The really frustrating part is that people that do not behave in a 'proper' way often seem to get way ahead in life. No such thing as a just world.

Believing in a just world is another quirk of biology to overcome.

Almost as if the "proper" behavior isn't really optimal...

Perhaps the better conclusion is that the concepts of "proper behavior" or "optimal outcome" can often be misleading or ill-posed.

Economics and game theory tell us that into all systems, a bit of suckage must come. If you take a subversive look at the history of the United States, it would seem that groups of people here all lift themselves out of poverty through a combination of entrepreneurship and shameless graft/cheating/crime. I don't think the US has been free of some kind of group strife / domestic terrorism since the 2nd presidential administration. That's also when one political side accusing the other side of being horrible people who would bring about the end of the nation started.

The older I get, the more Stratfor's geographic interpretation of history and geopolitics makes sense.

The stages of development:

1. Understand anything

2. Understand the rules

3. Follow the rules

4. Break some of the rules

5. Make new rules

You've seen the rate of A (improper ways) given B (success), but that doesn't tell us about the rate of B given A.

yeah -- but most of them don't.

Do they? Care to elaborate?

Here's an article with links to other resources indicating that sociopathic/psycopathic behavior has a higher prevalence in people who we generally consider "successful" or to have "got ahead" (e.g. CEOs): http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/18/why-psychopaths-are-so-good-a...

Note: I'm not claiming the article is "proof" of the contention, just that it indicates support for the parent's assertion. Other items may counter the assertion, of course.