Your friends may have been poor, but they probably had a stable family. They probably had parents who showed them love, made them feel safe, and taught them to follow the rules, work hard and dream big. It's scary how dysfunctional a person becomes, when they are deprived of those things.

I've seen this in a number of kids/adults who grew up in abusive homes. There's something inside them that is broken. Some people should just not be allowed to have kids.

Family stability, love, and community support play the biggest role in motivation and self-being. Ever try to get a depressed person to do something productive?

Not really. Shared environment generally doesn't matter for behavioral traits.

Also, at least here in India, if you are brilliant in academics (or above average) there are entrance exams and you can get into really excellent colleges (mostly run by central Govt and some by state Govts too - engg, law, medicine, design, journalism etc) at affordable tuition (which may sound like free if compared to US educational cost) and even if that cost also feels a burden education loans are really easy for such better schools and once you start earning those loans are like nothing compared to the salary you get.

It is not like there aren't any troubled kids in rural Asia. You simply will not run into them because they either 1) won't survive or 2) so far below you on the social and economic ladder your passes will never cross

The reason you are puzzled is because you have made the error of survivorship bias.

Yeah we have a lotttt of fuck ups here in the US. Some people's parents aren't really there for them and the kid just wants to beat their own drum.

When drugs are cheaply available, some people lose control of themselves biologically and become threats to everyone else and themselves.

It's probably a bit different from the type of upbringing that is "typical" in asia, with strict rules and expectations for the kid to lead a hard working and sober life?

Just my thoughts. This is generalizing both populations.

Are you trolling?

Not having access to flushing toilets but belonging to an otherwise nurturing environment versus being under the constant threat of bullying, having to pose as a tough guy just to keep your head above the water, saving someone's ass (that's actually what Daniel did to Joel by sneaking out of the classroom and calling for help) means your life is messed up?

Parental abuse and neglect is a hell of a thing to shake off.

> They are born in America and have so much support and they suck.

Just think a while about this guy's kids, how they will grow up.

It's an epidemic. You can't fix everything that goes wrong in a childhood with a little education and support.