Maybe not simultaneously, but I grew up in an immigrant family where everyone’s parents had farmland and houses in the original country. Almost all the families and cousins are pretty successful business/real estate owners/operators, who champion themselves, while ignoring the fact that they all had houses and farmland to go back to in their original country in case they failed.

But many, especially the older generations, also like to complain about people not striking it out on their own as a causal factor for why they remain poor.

It is a popular trope in culture too. It makes people feel good about themselves if they can forget about the shoulders they stood on, and for those who do not have shoulders to stand on, it gives them hope.

Sure but...

> people tell me examples of extremely poor people taking risks and hitting it big, and at the same time lament how people irresponsibly have children and debt they could not handle

Is having children a risk that could mean one hits it big? And it's definitely also possible (if not normal) for debt to come from lifestyle overspending rather than risking things to make it big. I just don't see the logical connection, although I can see there's an emotional one there.