This is the problem I am trying to address. The culture of achievement is a privilege reserved for upper strata of society.
This question belongs on a country club application not on tech job application. Tech industry is one of last few places in america where one can hope to turn things around in life. Become great by getting exposure to new ideas and new memes.
>The culture of achievement is a privilege reserved for upper strata of society.
How classist of you. There are plenty of people from working class backgrounds who achieved great things. Just because you started in poverty doesn't mean that you've never achieved something worth talking about in response to an interview question like this.
Honestly, I think disadvantaged people are in some ways at an advantage here--we have so many more limitations, that we have to become quite creative in our attempts to get around them. The more advantaged people can take a more convergent path because there are fewer obstacles in their way necessitating an annoying (but ultimately educational) detour.
This question belongs on a country club application not on tech job application. Tech industry is one of last few places in america where one can hope to turn things around in life. Become great by getting exposure to new ideas and new memes.