I was raised to assume that wealth and rank and privilege would be mine by right," he said painfully. "Through a combination of bad luck and bad judgment, most of those assumptions were beaten out of me. While other young gentlemen raced horses and chased opera dancers, I learned that the world grants no rights beyond the chance to struggle for survival." His mouth twisted. "In the army I was flogged, wore rags, and damned near starved to death. I was forced to face every flaw and weakness in myself, and to learn the harsh lesson that men born to whores and raised in the gutter could be stronger, braver, and more honorable than I
The speaker reflects on his upbringing, where he expected to inherit wealth and status as his birthright. However, life's challenges, including misfortune and mistakes, dismantled those beliefs. Unlike his peers who indulged in luxury, he faced harsh realities that taught him the true nature of survival and the absence of entitlement.
His experiences in the army were particularly brutal, forcing him to confront his own vulnerabilities. Through suffering and deprivation, he learned that strength and honor are not dictated by one's background, realizing that those from humble beginnings could possess greater qualities than himself.
