Sometimes You Have To Start From Scratch

I have learned that one major component of success is the cultural capital that you possess when you first start on your career path.    Cultural capital is a sociological concept first articulated by Pierre Bourdieu and Jean-Claude Passeron in their book "Cultural Reproduction and Social Reproduction."

Cultural capital is best thought of as the non-financial social assets that promote social mobility beyond economic means.    The capital is found in education, intellect, style of speech, dress, or physical appearance.    These are the things that you don't know that you don't know.   It directly relates to the social class in which you were born.

An example of style of speech would be speaking clearly using proper grammar and the tone of voice that is used in conversation.   People who can articulate their thoughts in a clear concise manner have more culture capital then those who speak in more informal speech including slang.     Sometimes it depends on your family of origin as language is learned based on the sounds they speak.

There is hope for those who have the desire for social mobility.   Many people are open to being a mentor for professional development.   A great place to start is local community organization or your workplace.   Success has it's rewards but first you have to find the keys which lie in cultural capital.