The older I grow the more impressed I am with the role of luck or chance in life. To be born when and where one finds himself is, of course, from the point of view of the individual pews the sheerest luck of all--good or bad. There are millions now living in America who would long since have been dead, had they been born or had remained in countries of their parents' origins. Luck does not determine or explain achievement--merit often plays a preponderant role. This is obvious when we observe the differences in performances among those who have a roughly common environment and are judged by a single, relevant standard. But even to be in a position to be evaluated on one's merits is a matter of luck or good fortune. Sometimes those who are qualified, and more often, those who are potentially qualified never get the chance. Sometimes the qualified have the good luck of competing against the poorer qualified or the bad luck of competing against the better qualified-circumstances usually beyond the control of the persons affected. Yet, in every competition this is an important factor. The distribution of wealth in this world depends almost as much on luck as on energy, foresight and skill. These latter virtues are decisive as a rule when the luck of opportunity is common. But often it is not, as the varying portions of individuals' inheritance testify. Even when the opportunity is common, results may not reflect merit or demerit. When we read of the actions for which individuals have run afoul of the law, it is only the weakness and poverty of our imagination that prevent us from grasping the series of events--all caused to be sure--whose conjunction could have landed us in the same predicament. If our temper had flared up when a deadly weapon was available, might we not be in the dock? Regardless of legal guilt or innocence, being charged with, or involved in, a crime is often a matter of luck. We never know when we may be falsely accused. Does belief in luck tend to an acceptance of the status quo? Not necessarily--although there is nothing wrong in accepting the status quo, if any feasible alternative to it is likely to be worse. When we realize what we owe to luck, it tends to cure us of overweening pride, of smugness and self-righteousness. For whatever our achievements we will note that they are not a consequence only of our worth, or of our efforts and virtues alone. Success always depends upon the cooperation of other persons and things, on the happy concert of time, place and opportunity--the absence of any one of which might have spelled failure. According to the passage, of all the following luck is LEAST related to ______ .