>'I was able to escape that and do well through hard work.' I don't doubt it and I agree with every point. However, I think it's useful to consider this succe

>'I was able to escape that and do well through hard work.' I don't doubt it and I agree with every point. However, I think it's useful to consider this success in terms of your own advantages rather than a observation of others failings. As a rule, the latter is quite an easy thing to do. As I've related many times on HN, I too was born into a number of disadvantages, but notable advantages as well. A strong mother, an older brother who took the brunt of the abuse in our house and was destroyed by it, a supposedly very high IQ, a sympathetic teacher or two, developing a strong interest in technology where one can easily make a career on demonstrated ability alone, and surely many more. I walked straight and narrow tightrope relative to many people I knew and still found myself on the brink at times. Therefore, I try to not to be quick to judge people who fall - particularly when there's no net.