"Where there's a will, there's a way." Really?

It's probably a phrase we've all heard once in our lives: "Where there's a will, there's a way." It's even become the moral of many a Hollywood film. But what lies behind this phrase? Philosopher Aïda N'Diaye explains in this capsule prepared for France Culture that the subtext of this maxim generally means that if the person REALLY put in the effort, they would achieve their ends.

But is this always the case? Many people strive to get the job, role or house of their dreams, but don't succeed. So it's a meritocratic fable that's somewhat shared by everyday people. In contrast, the thinker John Rawls (1921-2002) wrote in the 1960s-1970s that the success of individuals or movements often comes more from various attributes. In his view, to reach certain spheres, you need to possess natural qualities that are in demand at the time. Something over which individuals have no control. The question of sustaining effort and willpower is also affected by material realities, chance encounters and so on. Moreover, he points out that it's generally the affluent classes who start out with a head start when they need it less.

To put the success or failure of a process down to sheer determination and effort would be inaccurate and contribute to the rather distorted idea of meritocracy.

Duration: 5 minutes