This essay was definitely instrumental in my life, helping me to adopt a worldview where I could define my own destiny (yes, in privileged America) despite some

This essay was definitely instrumental in my life, helping me to adopt a worldview where I could define my own destiny (yes, in privileged America) despite some very serious headwinds: growing up in an alcoholic, single-parent mobile home. I barely graduated HS despite ability and floundered without college for several years. But later put myself through public college for CS and have had a great career (and life) for many years thereafter. This worldview gave me the courage to not care that life is "unfair" and that I hadn't been granted many opportunities available to my peers. If I hadn't believed it were possible, I never would have tried.