David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

themselves and realize that they never
have to work hard, be independent, or
learn the meaning of money? That’s why
so many cultures around the world have
a proverb to describe the difficulty of
raising children in an atmosphere of
wealth. In English, the saying is
“Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three
generations.” The Italians say, “Dalle
stelle alle stalle” (“from stars to
stables”). In Spain it’s “Quien no lo
tiene, lo hance; y quien lo tiene, lo
deshance” (“he who doesn’t have it,
does it, and he who has it, misuses it”).
Wealth contains the seeds of its own
destruction.
“A parent has to set limits. But that’s