<p>Class rank came out today. I was talking to a girl who is ranked #13. She said that she wasn't dissatisfied with the rank itself, but by who was in front of her. When I inquired further, she told me that she doesn't want to be beat by people who don't put in a lot of effort.</p>
<p>I feel completely the opposite. I'd rather be beaten by the prodigy that doesn't try than the the dime-a-dozen smart kid that studies his ass off. Same in any competition.</p>
<p>Would you rather be beaten by pure talent or by work ethic? Why?</p>
<p>I was going to answer this question until I realized that I didn’t have an answer.</p>
<p>I don’t really mind being beat either way. Often times it’s my own fault and I don’t feel gypped or disgruntled. If I got “beat”, then I deserved it :/</p>
<p>EDIT: Wouldn’t you rather be beat by work ethic? Because then it’d be your fault and you could change the circumstances.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’d rather honor the person with hard work ethics than someone who has the innate talent to jump ahead of alot of people. As being a natural passionate individual who thrives to work his way to the end, I can establish success, but I can’t really see such a fair advantage with someone who’s been given fortunate ability. In the end, you’ll realize the natural innate kid will have a better chance of getting his/her reward than someone who has a slight chance of receiving credit for all those hard work.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind being beaten by either. Either way, i’m being beaten for one reason or another.</p>
<p>I’m one of those people that do not read at all. I completely despise books. I can honestly say i haven’t studied for a single test/quiz/exam all my life. Although that might have to change in college. …damn. </p>
<p>In my school, i’m #18 and people always come up to me and ask me what my rank is and honestly, i could care less. </p>
<p>Talent is one way people get by, and hard work is another. Either way, the person is smart aren’t they.</p>
<p>What’s objectionable about working hard? Some people are born with doors open, and others have to pry them open on their own. Not everyone has equal money or brainpower, but the beauty of hard work is that you can sometimes meet or even surpass people with raw talent, if you are willing to put forth the determination. I am one of those “studies your ass off people.” This does not make me inferior to those who have an innate intellectual bent. The things I’m good at I work hard at so I can be great, while the things I’m mediocre at I work hard at so I can be good. It’s simply a matter of making the best use of what you have. I do find it irritating when people take an insane amount of AP’s just to demonstrate they work hard, but it is commendable when people who don’t have a 4.0 average push themselves past their expectations. In the real world, people don’t care about your IQ, they care about the quality of work that you do.</p>
<p>But what I hate even more? People I believe that aren’t as smart as I am and getting better grades because my lack of effort. I do have good study skills and stuff, but they still aren’t as high as I want them to be.</p>
<p>But then again, if someone is naturally smart and doesn’t work hard, I’m competitive. I’m not a genius, but I’m pretty smart. I don’t believe I’m working my hardest yet, but with mediocre studying, I’m getting straight A’s/A+'s. I wish I could actually try my best and get high A’s in everything, but being relaxed with A’s is hard to get out of…</p>
<p>That’s the reason I’d much rather be beaten by talent. With work ethic, I know I could’ve done something about it to change the situation. With talent, not so much…</p>
<p>Being beaten by work ethic is so annoying… probably because I have little of it.</p>
<p>I think the naturally smart people are annoyed by the hardworking people. The smart people want to maintain the status quo.</p>
<p>The hard workers are envious that the smart people don’t have to work.</p>
<p>I think smart people deserve to win because they were born that way - they were born to be smart. I would feel much better to lose to them because… they deserve it because they were smart without work. Also you don’t feel bad when you lose because you know they are superior.</p>
<p>Yeah, superior because they’re born that way. They’re LUCKY. Since when did people choose how smart they can be when they’re born? And since when did we start feeling better by losing to people due to luck?</p>
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