It doesn't take luck, privileges or any other factor. When anyone points out any privilege people get offended and you can see the ignorance and defensiveness. I am light-skinned. Yet any success I have is through my efforts, luck and light-skinned privilege.

But many feel it's an either/or scenario. Several things can be true simultaneously. The fact that people won't acknowledge their privileges that contribute to their successes, is one reason why the meritocracy myth thrives. They need the ego boost and comfort that their hard work alone made them successful.