It was only a way to move up into and through the middle class. It was never a ticket to any place else. The reason is simple, lack of opportunity. Sometimes opportunity is money, privilege, or luck. Sometimes it's being at the right place at the right time, befriending the right person at a party, or working together on a group project.

Every entrepreneur that I have known has come has some sort of privilege to get them where they are. One, not only had moderately wealthy parents, but those parents raised him inside of a successful store. From a young age he was taught how to make a venture work, he had a fall back if he failed, and he had people to call if he needed advice. Because of the opportunities they had in life, they believe that it was all hard work and intelligence that got them there.

My best friend from grade school was very wealthy. My friend has had more opportunities in life, just because their parents could float them while they took unpaid internships, complete graduate school, and buy them a nice big house so they could settle down and start a family.

If you want a 'great equalizer' you have to provide opportunity to those that don't have it. You have to check your privilege at the door and consider for a moment that some people don't have it as good as you. You have to give people a chance to prove themselves.

Even in the US and in Tech, if you were raised or live outside of a major metro, you are at a significant disadvantage to those who had the luck to living in one. If we want to fix this, we have to prioritize giving more opportunities to those who don't have them.