Quote Originally Posted by Jock Scot View Post
..unless you happened to have been born into the families of the 5% of the population that mattered..
Therein is the point I am attempting to make. Who decides who "matters" and why give that much power away so easily? To my mind I am the only one who decides whether or not I matter. I respect the opinions of others, but I won't give opinion enough power to negatively affect me. If our lives were based on the approval/praise of others then we're only doing as good as we're being treated. Imagine riding a large roller coaster in pitch dark never knowing when the next steep downhill grade will come.

I'm sure I would have done fine in 1740. I wouldn't have had many friends and I wouldn't have been popular, but my value is not based on accolade.