The System Wasn’t Built for People Like Us - Katriona O'Sullivan

In this episode of Made in Chaos, Ryan Curtis sits down with bestselling author and academic Katriona O’Sullivan for a powerful conversation about poverty, education, inequality, and survival.Katriona challenges the idea that success is simply about hard work, explaining why “choice is a myth” for people growing up in poverty. Drawing on lived experience, neuroscience, and education research, she explores how undernourishment, trauma, and broken systems shape behaviour, decision-making, addiction, and long-term outcomes.This episode unpacks why personal responsibility is often overestimated, systemic failure is underestimated, and why success stories can sometimes be used to unfairly judge those still struggling. It’s an honest discussion about opportunity, support, gratitude, and what real social change actually requires.