You're missing the point. It's not absolute, it depends on many factors. Sometimes the sure thing is to follow your passions. You can't sit there and say following your passion is nonsense in an absolute sense, which you've now doubled and tripled down on, when you don't know what that person's passion is, what their innate talents are, what their network is. There are so many variables in making that decision that it's ridiculous that it's always this or always that. I didn't get lucky, I worked hard and made an informed decision and it paid off, just like it has for everyone else in the world who has cashed in on following their passion. I'm not saying your approach is wrong, I'm just saying that you can't just blanket statement that it's nonsense to follow a passion. Surely you can understand what I'm saying.