keep at it and eventually it will come your way. If it doesn't, you didn't try hard enough. Many people who think this are well-meaning - teachers trying to instill hope in their students, activists trying to inspire a community.

Unfortunately, they're wrong.

And this is the best quote I've found to summarize it (and believe me, as a social work student I've read a lot on this.

"It is a false hope informed by privilege and rooted in the optimism of the spectator who needs not suffer—a “let them eat cake” utterance that reveals a fundamental incomprehension of suffering."

Not to say the sufferers or the people trying to help empower them should give up. But there are other things that need to be changed before we can assume that all people have the same chances for success. This country is as far from equality as it gets.