You were born into a working-class family. The middle sibling of three brothers. Your parents were no longer in love, but they got along. There were occasional arguments and some got very heated, but there was no violence. They both enjoyed a few drinks in the evening and a few more on the weekends. You weren’t rich, but you always had enough to eat and your clothes were decent… that’ll do for now.
Were you imagining this person to be existing in a similar time and place as you? The sex, family set-up and demographic might be different, yet the time you imagined was very likely the present or when you were a kid. The place would probably be similar to where you are now or grew up. If so, I’m amazed too! If not, please write a comment telling me the different way you imagined it.
The purpose of this exercise is more than just that by the way. The vagueness of the hypothetical childhood was deliberate for what we do next. Read it again with a very different set of circumstances filling in some of the gaps:
You grew up in 18th Century Britain: working class life was dreadful!
You grew up in 1950s USA: An economic boom!
What if you were black though? USA in the 1950s? Not so great for you. Were you in the north or south?
A Jew in Nazi Germany?
The child of an immigrant family in a foreign country with a different language and culture.
A local right now (2026) in a country with horrific labour laws.
The point I’m making goes back to that old chestnut I like to use called birth bingo. There are so many variables that can make or break a person that are beyond their control. You may be born into atrocious conditions yet have the temperament and ability to rise above. It is still impossible to know how things will turn out. Birth bingo is just the beginning.
Imagine sitting down to play Monopoly and being told you will receive double of every payment you receive – when you pass go, the rent on your properties, when you win 2nd prize in a beauty contest. You’ve got it made!
Halfway through the game the board gets wiped clear; all property and money are returned. Everyone must start again. This time you get the same as everyone else. “That’s not fair!” Do I need to say it?
Go wild with that analogy please.
You could begin with a huge advantage or disadvantage. However you must remember fortune is a fickle beast, but let’s not forget the importance of knowing the rules of the game in the first place and, more importantly, the way to gain an edge.
This example rests on an important premise mind you – winning is about having lots of money and property. Ebeneezer Scrooge anyone?
What is success? That’s a whole other hornet’s nest.
Right now, we’re doing very basic birth bingo hypotheticals. After that there are so many snakes and ladders (life’s a game right?) to advance or stifle your cause. Let us not leave out unexpected detours and changes of desired destinations.
In spite of all the love your parents can provide and all the talent and intelligence within, if you are born into a famine-stricken warzone your chances are pretty fucken slim!
You’re born into a billionaire family with a debilitating disease. Be thankful for your blessings sounds harsh.
How many stories of people born into poverty with excellent athletic abilities. More often than not those abilities are squandered, or the ghetto gets the potential sport star before they get anywhere. If they do manage to hit it big, holding on to their fortune is a very difficult task.
I can tell this thread is going to have a constant risk of me straying from the point, so I hope you bear with me until I get a rhythm.
The point here?
Birth bingo is just the first roll of the dice. It may be the most important one – we can never know.
Cool quote – not an all-purpose one though. Some people are born with a very good hand indeed. Others don’t even get a hand – shit some get half of one fucking card! So, we should acknowledge that but not wallow in it. If you are fortunate enough to have an actual hand, even if they are all low cards out of sequence in different suits, at least you’re in the game.
Thank you for reading and please comment if you have disagreements or suggestions.
MINDLESS MUSINGS 
Leave a comment