Apathetic or Ambitious?

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it"

This is the my "bio" description on Twitter and an inspirational quote I took from one of the accounts I follow. But it really set in the other day what exactly it means to me. This entire quote is the reason why some people make it in life while others just make excuses. I've had an ongoing debate with myself and others about those who come from downtrodden upbringings and have less opportunities than the more "fortunate". Are these people justified to be on welfare, uneducated, and without ambition? Is their flawed upbringing to blame? Or is it simply their lack of motivation? How is it that a poor black boy like Ben Carson or poor black girl like Oprah Winfrey can grow up to become something great, yet people use every excuse in the book to become drop outs, teenage mothers, drug addicts/dealers, etc.? Are these people using their environment to throw in the towel? Just food for thought. 

In contrast the things I did and didn't have growing up are what gave me the motivation to become who I am today and the drive to become who I want to be. I realize that there are unyielding circumstances in people's lives, but do they warrant giving up on life? Someone made the argument to me that children who grow up in the hood and see drug dealers all their life know nothing else and simply become a product of their environment. Their parents, peers, and siblings do not teach them otherwise and they are never exposed to more upstanding ways of life.

In the same breath you could argue however that there is no way for someone to go unexposed to the high road. Do they not see teachers at their schools or doctors and lawyers on their TV's? Do they not see the violence, crime, and murder that goes along with "slinging" drugs? I'm not passing judgement on anyone, but I just can't see how street life seems morally advantageous to anyone in their right mind. Then again I have not lived the street life and cannot fully understand.

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear the other side. I love a good debate!:)