The Myth
Unveiling the Illusion: The Myth of Self-Made Success
Lyrics
Let me tell you the myth of the self-made man
Introduction to the myth of a self-made man.
And how he built up a fortune with his own two hands
Description of how the self-made man accumulated wealth with his own efforts.
Industrious and plucky
Characterization of the man as hardworking and resourceful.
An island unto himself
Illustrating the man's independence and self-sufficiency.
He rose up from obscurity to fame and wealth
Highlighting the man's rise from obscurity to fame and wealth.
When he’s interviewed about his meteoric climb
Describing the self-made man's interviews about his success.
He says he pulled himself up by the boot straps many times
Claims of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps and overcoming challenges.
He went straight from rags to riches by pulling his own weight
Asserting a journey from poverty to wealth through hard work and self-reliance.
With discipline and thrift he made himself a name
Attributing success to discipline and thrift, creating a reputation.
But what he doesn’t say is daddy pays the rent
Revelation that the man's father pays his rent, questioning the self-made claim.
And mommy’s left her fingerprints on every cent
Noting the influence of the man's mother on his finances.
His parents’ cronies funded every venture made
Indicating financial support from parents' connections.
But with luck and perseverance you could do the same
Suggesting that luck and perseverance are needed despite initial advantages.
If you just work harder than all those around you do
Encouraging hard work for equal opportunity, presenting examples.
Equal opportunity is waiting there for you
Asserting that success is attainable if one works harder than others.
Here, look at these examples of ingenuity
Showcasing examples of ingenuity for inspiration.
Find inspiration here and you will succeed
Linking inspiration to potential success.
If you can’t push through a million obstacles to win
Blaming individuals for failure, citing lack of skill and discipline.
It’s your own damn fault for lacking skill and discipline
Attributing lack of success to personal shortcomings.
All you need is talent and diligence and luck
Listing talent, diligence, and luck as prerequisites for success.
From lowly beginnings, all you’ll go is up
Emphasizing upward mobility from humble beginnings.
He failed to mention that his uncle ’s on the board
Revealing undisclosed family connections, undermining the self-made narrative.
His older brother gave him every job he scored
Pointing out favors received from the man's older brother.
His college friends know CEOs by their first names
Highlighting the man's privileged network with CEOs through college friends.
But with luck and perseverance you could do the same
Reiterating the possibility of success with luck and perseverance.
From poverty to prominence in no time flat
Describing rapid ascent from poverty to prominence with external support.
With unacknowledged help from financiers and bureaucrats
Highlighting unacknowledged assistance from financiers and bureaucrats.
If you can’t win you’ve only got yourself to blame
Attributing personal responsibility for failure.
But with luck and perseverance you could do the same
Reiterating the possibility of success with luck and perseverance.
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