Merton developed the theory of the “self-fulfilling prophecy”. This means that individuals can say to themselves something like: "I am from a poor class, my family has always been poor, there is no chance that I will ever be rich" and even if this statement had the potential of not being ends up being true, it became true simply because the individual judged it to be true, so it became reality. I find this theory to be true, being a natural optimist myself. Thoughts become actions. What we believe, we become. The life choices people make determine the social stratosphere and their ability to move up the social mobility ladder or not. Although people often have to struggle, they are not doomed to maintain the same chance at life that they have been given. To the single mother of four living on government assistance, lacking the tools to get ahead, who is upset that her best friend can travel the world with her college degree. Different life choices have chosen this way of