@desafinado i heard a lot of self-righteous, extraordinarily successful people telling us their bootstrap stories means that anyone can succeed in their America. i’ve lived in their America more than five decades. it’s a harsh and unforgiving country in which the successful act like they did what anyone could and those whose stories aren’t so great are losers, who deserve “help” and pity perhaps (that’s how we’re better!) but are what they are. 3/