I'd personally say, me too in so many ways... I had my struggles with an early death in the immediate family but it did provide the money to support me into my early start!
Here's the thing - struggle or not I absolutely have been around poverty and have actually done a bit in advocacy in the area. I don't say this for a gold star - just to qualify what I'm about to say.
Being poor is hard. Like really hard. It's expensive in sooo many ways and I freakin' wish more of us had empathy for those people that are struggling in that situation. I see WAY too many folks on HN that are comfortable in highly-paid positions like myself that don't acknowledge these things and even sound angry in regards to how people are "suppose to be"... lemme tell ya... as someone with struggles - man sometimes it's really really hard. Even with some of the insane privileges that I've been afforded.
All-in-all ... I wish more people admitted "man I had a lot of help" regardless if it's a computer in elementary school, or investments in education, etc. I know this has a negative "SJW" spin to it these days, but man... I have been privileged. holy crap I've been privileged. Doesn't diminish my accomplishments, but we need to come to terms that as a society everyone should have as equal of a playing field as possible..!
What if I tell you that my parents did pay for my education? And they gave me a car when I was 16? Or they were fortunate enough to be able buy a computer when I was in elementary school, which definitely contributed to my interests today, many decades later? Am I still self made? Or did that give me too much of a "head start" so I'm not? Was it so long ago now that it doesn't matter?
TLDR: I agree, it's all subjective...