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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> Where each of us stands today is almost entirely the result, the combined
> result, of all the decisions we have made in our lives.  Getting to 
> some other place will be the result of all the decisions we make 
> from here on out.

Most of this post is sound, but it is incomplete. The decisions one 
makes most certainly cause results and further decisions needing to 
be made, further results, ad infinitum. But to understand a person we 
must go back to first decisions. Earliest decisions were made based 
on existing conditions and knowledge and desire. A decision made 
based on affluent conditions with strong, positive parental guidance 
and with a strong base of sound values will be a different decision 
than one based on squalid conditions, stupid parents and a value 
system based on easiest survival. Hence the need to "break the cycle" 
of living on welfare. If no other conditions are known to the 
decision maker, then decisions will be predictably bad.