[egypturnash]

I feel like there is a huge elephant in the room here of how shitty Utah’s support system evidently is. No money to assist his disabled parents and his autistic brother. This whole family was living in desperate, grinding poverty, and that gave this kid a super strong urge to try and get out of it instead of having a childhood.

[winwhiz]

3rd lowest in the country?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territ...

[SyzygistSix]

With you on the first part, not so much on the second. He seems to enjoy what he does and retain a sense of child-like wonder about the world. If the article is accurate, his curiosity and drive were fueled rather than suppressed.

[TrispusAttucks]

I disagree with this sentiment.

You wish to take away the very condition which made him uniquely special. He seems like he was enjoying his childhood. Adversity breeds character and this kid had more than character than some entire classrooms.

[vaidhy]

Yes.. When you are struggling to put food on the table, you are not enjoying childhood.. Adversity breaks more people than building character. Which is why, we insist that kids have good food, good environment to grow up in etc. It is not right that 1000 kids suffer for one to build a character (as you may call it). You can build character in better environments too.

[RalfWausE]

Hard times creates great men, great men creates good times, good times create weak men, weak men create hard times...

[fzeroracer]

I lost a significant number of my teeth as a teenager because I grew up in poverty and decided that what little money I had was better put towards my career rather than fixing dental issues.

Do you think this is a positive example of how adversity breeds character?

[SyzygistSix]

Adversity can potentially breed character. Sometimes it just breaks people or merely stunts their growth and potential.

[formerkrogemp]

Adversity most often instills trauma. Character is entertainment in works of fiction. Character is not often a healthy, well-adjusted person.

[rospaya]

Nothing romantic about poverty and misery.