His intelligence was just something he'd been born with. Luck of the draw, like being beautiful. It was a rationalization to say that he'd worked hard. It was like being given a fine knife and taking the trouble to polish and sharpen it: it's great that you make the effort, but someone had to give you the knife.
Adelle Waldman, The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.
beauty, hard-work, intelligence, rationalize