If you're so rich, why aren't you smart?

If you're like me, you've probably found yourself more than a few times asking, "Why am I struggling so hard while complete idiots seem to be doing so well?" That just happens to be the editorial topic of Machine Design this month.

...But the larger question is whether income is a measure of a person's abilities.

The answer seems to be: Only sometimes. Insight on the subject of personal wealth comes from the field of simulation. A growing body of knowledge suggests winning track records in business owe as much to blind luck and chance as to abilities. And some professions that only seem moderately lucrative are, in fact, quite desirable when viewed probabilistically.

As with so many things in life, chaos is the key factor. Hail Eris! All Hail Discordia! May the chaotic randomness of life smile down on me. And just in case it doesn't, perhaps I should stick to a less lucrative but highly rewarding and fairly stabilized career.