Our lives, what we achieve and not, are governed by factors we control and circumstance we do not. To portray the positive outcome as the consequence only of factors we control is false because it disregards both circumstance and the effect others have on us, our choices and their outcomes.
The simple fact that our labor is highly valued and we are able to enjoy the fruits of this labor depends substantially on contributions made by others past and present. To deny this is to deny the value of our social structure, which is the great enabler in our individual lives.
Do not misrepresent my thoughts. I clearly acknowledge the importance of individual effort and choice (beginning with my own), even though I do not know how to weigh their contribution. Those that believe their individual effort and choice are all that matters should go live alone in a jungle, or on a desert island, for a couple of years and see just how much individual effort matters. It may keep you alive where others might not survive, but prosperity is the result of the collective effort and continued investment of many across multiple generations. It is incumbent on us to enable others in like fashion.