Originally Posted by Val
According to my physics textbook, potential is the amount of work required to move a unit of positive charge from infinity to a point inside an electrical field. We could define this idea in terms of people and their sedulousness, by saying potential is the amount of sedulousness required by Little Johnny so that he moves to a given point in a society's success field, with more work required as one gets closer to the center.

Now, if success is defined as not being exclusive to the center (seems reasonable), it becomes clear that varying combinations of lots of things will get you where you want to go. As just one example, people have varying degrees of charge in different areas. So each person will have to do a different amount of work to get to the same point in the field. Of course, different points may be defined as "success" or "not so successful" in different people, as in "His successes include several platinum albums and finishing high school. He says passing algebra 2 was the hardest thing he's ever done." Yet although passing algebra was pretty easy for me, I will never have even a gold album.

I think I've sone a reasonable semantical job of demonstrating that personal potential is a ferociously complicated idea that is not to be trifled with. smile
This is great, thank you!

Originally Posted by Bostonian
High net worth generally indicates that you have produced more than you have consumed and that you have been a net contributor to society.
Yes the hope of attaining fuels the rags-to-riches aspect of "The American Dream". On the other hand, high net worth can indicate other things as well, for example that much has been invested in an individual. Further down the continuum of the broad range of possibilities... as the world economy tightens, there are increasing stories of human trafficking, illegal drug trade & smuggling, and other predatory means of acquiring wealth at another's expense. Therefore many see that wealth as a proxy for positive contribution to society may be somewhat flawed, just as accomplishment/achievement is not a direct correlation to IQ/intelligence.

Apologies to the OP as this thread seems to have been hijacked to a discussion of success/sedulousness. Anyone want to create a separate discussion thread for success/sedulousness?